Official Foursquare Rules
(as of 11/17/2001)
Ratified by NAFTA (National Alliance of Foursquare Theatre Associations) of which ISTF is the charter member.
Changes to these rules requires a 2/3 vote of the current Executive Board of the Illinois State Theatre Foursquare Association.*
Rotation: Four players compete in squares numbered 1-4. When a player exits, the players in lower numbered squares move up and a new player enters in square one. The number 4 square is the "King" or "Queen" square and is the server.Serving: The player must stand with one foot outside the back corner of the server square, bounce the ball and then hit it underhand into one of the other squares.
Bitch Serving: This is the term to describe "hard-to-return" serves that involve low trajectory, top spin, or hitting to corners or edges. This is legal and a may be a sign of foursquare proficiency, but is considered poor sportsmanship when used against a novice. Bitch serving can also result in the other players ganging up against the server.
Returns: When a ball comes into player's square, they must hit the ball into another square. This may be done "on the fly" or after one bounce and player may go wherever necessary to track down and hit a ball that has bounced in their square.
Legal hits: Any part of the body may be used to hit the ball. Players may also "multiple hit" the ball as long as: 1. none of the hits is an intentional set-up for themselves, and 2. the ball doesn't touch the ground in between hits. The intent of this rule is to allow the equivalent of deflect-and-hit or bobbling. Obvious "carries" are not allowed. The other players on and off court will rule as to whether the "self-set-up" or "carry" prohibition has been violated.
Prohibited equipment: Non-approved equipment (spiked shoes, baseball bats, rapiers, etc.) is prohibited.
In-bounds objects: Except on a serve, buildings, fences, benches, and trees are in-bounds objects, considered to be neutrally in play as if the ball was still in the air, and do not count as a hit, a bounce, or out-of-bounds. Players waiting to play, sidewalks, steps, etc. are out-of-bounds. Bystanders who have no clue that the game is going on are considered in-bounds objects if the ball bounces off of them, but out-of-bounds if they actively hit the ball.
Interceptions: Players may intercept a hit that is over another square and hit it into any other square except their own, as long as they do not step into another square. Note that on a serve, the ball must go beyond server's square before interception is allowed.
Saves: Players may "save" a ball which has bounced in another square and was missed by that player and then hit it into any square except their own. Once a player touches the ball in this situation, the continuance of play becomes their responsibility, and not the responsibility of the player in whose square the ball bounced. If a player is standing outside their square and touches a ball with the intention of catching it or blocking it from rolling away at the end of play, this is out-of-bounds and does not count as a save, unless they attempt to bring it back into play.
Two Men Enter, One Man Leave: In the case of disputes that cannot be agreed upon by the players, the players involved in the dispute will play one sudden-death of "two-square" and the loser is the one who is out.
Lines: Exterior lines are considered part of the square. If a ball is hit on an interior line, it is the responsibility of the adjoining players to go after the play. If neither one plays the ball, then the two of them are subject to "Two Men Enter, One Man Leave." If the ball hits exactly on the center juncture of lines and no one plays it, a re-sqaure is in order.
Getting Out: A player is out if:
- the ball hits their own square after they touch it
- they hit the ball out-of-bounds
- the ball bounces in their square and then bounces a second time in any square or out-of-bounds without anyone touching it.
- the ball goes over a construction fence or on a rooftop (without coming down) as a result of player's action
Chasing the ball at the end of play: In general, the person who missed the ball must chase it, although enthusiastic bystanders or other players may do so. However, malicious spikes and post-play throws must be chased down by the person spiking or throwing the ball.
Penalties: Causing the ball to end up in a place where major recovery work is necessary (on top of a roof and it doesn't roll down, etc.) will result in a suspension. Standard suspension is chasing 20 balls out into the street, etc., before you are allowed to play again. If the ball cannot be recovered, the penalty is buying a new ball.
Referee: The first player in line will act as the referee in case of disputes. They may make one of three calls: 1) calling a player out, 2) calling for Two-men-enter-one-man-leave, or 3) calling for a re-square. The referee's decision is final, but is also subject to retribution on the court in the course of play.
Game Variation: Extreme Foursquare: Extreme Foursquare is an unsupported variation in which 2 players are in each square. It is much like Professional Wrestling in that it is not as much sport as spectacle. Both players in the square are knocked out when the square is "out."
Game Variation: Jedi Foursquare: Played on a huge court where each square is the size of an entire, large, foursquare court. Usually played with 2 players per square.
*The Executive Board of the Illinois State Theatre Foursquare Association is comprised of the person who wrote these rules.