Some people use the letters A, B, C, and D instead of numbers, while others use titles of royalty, such as Jack, Queen, King, and Ace. [3] X Research source

Australian players use 3 inches (7. 6 cm) felted tennis balls to play Four Square.

If you’re playing by the standard rules, make sure everyone knows what exactly they are before starting. While often one school might have “standard rules” the new kid might think the “standard rules” are something else entirely. If you’re playing by variations, or if the server is allowed to make up rules during the game, make sure everyone is aware of this and agrees to it. Having everyone on the same page before the game starts will help prevent disputes during the game that could ruin the fun.

Many people play Four Square so that the 4 square is the highest-ranked square, and therefore the server’s square. If this is the case, the server should stand in the 4 square and hit the ball towards the 1 square. Some people play the game so 1 is the highest-ranked square and 4 is the lowest. In this case, the serve would go from the 1 square towards the 4 square. The serve always goes in the same direction.

The round lasts until a player is eliminated.

If a player hits the line with the ball or hits the ball so it does not land in another player’s square, that player is out. [9] X Research source If a player hits a ball after it has landed in another player’s square, the person who hit the ball is out. This is called “poaching. ”[10] X Research source

If you only have 4 players, the person who is out moves to the lowest-numbered square and the other players move up, if applicable.

When playing with 2 players per square, if one player is out then the team is out. If everyone agrees, however, you can adjust the rules to allow the other team member to continue playing until they are out.

A special rule might be something like 7-Up, in which each player who hits the ball has to call out a number one higher than the previous player. The player who hits on the number 7, or any number that ends in 7, must skip that number or they’ll be out. [18] X Research source Another rule the server might call could be Underhand, in which all of the hits must be made with the back of the hand. Players should keep their hands open and their palms facing up. [19] X Research source