What are the basic rules of racquetball?

B · Beginner · The game · 1 of 4

Checked 15 October 2026

Racquetball is played in a closed court 40 ft long, where every wall and the ceiling are in play. The server drops and hits the ball to the front wall. Each return must reach the front wall before touching the floor, and the ball may bounce only once. Under IRF rules every rally scores; games go to 11, best of five.

How it works

Court: 20 by 40 ft, 20 ft high.
Walls and ceiling: in play.
Serve: dropped and hit.
Return: front wall before the floor.
Bounces: one.
Scoring: every rally.
Game: 11, win by two.
Match: best of five.

The glossary has the court, the front wall, the ceiling, the point, the game and the match.

Tricky cases

Can the ball hit the ceiling on a return?

Yes.

Does the receiver score?

Yes, under IRF rally scoring.

Is it the same as squash?

No. The ball is bouncier, the ceiling is in play and there is no tin.

How many games win a match?

Three.

Why the rule exists

Making every surface playable keeps the ball alive, which defines the game.

Where it differs

Where	What changes	Source
Scoring	Rally	L 1.4
Game	11	L 1.5
Multi-bounce	Two games	L 4.2

From the rule book

International Racquetball Federation (IRF), Official Rules of Racquetball (2024-2026), Rules 1, 2 and 3.10. Checked 15 October 2026. Official document: IRF Official Rules 2024-2026.