Instructions for Racquetball

Equipment

• To play racquetball, all you need is a court, a racket (preferably one 22 inches long or shorter) and a racquetball. Goggles are highly recommended, and gloves moderately so.

Court

• A racquetball court is enclosed on all sides. The standard size for a court is 40 feet long, 20 feet wide and 20 feet high. The service box, from which players must serve, is 15 feet from the front wall and 5 feet from front to back. It is marked by screen lines on each side, 3 feet from each side wall. The server must serve inside these lines. A second line, 1-1/2 feet from each wall, is the doubles line, where the non-serving partner must stand during the serve. In the back of the service box is the short line, and 5 feet beyond that is the receving line.

Serving

• The server has two opportunities to serve. He must hit the ball against the front wall and it must land beyond the short line. The ball may hit one side wall before landing. If the serve hits any more walls or lands in front of the short line, it is a fault. If the server double-faults, he loses serve.

Receiving

• On the court is a dotted line 25 feet from the front wall and 5 feet behind the short line. The receiver must not pass this line at any point during the serve. After returning serve, he may pass this line at will. The return shot may make contact with any wall(s), but must hit the front wall before bouncing.

Scoring

• Points may be scored only by the server. If another player wins a rally, he gains serve, but not a point.

  During a rally, a player loses the rally if the ball bounces more than once before being returned, the ball bounces on the return shot before it hits the front wall, the ball hits the player or his partner, he interferes with an opposing player, or he switches his racket hand.

  These are the most common methods to ending a rally. Others are determined by judgment calls or tournament rules during the course of play.

Game Variations

• Racquetball is usually played with two players (singles), four players (doubles), and even three players (often known as "Cutthroat"). Doubles is like singles, only shot returns alternate between teams (either of the two players), rather than individuals.

  In "Cutthroat," one player serves and either of the other two players can return. Play alternates between server and either of the other two players (they don't have to take turns). If a server fails to score, one of the other two takes his place, and he joins the other receiving player.

  Another variation starts as one player against another, with the third player sitting out. The two players rally and the loser is replaced by the player sitting out.