How to Play Squash: The Basics

Kush Mahan

Squash is a fantastic sport that is great for exercise and is also a lot of fun. However, it may be confusing for those who have never played the game before. This post details some of the basics of squash and how the game is played.

Scoring:

• A match constitutes the best out of 3 or 5 games
• Each game is played to 11 points and the player who reaches 11 points first wins. However, the winner must win by 2 points. This means if the score is 10-10, someone needs to win by the score reaching 12-10.
• Players can score points at any time. If the server wins a rally, he/she scores a point and keeps serving. If the receiver wins a rally, he/she scores a point and becomes the server.

The Warm-Up:

• Before a match starts, both players are allowed up to 5 minutes to warm-up.
• If a ball is changed during a match then the ball must be warmed-up to playing condition. Either player can do this.

The Service:

• The first player to serve is decided by a spin of the racket.
• The server continues to serve until he/she loses a rally. This is when the server becomes “hand out.”
• When a player wins a game, he/she starts serving in the next game.
• The server can serve from either service box at the beginning of each game and when the service changes from one player to the other. After this point, the server alternates service boxes until he/she loses a rally.
• When serving, at least part of one foot must be on the floor within the service box. In order for the serve to be considered good, it must hit the front wall above the service line and below the out line so that on its return, it reaches the floor within the back quarter of the court opposite the server’s box. If the receiver volleys the ball back then this does not need to occur.

Good Return:

• The ball must be hit before it bounces twice on the floor and it must be returned within the tin and the out line. The ball is allowed to hit the sidewalls or back wall before reaching the front wall.

Rallies:

• The alternating players hit the ball until one fails to make a good return. If there is ever a danger of hitting the opponent during a rally, then play stops and the rally is either played again or the opponent is penalized.