Whatever sort of newcomer to the squash field you are in the right place. This new player friendly tutorial will introduce you to the basic rules of the game of squash, how to play squash and what to expect to know before you take the field special consideration. At the end, you would have gained sufficient confidence in picking up a racket and playing your first game.

What Is Squash?

Squash is an indoor racket sport that is played in a closed court in a duel (singles) or four players (doubles). The aim of the game is not complicated: to strike the ball in such a way that your opponent is not allowed to send it back successfully. Given the limited size of the area and the fact that the game is of swift gameplay, squash requires swift reflex, athleticism and intelligent strategy. 

Why Learn the Rules?

• You might also end up frustrated or make wrong decisions, thus interrupting the game without being aware of the rules.
• Fair play can guide you to be safe, avoid injury and respect your opponent. 
• Being knowledgeable of the rules helps in that you are able to enjoy the game, work on your skills, and not simply worry about whether you are doing everything right.

Basic Court & Equipment Setup

Court Dimensions & Features

• Standard singles court size: 9.75 m (length) x 6.4 m (width).
• The court is four-sided; that is, there are four walls: front, back and two sides.
• It has several important markings: there is a service, short line, half court line, and the tin (the lowest mark on the front wall which you should not step over). 
• A board on the bottom of the front wall is often the tin; when the striker hits and scratches it, this is regarded as down (striker fault).

Equipment

• Racket – A racket is similar to a tennis racket except that it is smaller.
• Ball: Smaller rubber ball with low bouncing; when a novice may make use of a higher-bouncing ball (ball moves faster). 
• Courts have to comply with the requirements given by the World Squash Federation (WSF) or local authorities. 

How to play squash: Guide

The Serve

• The first to serve is normally determined when a coin is tossed or a racket is given a spin.
• The server should serve with the foot on the service box and to the front wall above the service line and below the out-line.
• When the ball strikes the front wall, it is required to bounce in the opposite back quarter-court. 
• In case of invalidity of serve (fault), opponent serves.

Rallying

• Having made a valid serve, alternating the hitting of the ball occurs.
• The ball is supposed to strike on the front wall and then reach the floor two times. It can come into intervening side or back walls. 
• When the ball hits twice before being returned, strikes an out of bounds target, hits tin or a player does not strike the ball, the other player wins the rally.

Scoring & Games

• The vast majority of matches have 11 points which are put into use in Point-a-Rally Scoring: (PARS): each of the rallies scores a point, whether you are serving or not. 
• Players should move to a 10-10 tie and then have to win with 2 points.
• Games generally turn out to be a best of 5 games (win 3 games and the match is won). 

Lets, Strokes & Interference

• Due to the nature of the area in which it is played, squash is prone to interference (obstructing the view or access of competition).
• In case there is an interference that deprives a good shot: a let (replay of rally) or point awarded (stroke). 
• Essentials: players are expected to permit reasonable availability and contemplate, and they ought to be safe. 

Common Terms You Should Know

• T Position or T: This refers to the central space of the court after every shot has been hit, at the T, position provides the maximum advantage of access to the next shot. 
• Tin: It is the bottom box in the front wall; when the tin is hit, the rally is lost.
• Marking: The striation on the walls at the top, they can be out when ball hits or passes that marking.
• Service box: This is the tiny box where one gets the serve.
• Fault / Down / No Let / Stroke: There are many possible referee decisions and rulings due to interference or violation of rule.

Strategy & Tips for Beginners

Control T – So, after you have shot, go to the center immediately to position yourself well to be in a good position to react. 

Confuse your shots – Blend your straight shots (alongside wall), soft shots listed slightly higher than tin) with drops (shot to side wall in front of front wall) and boasts (shot to side wall in front of front wall) so that your opponent will always be on his feet.

Fitness is – Squash rallies change hands; stamina is an advantage. 

Concentrate on safety – Since the court is limited, there should be no dangerous swings and collisions. Referee is allowed to halt the game at his own discretion. 

Intro to Equipment and Intro to Practice.

• Take a beginner friendly ball (in most cases blue or red dots) – less difficult bouncing.
• Wear shoes that are well gripped, non-marking and a racket that has a comfortable weight.
• Exercising practice: You hit, and then against one wall to yourself, which gets you as straight as possible.
• Once you have known some fundamentals of hitting, have some friendly contests that emphasise on rules, but not only winning.
• Watch professional games or video guides (you will know how the professionals navigate and control the T).

Why It is Important to Learn the Rules to Prepare to Court

Assuming you are a school, club or facility with an installation of a squash court you have the opportunity to ensure:

• The court is of acceptable size (9.75 m x 6.4 m) to play on.
• There should be proper lighting, flooring, safety netting and wall surface to enable proper rebound and safe rallies.
• Surfaces on the floor are adequate and offer good bounce and grip (such as: vinyl court, wooden floor).
• The facility will have to comply with standard rules to facilitate refereeing, ranking, coaching and other activities.

At Gallant Sports, we assist you in setting up the court in India on dimensions, flooring, lighting and marking, you are free to host quality squash games rules and training. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. What is the best squash racquet for beginners?

Ans. Lightweight racquet (120-140g) with a big head size (500 sq cm or higher) would suit anyone who is a beginner. It is more controlled and can serve to make the ball go easy without much effort on the part of the wrist. The most available entry-level models are Head Nano Ti 110, Dunlop Blaze Pro and Tecnifibre Carboflex Airshaft 125.

Q 2. What is the squash game’s main objective?

Ans. The primary objective in squash is to strike the ball against the wall that is in front of you so as to ensure that your opponent does not strike the ball before striking the wall twice. The game requires stamina, reaction and choosing.

Q 3. What should I wear to play squash, and what squash ball should I use?

Ans. Dressing: Light breathable sportswear – have a breathable moisture wick t shirt, shorts and non-marking court shoes inside that ensure the player has drain and grip.

Squash ball: At the beginning, the beginner must use a one-dot (blue or red) ball since it bounces higher and it provides more reaction time. A ball of a double yellow dot is used by higher players; it is slower and a lot more demanding.

Q 4. What are the differences between singles and doubles squash?

Feature	Singles	Doubles
Players	1 vs 1	2 vs 2
Size of Courts	Standard	Wider and longer.
Game Speed	Quicker rallies	Less individual effort and tactics.
Ball Type	Normal	Somewhat harder with higher duration of rallies.

 

In doubles, coordination and positioning play a major role whereas in singles agility and endurance is more important.

 Q 5. What is a squash game, and how is it different from other racket sports?

Ans. Squash is an indoor racket sported in a four walled court and the players should take turns returning the ball on the front wall.

The ball can also be bounced on off side and back walls unlike tennis or badminton which makes it a 360deg challenge. It is a quicker and more tactical game that requires quickness on the feet, predictability and rapid recuperative action.

Q 6. What do the lines on a squash court mean?

Ans. The play areas are marked on squash courts in several lines:

• Front Wall Line: When the ball hits below this line, the ball should be declared as in play.
• Service Line: This line should not be below which the ball should be hit during serving.
• Tin (bottom area): Such as a net– in case the ball comes into contact with it, a point has been lost.
• Outline (top boundary): This is when the ball strikes higher than the outline, it gets out.
• Half-court line and service boxes: These are boxes that are used to mark player positions in the course of serve.

Q 7. Why do we care about the box of the service when there is a squash?

Ans. The service box determines the location of your service. The sole condition is one foot has to be within the box, as you strike the ball to the front wall above the service line then the ball must be in the other back quarter after striking the front wall. It properly and constantly plays fair.

Final Thoughts

Squash is the best sport, a challenging and good fun sport to both the beginners and advanced players. By studying and playing by the rules of the squash game rules, you are an adeptly prepared game player who can safely play, fairly play, and enjoyably play the game. The rules provide a good ground whether you are just picking your racket, are just booking a court in your local club, or have just planned a squash facility in your school or club.

Then take your racket and get out on the field, and play the game of squash, smart, safe, and smiling.