The Incredible Hulk used to say "You wouldn't like me when I'm angry." For me it's "You wouldn't like me when I'm playing croquet". We got the croquet set out today for the first time in many years and had a go. I seem to have lost a bit of my accuracy. But none of my nastiness.

Sorry folks.

You would think that by now I'd have learned the dangers inherent in giving other people large, heavy, mallets and then doing things that would seriously annoy them. But no....

Actually, croquet is a really great game. We used to have a lot of fun with the students when we had things like staff-student cricket matches. After they'd given us a serious drubbing on the cricket pitch we could always say "Well done. Now, how about a nice relaxing game of croquet?". The students, thinking that their superior motor skills and reflexes would serve them well in just another ball game would readily sign up. And we would win every time.

Croquet is intensely strategic. A bit of skill helps, but at the end of the day it is all about striking a balance between your urge to complete the course and win the game, and your urge to send your opponent's balls into the flower beds. I think it's a good game for programmers, because it is all about sequence and planning. And I rather enjoy it. Frequently a lot more than the people I'm playing against......