Rules For Squash

Though often viewed as a niche sport for the well-to-do, squash is a very fun game, and knowing the rules for squash can help you enjoy a competitive match. Similar to racquetball, squash is a game played in a four-walled room, with small rackets and a rubber ball. A great way to stay in shape, squash is fun and very competitive.

1. Serving. The rules for squash are very detailed when it comes to serving. A server stands with at least one foot inside one of the two service boxes (he may choose which one to use). After striking the ball, for the serve to be good, the player must have it hit the front wall above the “service” line but below the “out” line. It then must carry to the back quarter of the court and land in the half of the court opposite of the service box from which he struck it.
2. The return. A good return—and then every subsequent shot in the rally—must be within certain criteria, according to the rules for squash. The returning player must strike the ball before it bounces twice on the ground. He must hit the ball so that it hits the front wall above the tin (along the bottom of the front wall) and below the “out” line. The ball may hit any other wall on the way to the front wall, but must reach the wall before hitting the ground.
3. Turning. Due to the frenetic nature of squash, with the ball flying all around and playing off of four walls, there is a part of the rules for squash dealing with “turning.” If the ball passes a player and he then strikes it in on the opposite side of his body (such as a ball passing on his left, hitting the back wall and then the player striking it on his right as it passes by), he is considered to have “turned” to hit it. In such a case, if he then hit his opponent with the ball, the point is awarded to the opponent. This rule is to protect players.
4. Interference. This is another portion of the rules for squash designed to protect players. A player attempting to reach a ball is allowed to do so without being interfered with by his opponent. If his opponent gets in the way, the player can attempt to make a play on the ball or stop play, calling interference. If he could have made a good hit on the ball and the opponent attempted to get out of the way, a “let” or do-over is called. If he could have made a good hit on the ball and the opponent did not attempt to satisfactorily move out of the way, the player is awarded the point.
5. Winning. The rules for squash state that a full match is completed when a best-of series of three or five games is finished. Each game is played to eleven points, but a player must win by two points. This means that if a game reaches a ten-ten tie, play continues until one player is two points ahead. Note that either player can score—unlike other sports, you do not need to be serving to score a point.