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Four square

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For other uses, see Four square (disambiguation).
The serve and first two hits in a four square game.

Four square is a ball game played among four players on a square court divided into quadrants. With such little required equipment, almost no setup, and short rounds of play that can be ended at any time, it is a popular playground game, and is considered a sport by many.

Rules

Four square is played with a rubber ball on a court made of four adjacent squares.

Objective

The objective in four square is to advance yourself to the highest square on the court by eliminating other players.[1] The ball is bounced from one square to another and players are eliminated for hitting the ball incorrectly or committing other such errors. Once at the highest-ranking square, a player scores points and is the server to start the next round. Any number of players may wait in a line outside the court for their turn to play.

Boundaries

Four square is played on a square court divided into four smaller squares of equal size. The overall court may vary in size from 16 to 24 feet (4.9 to 7.3 m). Court sizes are often adjusted for age or skill level.

The lines on the court are boundaries.

  • The outermost lines of the court are in-bounds. This means that the ball may land on or touch any portion of an outside line and still be in play.
  • The interior lines separating player squares are out-of-bounds. If the ball lands on or touches any portion of an inside line, the player who hit the ball last has committed an error.[2]

Ball handling

Four square is played with an 8.5-inch rubber playground ball. During regular play, the ball may be legally hit with any part of a player's hands from wrist to fingertip. The hit may be open- or closed-fisted, forehand or backhand. The ball may also be hit with one hand, or two hands at the same time, much like the rules of volleyball.

Carrying, catching or holding the ball during play is illegal because because prolonged contact with the ball can give players unfair control over the play. The ball must be struck once and for a single instant only. [3]

Errors and elimination

Players may be eliminated for the following errors:

  • A player hits the ball out of bounds or onto a line between squares.
  • A player lets the ball bounce more than once in their square.
  • A player fails to hit the ball properly into another player's square.
  • A player hits the ball more than once before returning it to another square.
  • A player strikes the ball incorrectly, such as carrying or holding.
  • A player violates a special rule invoked by the server.

The eliminated player leaves the court and the remaining players move up to the next highest square until the lowest square is empty. A new player may now join the court in the lowest square. Eliminated players wait in line for their next turn to join the court again.

Play continues like this until time runs out or a winner is determined through any number of methods.

Tournaments and competitions

As players rise in skill level or athletic ability it is important to appropriately raise the challenge of the game. Some communities or groups have developed rules for tournament-style play. Squarefour and The International 4-Square League both use systems of scoring that give numbers or averages to players over time, while other groups use an elimination or double elimination system.

World Championships

The Four Square World Championships, a competitive adult four square tournament, take place in Bridgton, Maine, USA, each winter season. Peter Lowell of the Lakes Environmental Association hosts this annual fundraiser each winter to support the environmental work done in the lakes region of Maine, USA. This competition draws athletes from the USA and Canada, and has registered competitors from Israel to Bermuda. Prior world championships have been held on Jan 29, 2005, Jan 28, 2006, Feb 3, 2007, Feb 16, 2008, and Feb 28, 2009.

Four Square World Championships February 28, 2009

The 2010 World Championships have not been scheduled yet.

See also

References

  1. ^ Rules Despite regional variances, player advancement to the top square is universal.
  2. ^ The common mnemonic device to remember the boundary rules is "inside out, outside in."
  3. ^ Squarefour
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