27. PLAYING WHEN A BALL IS MISPLACED

1. GENERAL

Subject to Law 23(b), if the adversary observes that the striker is about to play a stroke when any ball is misplaced, he must forestall play so that the ball may be properly placed. If the error is not discovered until after the stroke is played, it is dealt with, subject to Laws 27(b) and 33, by the first of the applicable Laws 27(d) to 27(i).
2. MINOR MISPLACEMENT

For the purposes of these Laws other than Law 28(a)(8):
1. a ball is deemed to be in contact with another ball when a stroke is played even if it is physically not in contact at that time if, in preparation for the stroke, the striker attempted finally to place, adjust or leave the balls in contact; and
2. a ball is deemed not to be in contact with another ball when a stroke is played even if it is physically in contact at that time if, in preparation for the stroke, the striker attempted finally to place, adjust or leave the balls out of contact.
3. PURPORTING TO TAKE CROQUET
   1. Subject to Law 27(c)(2), the striker purports to take croquet if:
      1. he plays a stroke after finally placing or adjusting one or more balls so that the striker's ball is in contact with a ball from which it may not lawfully take croquet; or
      2. being required to take croquet, he plays a stroke after leaving the striker's ball in contact with a ball from which it may not lawfully take croquet.
   2. Temporarily removing and replacing a ball under Law 3(c)(2) or replacing a ball after interference under Laws 33 or 34 does not of itself constitute placing or adjusting it.
4. PURPORTING TO TAKE CROQUET FROM DEAD BALL
   If the striker purports to take croquet from a dead ball and the error is discovered before the first stroke of the adversary's next turn, the error is rectified and the turn ends.
5. PURPORTING TO TAKE CROQUET FROM LIVE BALL
1. If the striker purports to take croquet from a live ball and the error is discovered before two further strokes of the striker's turn, the error is rectified and, subject to Law 27(j), the striker continues his turn correctly.
2. IIf the error is discovered after the limit of claims, play is deemed to have proceeded as if, immediately before the first stroke in error, a roquet had been made only on the ball that was in contact with the striker's ball.
6. FAILING TO TAKE CROQUET WHEN REQUIRED TO DO SO
1. If the striker, being required to take croquet, plays a stroke in which he neither takes croquet nor purports to take croquet and the error is discovered before two further strokes of the striker's turn, the error is rectified and, subject to Law 27(j), the striker continues his turn correctly.
2. If the error is discovered after the limit of claims, play is deemed to have proceeded as if, immediately before the first stroke in error, a roquet had been neither made nor deemed to have been made, but that the striker had remained entitled to play the first stroke in error.
7. FAILING TO PLAY A BALL FROM BAULK
1. If the striker, being required to play a ball from a baulk-line in accordance with Laws 8(b) (start of game) or 13 (wiring lift) (or Law 36 (optional lift in advanced play)), plays a stroke from a position materially other than a point on a baulk-line and the error is discovered before the third stroke of the striker's turn, the error is rectified and, subject to Law 27(j), the striker restarts his turn correctly with the same ball.
2. If the error is discovered after the limit of claims, play is deemed to have proceeded as if the striker's ball had been correctly placed when the first stroke was played.
8. LIFTING A BALL WHEN NOT ENTITLED TO DO SO
1. If the striker, having lifted either of his balls at the start of a turn when not entitled to do so, plays a stroke with it misplaced and the error is discovered before the third stroke of the striker's turn, the error is rectified and, subject to Law 27(j), the striker restarts his turn correctly with either ball of his side.
2. If the error is discovered after the limit of claims, play is deemed to have proceeded as if the striker had been entitled to a lift or contact before he played the first stroke.
9. OTHER CASES
1. In all other cases, if the adversary fails to forestall play, the striker continues his turn subject to the law applicable to any other error or interference committed before or in the stroke. Examples of such cases include:
1. playing without first replacing any ball irregularly moved after the end of the preceding stroke;
2. playing the striker's ball when it has been wrongly brought onto the yard-line;
3. playing when a ball has been wrongly left off the court or in the yard-line area.
2. Subject to rectification of an error or discovery of an interference under Laws 30 or 31 committed before or in the stroke or, in exceptional cases, to Law 55, if the misplaced ball is affected by the stroke, it is deemed that its actual position was its lawful position before the stroke was played and Law 33 does not apply.
3. If the misplaced ball is unaffected by subsequent play and it is then discovered by either player to have been misplaced, it must be replaced in a lawful position before the next stroke is played.
10. END OF TURN

If an error under Laws 27(e) to 27(h) is discovered before its limit of claims, all strokes in error must also be analysed as if that limit of claims had passed in order to decide whether the striker is entitled to continue his turn. For this purpose purporting to take croquet from a live ball shall be treated as playing a croquet stroke in which the live ball is the croqueted ball. If any of the conditions of Law 4(d) (end of turn) would then apply the striker's turn ends.