Speed Croquet is an exciting, fast-paced variation of croquet. It is played by the backyard rules of croquet, but with the following additions:
- The goal of Speed Croquet is to be the last player still in the game.
- Instead of taking turns, all players play simultaneously. At the start of a game all of the players hit their croquet balls. When a player's ball stops moving then they can hit it again. Play continues like this until the end of a game. If a player hits their ball out of the playing area, they are out of the game.
- Play proceeds in a zig-zag pattern through wickets to the far stake and back. When a player gets back to the first stake they must hit their ball through the two wickets in front of the stake without hitting the stake. If a player hits the stake, they're out of the game. If they pass it, they place their ball a croquet mallet length away and hit it towards the center wicket. Once a player hits their ball through the center wicket, going towards the first stake, they become "poison".
- While poison, a player tries to eliminate all the other players by hitting them. When a poison ball hits another player's ball, that player is out. If two poison balls hit, then the player that hit their ball first stays in the game and the other player is out. A poison ball that goes through a wicket, that hits a stake, or goes out of the playing area is out.
- The winner of a game of Speed Croquet is the last player in the game.