Squash 101

Squash is a racquet sport which takes place in a room 32 feet long, 21 feet wide and at least 15 feet high.  The game is played by two players hitting the ball alternately, so that the ball strikes the front wall either directly or of a side or back wall.  Only once bounce is allowed on the floor after the ball has hit the front wall, but may be volleyed, i.e. hit before it bounces.

There are two important lines on the court - the Out of Court line and the Tin.  Unlike racquetball, the playing area is restricted to the area marked by the Out of Court line and Tin.  If the ball hits any wall above these lines, the striker loses the rally.  Similarly, if the ball hits the front wall below the level of the Tin, the point is lost.  All other lines on the court apply to service only.

During service, the server must have at least one foot completely within the service box and the ball must hit above the service line (cut line), then proceed to clear the short line on the opponent's side of the half court line. Where the short line meets the half court line is the area known as the "T".  This is central to the tactics of the game in that it is important to always attempt to dominate the "T" by returning to it after you have hit the ball.

A standard squash racquet is 27 inches long and has a width across the head of 8.5 inches.  There are many brands, shapes and sizes available.  Beginners should consider one of the new oversize racquets, since they have a larger sweet spot and therefore will enhance your ability to hit and control your shots.  The ball is classified as a "dead" ball in that it does not bounce as compared to a racquetball.  It is also considerably smaller than a racquetball.  Beginners should use a "Blue Dot" ball while Advanced players always use a "Yellow dot" ball.  Remember, you have a long racquet, so even though the ball isn't "lively", don't give up on retrieving shots by your opponent.  Anticipate!

The server is given one chance to put the ball in play and a match is typically 3 out of 5 games to 9 points. 

There is one caveat however, when the score is tied 8 to 8 the receiver may optionally elect to play a long or short game.  A short game is played to 9 ("no set") and a long game is played to 10 ("set two").  Points may only be scored by the server, who must always call out the score, with the server's score first, prior to serving.

The server can choose which side (service box) to serve from.  If the server wins the rally, he or she must change sides and continue to do so  until a rally is lost.  When he or she regains service, the server can once again choose which service box to put the ball in play.  A valid serve must be above the service line (cut line), below the Out of Court line and fall on the opposite side of the half court beyond the short line.  Unlike racquetball, a ball that travels from the front wall to the back wall without first striking the floor (bouncing) is a legal serve.

A rally ends when a player, 1) fails to return the ball to the front wall above the Tin, 2) hits the ball above the Out of Court line, 3) fails to hit the ball before the second bounce, 4) stops to ask for a "Let".  A "Let" is an undecided rally, similar to a "hinder" in racquetball.  A "Stroke" is a penalty point awarded if the striker is in a winning situation and there has been interference (i.e. an racquetball avoidable hinder).  A player must make every effort to give his or her opponent a fair view of the ball and a straight unobstructed path to return the ball to the front wall.

The primary shots in squash, the building blocks for a sound game, are the forehand and backhand drives.  A good drive has two dimensions, length and width.  A good length shot puts your opponent in a difficult position at the back of the court.  A good width shot is one which is difficult to hit because it is so close to the side wall.