Rule 9. Unfinished Game
Blue Book 2026, Part 1, Rule 9 · Common Terms, Winning, Goals on Handicap and Scoring Goals, Duration, Start of Play
In plain English
Once it starts it gets finished, short of something unavoidable.
- A game that has started gets played to a finish. Only the umpires or the host tournament committee can stop it, only for an unavoidable cause, and only after consulting the captains and the match officials.
- It then resumes from exactly where it stopped, same score, same chukka, same position of the ball, at whatever time the committee decides.
The clause that governs
It shall be resumed at the point at which it has stopped as to score, chukka and position of the ball at the earliest convenient time, to be decided upon by the host Tournament Committee.
Quoted extract · Blue Book 2026, Part 1, Rule 9
2 questions on this rule
When can a game be stopped before it's finished?
- Only by the Tournament Committee for any reason
- Only by the umpire if the weather is bad
- By the umpire or the host Tournament Committee for some unavoidable cause which prevents a finish the same day ✓
- By the team captains if they agree to stop the game
It shall be resumed at the point at which it has stopped as to score, chukka and position of the ball at the earliest convenient time, to be decided upon by the host Tournament Committee.
A game is stopped for an unavoidable cause. How is it resumed?
- From the start of the chukka in which it stopped
- At the same score, chukka and ball position at which it stopped ✓
- With a throw-in on the centre line at 0-0
- It is replayed in full
It shall be resumed at the point at which it has stopped as to score, chukka and position of the ball at the earliest convenient time, to be decided upon by the host Tournament Committee.
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Every rule here is stated in our own words, with short quoted extracts from the HPA Blue Book 2026 and Green Book 2025 and a link to the book itself. Polo Rules Test is an independent study aid and is not affiliated with the Hurlingham Polo Association. In any dispute the published rulebook governs.