The game of SQUASH!
Played within the confines of 4 walls, with a rubber ball about half the diameter of a tennis ball, Squash originated for the game of rackets and started with outside courts in the early 19th century. Enjoyed by over 20 million people worldwide, the game can be played at all levels and is governed in England by England Squash.
Basic Rules
Up-to-date rules can always be found on the England Squash website, but here are the basics:
The (singles) game is played between two players on a squash court each using a standard racket, and a ball approved by England Squash.
Matches are the best of 3 or 5 games, at the option of the competition organiser. Each game is point a rally scoring to 11 (PAR 11). If the score in a game is tied at 10-10, a player must win by 2 clear points.
Points can be scored by either player. When a player fails to serve or to return the ball, in accordance with the rules, the opponent wins the point. When the Receiver wins a point, they become the Server and add one to their score.
History of the Game
Squash was invented in Harrow school around 1830, when the pupils discovered that a punctured Rackets ball, which “squashed” on impact with the wall, produced a game with a greater variety of shots and required much more effort on the part of the players, who could not simply wait for the ball to bounce back to them. You can find out more about the history of Squash on the history of squash page of the England Squash website.
Image Credit: Squash2020.com
