The game starts with a toss of a coin. The loser has the other choice. A ball is out of bounds if any part of it over-hangs the inside of the definitive border. Under the rules of advanced croquet a ball for the peg can be pegged out at any time, but in a handicap game a ball cannot peg itself out until the partner ball is also for the peg. The loser has the remaining choice.
Balls start from the middle of the first hoop in any alternating order.
If the hoop is made, proceed towards Hoop 3 or follow step 2 below. This gives the following balls about a 5.5 metre roquet which the player may feel uneasy about taking. The second player if finding that a shot at Hoop 2 is unwise, should hit out near corner 2, about 30 cm down from the corner. This will leave that ball in a threatening position for a 'free' shot at the first ball and its partner if the third player decides to try for a roquet on its partner ball. It also means that your partner ball or you will have a rush down the lawn if a roquet by your partner is attempted and missed, but you could be leaving an inviting target for the third ball.