Who marks whom
Polo marking is man on man and it is inverted: you mark the player whose number pairs with yours from the other end.
The key points
- Your 1 marks their Back.
- Your 2 marks their 3. Your 3 marks their 2.
- Your Back marks their 1 — the most dangerous job on the field.
- Lose your man and someone else has to leave theirs. That is how goals happen.
In the app this play is animated, and you can spin the pitch and read the rule behind it.
See it move
See this play animated on the pitch, and test yourself on the rules behind it.
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.