Squash rules: scoring, serve, lets and strokes

Squash is played by two people in an enclosed four-wall court, hitting a rubber ball with a racket and making it strike the front wall. It looks chaotic at first, but the rules are few and quite logical. This guide summarises the singles rules according to World Squash, the world federation that publishes the official rulebook. If you are just getting to know the sport, start with the guide on how to play squash and come back here when you want to understand every point.

The reference: World Squash

World Squash is the international federation of the sport, and its rulebook is the basis of professional tournaments and most leagues in the world. What follows are the singles rules, which are the most common. Clubs and local leagues sometimes simplify a few points for casual matches, so if you are going to enter a tournament, always check the organiser's current rulebook and not just this guide.

The court and its lines

A squash court is a rectangle enclosed by four walls: the front wall, two side walls and the back wall. The standard measurements are about 9.75 m long by 6.4 m wide. What matters most for play are the markings:

• The tin: the metal strip at the base of the front wall. If the ball hits the tin or anything below the line that marks it, it is an error and the player who hit it loses the point.
• The out line: the line that runs along the top of the walls. If the ball touches it or goes above it, it is out.
• The service line: a line on the front wall. On the serve, the ball must hit above it.
• The service box: a square marked on the floor on each side of the court. You serve from there.
• The half-court line: it splits the back half of the court into two quarters, right and left.

How scoring works

Modern squash uses PAR, point-a-rally scoring: every rally is worth a point to whoever wins it, no matter who served. A game is won on reaching 11 points, but you must win by two. If the score reaches 10-10, play continues until someone has a two-point lead.

Matches are usually best of five games in professional tournaments, and whoever wins three takes the match. In recreational squash it is common to play best of three, or even a single game. Agree it before you start.

The serve

To decide who serves first, a toss is made, normally by spinning a racket. The winner chooses the side to start from. These are the serve rules:

• The server must have at least one foot inside the service box at the moment of hitting the ball, without touching the line around it.
• The ball is hit without bouncing on the floor first, and must strike the front wall between the service line and the out line.
• After hitting the front wall, the ball must land in the back quarter on the opposite side from the box it was served from, either on the bounce or as a volley.
• The receiver may return the ball as a volley or after a single bounce on the floor.
• Whoever wins a rally serves the next one. If the server keeps serving, they switch box with every point won.

A serve that does not meet these conditions is a fault. How a service fault is handled in casual matches and local leagues is up to the organiser, so agree it before you play.

The rally: how to return the ball

After the serve, the players take turns hitting the ball. A return is good if it meets three conditions:

• The ball is hit before it bounces more than once on the floor.
• It reaches the front wall above the tin and below the out line.
• It does not touch the floor before reaching the front wall. It may hit the side walls or the back wall first.

Whoever makes the opponent unable to return a valid ball wins the rally. If the ball touches the tin, the out line or leaves the court, the point goes to the other player. A useful detail: after hitting, you must give your opponent room to see the ball and hit it.

Lets and strokes

Squash is played in a shared space and players often get in each other's way, which is why the let and the stroke exist:

• Let: the rally is replayed, with no point for anyone. It is awarded when a player cannot reach the ball or cannot hit it freely because of the opponent's interference, provided they would have made every effort to play it.
• Stroke: the point goes to the obstructed player. It is awarded when, without the interference, they would have won the rally with a valid shot, or when the opponent did not do enough to get out of the way.
• No let: if the player would not have reached the ball anyway, or did not make the effort to go for it, there is no let and no stroke and play continues.

In tournaments a referee decides, helped by a marker. In friendly matches the players referee themselves: you ask for the let by saying "let, please" and accept the call with good grace.

Court etiquette

• After each shot, return to the T, the centre of the court, so you can reach the whole court again.
• Give your opponent room to see the ball and to hit it in a straight line to the front wall.
• Wear protective eyewear: the ball and the rackets travel fast in a small space.
• If the ball or your opponent's racket hits you, say so and stop play.

How to find a court in Mexico

MeetAndPlay has a directory of squash courts in Mexico, built from OpenStreetMap data and public sources. It is a directory, not a booking service, so to play you will need to contact the venue. Before you go, confirm by phone that it is still operating, that the court is available and which ball and rackets they have. And if you want a broader overview of the sport, read the guide on how to play squash.