Talk:Handball (schoolyard game)

You cannot hit the ball with your head — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2001:8003:264F:7600:3DF3:65CB:A7DE:B905 (talk) 12:11, 2 September 2022 (UTC)

"handball" in .nz

This article conflicts with New Zealand national handball team as such. --Joy [shallot] (talk) 22:07, 3 August 2011 (UTC)

The form of Handball described in this article has a number of variations and is not a codified sport. It is distinct to Four Square and shares more similarities with Downball but, again, it's quite different. Hopefully, the following information will help someone decide whether or not it needs merging. (Dunce is commonly known as Dungeons as well while Jack is also called Duke. Rarely a game will have Prince instead of Queen.) It is worth noting that it is only referred to as Handball and the team sport as European Handball within NZ. Throughout the following, European Handball will called such, not Handball.

Handball is often played by only two players and even more frequently there is the existence of the line. The Line contains aditional players for whom there are not enough squares. The squares themselves are generally irregular and can be ordered as seen in the Four Square article's photo or one after each other. The latter is quite common as wide paths are often used to provide the squares. It is not unusual for the game to turn corners in this sense and have an L shaped formation. As such there is no upper limit on the number of players and the only restriction is how much space there is for squares. Surplus players join the line and enter the game when a player is out. It is treated as a non-playing square.

Some variants of the game enforce a compulsory hit for the ball. This is by no means usual and is as common as non-compulsory. However, when the ball isn't hit it can still bounce only once in any square. Whatever version one plays the ball can only bounce a maximum of twice and never consecutively within a square.

Downball is in some respects more strict when it comes to what constitutes out or not. Whether the ball hit an interior or exterior line is not a question in Handball as it is always a replay. The question is whether or not the ball actually hit the line. It is generally assumed to have. Downball terms these "liners" but in Handball they are called "lines." Sometimes another round between the two players in disagreement will be played if no agreement can be reached with the winner deciding. Some variants of Handball make use of a rule known as "tips" which means that if a player hits the ball with the tips of their fingers they aren't out. This is not standard and when used must be called, it is never assumed. Rolls as established in the Downball section are replayed rather than being out. This is called "Rolls are replays." Interferences or "inters" are never out in Handball, occasionally when the ball hits the likes of a stick an "inter" is called.

Fulls (apparently called straights in Downball) can be carried twice. This means that the player to whom the full was made carried on as usual instead of catching the ball (were they to touch it and fail to catch it they would be out themselves, so leaving it to bounce out is more typical, but some versions give the catcher all the time in the world as long as the ball doesn't leave their square before being caught) or leaving it to bounce out. If the next player catches it or leaves it to go out then the player who carried the full is out. The same applies if the carry is carried. However, the ball becomes normal if the carry of the carry is carried. This rule is called "can't carry a full more than twice" or "full carry" depending on the stage of the play.

False serves also exist. These are serves that do not match the rules around the serve. A serve must go directly to the player in whatever square it is bounced to. If said player is unsatisfied they can cause the ball to be re-served within reason. Often this requires support from other participants. The serve must be made to a player at least partially within their square by one at least partially within their square. The serve is subject to the same rules as any other play. The ball made be false served twice and if goes awry the third time the King is out. (Some variants are more loose with the serve and anyone can serve with no additional restrictions such as must go to the player or be within the square.) A re-serve is generally called by a player othe rthan the King who calls it "false serve."

There's no restriction on the number of players within one square. Doubles, triples or more are all common. Teamed base play is also made. Some players play as a team of one. Such play is more likely to make use of chances, similar to lives in a video game, or first serve. First serve is more common and enables the person who is served to a chance to live if they stuff it up by calling "first serve." "King's rules" is also fairly typical and allows for additional rules such as tricks or rebounds.

Tricks as described in the article are not always used as such. It is common to find them as specialist moves with required responses. They are the equivalent of special moves in video games. For example, if a player were to say "poison" after hitting the ball the player who receives it must say "injection" in response as well as obeying all the base rules. Tricks are more common among younger players who lack the skill for an involved game otherwise. (Some rallies between top players end only when one hits it too hard and it fails to land in the square of the opponent.) Rebounds allow the ball to hit walls which may border the playing area... this is common for path based play and participants unwilling to slam their hands into the wall to avoid being out. However, "rebounds" must be in effect as otherwise hitting a wall counts as the ball bouncing out of the squares.

Handball also has variants in kickball which is played with a ball more like a soccer ball than a tennis ball and is essentially the same just subject to the same restrictions as a non-keeping soccer player. Bodyball is the same but any part of the body may be used and uses the same sort of ball as kickball. Goalie-ball allows the use of arms and hands but not in a manner which causes the ball to leave the square. Handball, however, is much more common.

As such, the articles for both Downball (now merged, of course) and Handball (school) are poor measures of Handball. Their main flaws are the absence of the line and restrictions on square signs. (Only King and Dungeons are constant. When there are more squares than four, only the first three and last square have names. Sometimes players may use other Medieval social roles as names... like bishop or farmer.) — Preceding unsigned comment added by Orram (talk • contribs) 06:44, 18 August 2012 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 6 April 2015

I would like to help this article. Flameandcasey (talk) 08:01, 6 April 2015 (UTC)

Not done: it's not clear what changes you want to be made. Please mention the specific changes in a "change X to Y" format. Cannolis (talk) 08:12, 6 April 2015 (UTC)

some other parts of handball i used to use🤨

so uh, i’m unsure if anyone else agrees, but i commonly see “mean serves” “ace” and “grabs” as settings that can be enabled by king. if you don’t know what they mean, dw, as mean serves are practically doing really hard-to-stop-the-ball serves, aces are when you hit the ball into someone else’s square without the ball bouncing in yours first and grabs, the name says it all, but you can only grab for about a second. thanks - wholeftmydooropenomgwhyy Wholeftmydooropenomgwhyy (talk) 07:46, 28 August 2021 (UTC)

Handball as a sport in Norway

The schoolyard game of handball in norway has two differences, and goes by a different name. It is usually called King or Kongeball. Firstly, the ball is usually a football or basketball. Secondly, you usually dont hit your square first. The rules around bounces are the same as tennis usually. Prototypemix (talk) 08:34, 2 June 2022 (UTC)

This is far more similar to Four square than this article. The version of handball mentioned in this article is predominantly played in Australia, even though the title might suggest otherwise. Vituluss (talk) 06:59, 28 October 2024 (UTC)

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