CROQUET:  Looking for Opportunities

Your Red is for #1 and Yellow is for #3.  Black and Blue are for #1.  It's your turn.

What is your plan?

You could play Red and rush Yellow to #1.

What are the risks?

Is there a better opportunity?


If you play Red and rush Yellow to #1, at best you will make #1 and have a two-ball break going; at worst you'll break down and leave a receiver for your opponent at #1.  The best is not very good, and the worst is terrible.

But notice that Yellow has a receiver (Blue at #3), and a pioneer (Red at #4), so it's better to play Yellow, and get a three-ball break.  Further, Black could be promoted to pivot, yielding a four-ball break.

Therefore a better plan is to play Yellow and roquet Red.

Croquet Red to #4 (pioneer) as you takeoff to Black.

Roquet Black.  Croquet Black to the stake (pivot) and Yellow to Blue (receiver).   Roquet Blue, and you have a four-ball break going.