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The Centre'ball Break

The player is thus enabled to continue his break as long as he likes, and should remember that it is easier to make a break with 3 balls to help than with only 2; and his endeavour should therefore be to get all the balls into his break. It is often worth while to traverse the whole length of the ground in order to bring the dead ball into one's game; but of course this requires caution, on account of the dead boundary. On the other hand, playing upon the adversary's next player is risky, and should be avoided, unless there is a chance of a good break ensuing by making use of it.

The rush will be found very useful for picking up the break, and should be played for when practicable, as it makes the play very much easier in many cases than if a rolling croquet were used.

When you are out, i.e., when the adversary has the balls, it is always a question whether to take a long shot or finesse to the boundary. In general, when the balls are so placed that if you took a shot and missed your ball would lie where it would be useful to the adversary in making his break, it is best to play away to a remote corner of the ground, whence the adversary will find it difficult to bring your ball into his game, and where, if undisturbed, your partner can come to you when he plays, and your side thus get together. But no fixed rule can be laid down, and a great deal depends upon whether you are a good shot or not.

It is impossible in the short space at our command to do more than allude to the various points which should be attended to if our young readers wish to become good players; but there are not wanting books which will instruct them in the mysteries of the tactics, and make them, as far as book-teaching can do so, fit to contend in the Tournament for some of the numerous cups, medals, and prizes now offered by many of the clubs. What we have indicated will however be sufficient to show our young friends how to make the most of their practice on the croquet lawn, and we now take our leave, hoping that in the triumphant moment of "pegging out" they will "do as they would be done by," and spare their opponents feelings as much as possible.