In short, the object of the game is to outscore your opponent while reaching an agreed upon score. Most competitions are played in a best-of-five format, known as a racquetball match, with games scored to 11 and each game must be won by 2 clear points.
How to Play Racquetball
There are multiple ways to play racquetball, mainly decided by how many players there are. Each game:
Racquetball Singles
When racquetball is played with two people, playing in a one vs one match, it is referred to as a racquetball singles match. This is the most common way the game is played, both recreationally and competitively. Dive deeper into the rules, tips, and strategy of a racquetball singles game.
Racquetball Doubles
When racquetball is played with four people, playing in a two vs two match, it is referred to as a racquetball doubles match. This gameplay is popular in both competitive tournament play and non-competitive recreation matches. Learn more about racquetball doubles rules.
Cutthroat Racquetball or 3 Player Racquetball
3 player racquetball, also known as cutthroat racquetball, is commonly played in a 1 vs 1 vs 1 style, where the server attempts to score against the other two players playing as a team. This game style is not a tournament play variation but can be a lot of fun when you have an odd number of people.
Racquetball Court Lines
Below you will find a brief overview of the racquetball court lines. These are by no means an exhaustive set of the rules, but should be enough to get you up and running in a racquetball singles or doubles match.
Service Line - This is the line that is closest to the front wall. The line plays an important role in the serve. The person serving must have both feet on or behind the line. If one or both feet cross over the service line, this is called a foot fault, and the serve is lost.
Short Line - This line divides the court in two. The short line plays three important roles.
Service Boxes - This area is the box on either side formed closest to the wall in the service zone and is used in a doubles racquetball match. The teammate of the person serving the ball must stand inside one of these service boxes.
Receiving Line or Encroachment Line - The player returning the serve must not cross the receiving line until one of two things happen:
Basic Racquetball Serve Rules
Here are the serving rules broken down as simple as we can make them:
Where are the players positioned for the serve?
In order for a serve to be a good serve and be eligible to be returned by the opposing team, the following things must occur:
The rules for doubles serving are more or less the same as singles but there are naturally a few differences:
This may be obvious but it’s worth covering. Come up with an agreed upon way to see who is the first person to serve. The most common ways to do this are to flip a coin outside the court, lag to see who serves first, or if you have a ref, they can write down a 1 or 2, A or B, or any other fair method to designate who starts the game as the server.
What is a Serving Fault
Some serves are not valid (or bad serves) and they are considered faults. The result of a faulty serve is the opportunity for the same player to serve a second time. If a player makes two consecutive faults it results in a side out and the other team serves. Serving faults consist of the following:
Some serves result in a side out, where you immediately lose the serve when one of these things happen:
Full International Racquetball Federation Rules
How to Play Racquetball
- Play begins with a serve and continues after a successful serve.
- Once in play, the opposing player (or team) must hit the ball against the front wall before the ball bounces twice
- The ball can be struck by the returning player either in mid-air or after the ball has bounced once
- Once the ball is hit by the returning player, the ball must travel to and hit the front wall (using any number of walls including the ceiling) before the ball hits the floor
- Play continues in this manner until one player wins the rally
- If the player serving wins the rally a point is issued and they continue to serve.
- If the player returning the serve wins the rally, they win a point and win the serve
There are multiple ways to play racquetball, mainly decided by how many players there are. Each game:
Racquetball Singles
When racquetball is played with two people, playing in a one vs one match, it is referred to as a racquetball singles match. This is the most common way the game is played, both recreationally and competitively. Dive deeper into the rules, tips, and strategy of a racquetball singles game.
Racquetball Doubles
When racquetball is played with four people, playing in a two vs two match, it is referred to as a racquetball doubles match. This gameplay is popular in both competitive tournament play and non-competitive recreation matches. Learn more about racquetball doubles rules.
Cutthroat Racquetball or 3 Player Racquetball
3 player racquetball, also known as cutthroat racquetball, is commonly played in a 1 vs 1 vs 1 style, where the server attempts to score against the other two players playing as a team. This game style is not a tournament play variation but can be a lot of fun when you have an odd number of people.
Racquetball Court Lines
Below you will find a brief overview of the racquetball court lines. These are by no means an exhaustive set of the rules, but should be enough to get you up and running in a racquetball singles or doubles match.
Service Line - This is the line that is closest to the front wall. The line plays an important role in the serve. The person serving must have both feet on or behind the line. If one or both feet cross over the service line, this is called a foot fault, and the serve is lost.
Short Line - This line divides the court in two. The short line plays three important roles.
- During the serve, after the ball hits the front wall, the ball must travel past the short line in the air before the first bounce. If the ball hits the floor on a serve before traveling past the short line, it is considered a short serve, and is a fault
- During the serve, the player serving the ball cannot begin with their foot extended beyond the short line. If the foot extends beyond the line it is considered a fault
- The player serving the ball cannot cross behind the short line until the ball passes past the short line on a serve
Service Boxes - This area is the box on either side formed closest to the wall in the service zone and is used in a doubles racquetball match. The teammate of the person serving the ball must stand inside one of these service boxes.
Receiving Line or Encroachment Line - The player returning the serve must not cross the receiving line until one of two things happen:
- The ball bounces after it crosses the Short Line on a valid serve
- The ball crosses the receiving line in the air
- Should the player step on or cross the receiving line before one of these two things happen, a point is granted to the serve
Basic Racquetball Serve Rules
Here are the serving rules broken down as simple as we can make them:
Where are the players positioned for the serve?
- The serving player has the area known as the serving zone to utilize for their serve
- Both feet must be on or in front of the short line. If any part of the foot extends beyond the short line and into the receiving players area, that is a foot fault.
- During the serve, both feet must stay on or behind the service line for it to be a valid serve. If the serving player extends behind the service line it is a foot fault.
- The player returning the serve must stay behind the receiving line (with their entire body) during the serve until:
- The ball hits the floor on a valid serve
- The ball crosses the receiving line
In order for a serve to be a good serve and be eligible to be returned by the opposing team, the following things must occur:
- The serving player must make one continuous movement once they start their serve
- The ball must bounce once in the service zone before striking it with a racquet
- Should the ball bounce more than once before striking it, it is a side out
- Should the ball bounce outside the service zone during the serve is a fault
- The served ball must hit the front wall first
- The ball must travel beyond the short line before bouncing
- The ball may hit one side wall before the first bounce
- The ball must bounce within the short line and back wall
The rules for doubles serving are more or less the same as singles but there are naturally a few differences:
- Your doubles partner has to stand in either one of the service boxes. Both feet must be within the service box and their back must be to the wall from the start of the serve until the ball passes the short line.
- If a player steps out early or begins the serve outside of the service box it is a foot fault
- If a served ball hits your partner, it is a fault, not a side out
- The team who starts the serve of the first game gets one side out and then the serve goes to the other team
- After the first side out happens, both players on the team will get a chance to serve before the serve goes back to the other team
- Either player on the team can opt to serve first when it is their team’s time to serve
- When a side out is called, the other player on the team gets to serve until a side out is called on them
This may be obvious but it’s worth covering. Come up with an agreed upon way to see who is the first person to serve. The most common ways to do this are to flip a coin outside the court, lag to see who serves first, or if you have a ref, they can write down a 1 or 2, A or B, or any other fair method to designate who starts the game as the server.
What is a Serving Fault
Some serves are not valid (or bad serves) and they are considered faults. The result of a faulty serve is the opportunity for the same player to serve a second time. If a player makes two consecutive faults it results in a side out and the other team serves. Serving faults consist of the following:
- Long Serve - This occurs when the ball travels off of the front wall and hits the back wall without bouncing between the short line and the back wall (including or not including a side wall)
- Short Service or Short Serve - This occurs when the ball travels off of the front wall and bounces before travelling beyond the short line
- Three Wall Serve or 3-Wall Serve - This occurs when the ball travels off the front wall and hits both side walls before bouncing in play (common with Z serves)
- Ceiling Serve - This happens when a ball hits the front wall and then proceeds to hit the ceiling (not to be confused with a Non-Front Wall Serve)
- Screen Serve - This happens when a player hits a valid serve but passes by the server so closely that the returning player does not have a clear view of the ball. The receiver must be in a returnable position at this time
Some serves result in a side out, where you immediately lose the serve when one of these things happen:
- Two serving faults happen consecutively (back to back)
- Non-Front Wall Serve - Any serve where the ball does not hit the front wall first. This means the ball strikes a side wall, the ceiling, or the floor first
- Touched Serve - Any ball that hits the front wall then proceeds to hit the player serving the ball or any part of their equipment
- Illegal Hit or Illegal Serve - Any time the ball is hit with the handle of the racquet, a body part, hits the ball more than once, or is carried by the racquet
- Fake or Balked Serve - This occurs when a player begins the motion of the serve and stops the serve or fakes the serve in an attempt to deceive the other player or learn information.
Full International Racquetball Federation Rules
