- If the first player fail to "make his ring," the next goes on, who may either throw at the ring or at the ball in the circle.
- Partners may assist each other in getting near the ring; but no player, at starting, may step within four yards of the ring.
- Two points are counted for every canon, and three for every fairly-made ring; and successive points are reckoned for any number of rings or canons.
- Each player goes on till he fails to canon or ring his ball; when the next plays; and so on, till the required number of points are made.
- One point is taken off the player's score for every foul stroke. Foul strokes are made by touching a ball with hand or person while it is in play; by playing with a wrong ball; by playing out of turn; by overturning the ring; and by making two or more steps while throwing the ball.
- Each player, after the start, must go on from the place at which his ball was left after the previous stroke.
- All disputed points must be settled by the umpire, whose decision is final.
- No ball in-play must be removed from its position except by a stroke from another ball, and every ball is considered to be in-play while it is within the circle, which may be of any dimensions chosen by the players previous to the commencement of the game.
- Any player leaving a game before it is finished, loses it.
The game is played fifteen, twenty-one, or any other determined number of points. The balls should be perfectly round and smooth. They are generally made of boxwood or lignum vitæ, and weigh about three to five lbs. each; the balls, cues, &c., are sold by most dealers in croquet implements.