Squash words · Beginner

The words you will hear in your first match, grouped the way you meet them.

B · Beginner · 35 words · Step 1 of 2

Scoring terms

Point

The winner of a rally scores one point and serves to begin the next rally. A player wins the rally when the opponent fails to make a good return or serve, or in the other cases the rules set out.

Game

Played to 11 points. If the score reaches 10-all, the game continues until one player leads by two points. There is no cap.

Match

The full contest, normally the best of five games but sometimes the best of three.

Point-a-rally scoring

The scoring rule in which a point is scored on every rally, whoever served.

Also called: PAR
See also: Rally

Serving terms

Serve

Starts every rally. The ball is dropped or thrown and struck so it hits the front wall between the service line and the out-line, and, unless volleyed, bounces first in the opposite quarter-court. At the moment of the strike, one of the server's feet must be inside the service box without touching its lines.

Server

The player who serves. At the start of a game, and after each change of server, the server chooses the box, and then alternates boxes while keeping the serve.

Also called: receiver

Service box

One of the two marked boxes the server serves from. One of the server's feet must be inside it, not touching its lines, when the ball is struck.

Fault

A serve that breaks the serve rules, for example hitting the front wall below the service line or on it, or bouncing in the wrong quarter-court. The receiver wins the rally.

See also: Server, Front wall, Service line, Rally

Court and equipment terms

Court

A fully enclosed rectangular room with four walls, where the ball can be played off the front, side and back walls.

Front wall

The wall players must hit the ball onto during every shot, every valid shot touches this wall first.

Tin

The strip at the bottom of the front wall. A ball that touches it is not a good return, and the player who hit it loses the rally.

Out line

The line around the top of the front, side and back walls. A ball above it is out.

Service line

The line on the front wall above which a serve must hit. A serve that hits the service line itself is a fault.

Racket

The lightweight, small-headed handheld equipment used to hit the ball, smaller than a badminton or tennis racket.

Ball

A small, hollow rubber ball that barely bounces when cold, it needs to warm up during play to bounce properly.

Shot types

Drive

A firm, flat shot hit straight down one of the side walls, the most common shot used to control the rally.

Cross-court

A shot hit diagonally across the court to the opposite side, changing the direction of play.

Boast

A shot that hits a side wall first before reaching the front wall, often used to surprise an opponent or escape a tough position.

Drop shot

A soft, gentle shot that barely reaches the front wall and drops close to it, forcing the opponent to run forward quickly.

Lob

A shot hit high and slow to the back of the court, giving the hitter time to recover position.

Volley

Hitting the ball out of the air before it bounces, often used to cut off an opponent's shot and take time away from them.

Kill shot

An aggressive, low, hard shot aimed to end the rally quickly by making the ball bounce twice before the opponent can reach it.

Nick

A shot that lands exactly in the crack where the side wall meets the floor, causing the ball to roll rather than bounce, very hard to return.

Movement and strategy terms

Rally

The back-and-forth exchange of shots between players during a point.

The T

The central spot on the court (marked like a T) which is the ideal position to stand in, giving equal access to all parts of the court.

Let

A stoppage after which the rally is replayed. A player who thinks the opponent interfered may stop and ask, "Let, please". A let is also allowed, for example, when a ball breaks or when something changes the court conditions through no fault of either player. After a let the server serves again from the same box.

Stroke

A point awarded to the striker because of interference. It is given if the striker would have made a winning return, or if the opponent was not making every effort to avoid the interference. A request for a let includes a request for a stroke.

Interference

Happens when a player does not give the opponent, who is making every effort to play the ball, a fair view of the ball, access to it, room for a reasonable swing and freedom to hit it to any part of the front wall.

Outcomes and officiating

Winner

A shot so good the opponent cannot reach or return it, ending the rally outright.

Unforced error

A mistake made with little pressure from the opponent, essentially a self-inflicted error.

Marker

The official who keeps and calls the score and calls fault, down, out, not up and stop. A match is normally officiated by a referee, or by a referee and a marker.

Also called: referee
See also: Fault, Referee

Referee

The official whose decision is final. The referee rules on lets and appeals, enforces time rules and applies the conduct rules.

Game ball and match ball

Calls made by the marker when a player needs one point to win the game, or one point to win the match.

Rules and officiating terms

Warm-up

The players warm up the ball together on court for up to four minutes, changing sides after two.

Interval

A maximum of one minute is allowed between the end of the warm-up and the start of play, and two minutes between games.