Four square

Four square is played with a rubber ball on a court made of four adjacent squares. The objective is to advance yourself to the highest square on the court by eliminating other players. Four square is played on a court (or, if a court is not readily available, concrete will usually suffice). The court is divided into four smaller squares of equal size. Each of the four squares has a rank and is inhabited by one player. The ranks are arranged so that the highest ranking square is positioned diagonally across the court from the lowest ranking square.

The lines on the court are boundaries. The interior lines separating player squares are out of bounds. The ball may not touch any portion of an inside line or the player who hit the ball is in error. The lines marking the outermost edges of the court are considered in-bounds. If a ball lands on our touches the outside lines then play continues as normal.Sometimes the highest ranked square (King) faces the lower ranked square (danger). The Jack square is located the left of danger and queen is on top of jack.

Four square is played with an 8.5-inch rubber playground ball. During regular play, the ball may be legally hit with any part of a player's hands from wrist to fingertip. The hit may be open- or closed-fisted, forehand or backhand. The ball may also be hit with one hand, or two hands at the same time, much like the rules of volleyball. Carrying, catching, or holding the ball during play is illegal because prolonged contact with the ball can give players unfair control over the play. The ball must be struck once and for a single instant only.

The player in the highest square begins the game by serving the ball. The ball is bounced in the server's own square and hit with the hands into the lowest square on the court. Players let the ball bounce in their square once and the occupant of that square must then return the ball to any other player's square by hitting or striking the ball with the hands. Once the ball touches the ground or floor in a new player's square that player must return it. Play continues this way until a player makes an error and is eliminated.