Individual server rules in Four Square

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These are some of the custom rules in the game of Four Square. These are not necessarily standardized, and are intended to give a sampling of the potential and creativity of the game.

[edit] Server Rules

In many parts of the world, the serving player is allowed the privilege of adding or removing elements from gameplay that may make it easier for him or her to remain in the game, or to make it easier to get an opposing player eliminated. At the start of each round, the server is entitled to change these rules, and is expected to announce and/or explain what the new rules will be. Games with beginners generally choose to ban difficult moves, and more experienced players make up more complicated rules.

7-Up: If called by the server, everyone that hits the ball must say a number. For example, "Player 1: 1. Player 2: 2 Player 3: 3" etc., until the number seven is reached. The one who is hitting the ball on 7 or a number that ends in 7, must skip that number. If the player doesn't skip the number, they're out.
Around The World: Any player in possession of the ball may call Around The World regardless of rank at any moment. If it is called, the calling player can hit it to an adjacent square, and that person must hit it to the remaining adjacent square until it reaches the player who called it, at which point the game returns to normal. A "permanent" version may be called, in which case the sequence must continue until a player gets out, even if it reaches the caller.
Passback:A "Passback" is where the person who has the "Passback" said to them hits it back to the person who said "Passback".
Baby Drops: When Slamming is allowed (see Slamming, below), this move is used to fool opponents. A baby drop consists of grabbing the ball and pretending to slam it down into another square, but at the last moment letting the ball go lightly so that it bounces repeatedly very close to the ground. A player who has moved back to field a slam is usually in no position to return a Baby Drop.
Backboards (Treetops, Double tap): Hitting the ball upwards into the air one time before hitting it into another player's square, often used to give a player a better aim.
Baubling (Bubbles, Double Touches, Popcorn, Juggling, etc.): A way to get around holding the ball, one bounces it lightly between their hands before hitting it to another square.
Black Magic: During play if a player catches another players ball above the waist they can call Black Magic on them. In Black Magic the player who caught the ball can make the other player do any number of actions for the rest of the game such as standing on one foot, left handed play only, etc.
Bottle Caps: The server may invoke this at any point during play, on any of the other three players. Once a player has been declared bottlecapped, he or she is put on pause and must squat for the remainder of the round, or until their bottlecap is revoked by the same server who declared it. This player's square also becomes out-of-bounds until the bottlecap ends.
Bomb: The server places the ball in the middle of the court and calls Bomb. All players must then touch the ball, the last one to touch the ball is out.
Body Hits: The player is allowed to use a specified part of their body to hit the ball, their head or foot for example. In some countries, this rule is called "Soccer Rules" and the ball may only be hit by the head or foot.
Bus Stop: A rule which the server must call legal before the game starts. During game play and when the server has the ball he/she must yell out "bus stop". When the server does they grab the ball and run to the center of the four square. The other players must rush to the center also and touch the ball. The last player to touch the ball is out. (Some people play with the rule "Bus Stop on Fire", where as just before someone is about to touch the ball, the server says "on fire". Then the first person to touch it is out.) In some areas, this can also mean the same thing as "Baubling".
Catching: When the person catches the ball before it bounces in their square, dubbing the passer out (e.g. King serves to Jack, Jack catches it before bounces in Jack's square. King is now out). Usually the catching player must say some kind of code word when catching, which varies from school to school, or he himself is out.
Catching Between One's Legs (The Annihilator): If this is called, and a player catches the ball between his or her legs (typically between the knees), all players except for the person to catch the ball are out. The person completing the play then moves to the serving position.
Categories: In this version, the server names a category (e.g. types of drinks or girls' names) before play starts, and each player must name something in that category (that nobody has named yet in the round) when they hit the ball. If a player fails to come up with an accurate item in the category, they are out.
Cheap Shot: This term signifies a shot which is cheap, or, a shot which is diverted into another direction of an unaware player. This usually leads to the player getting eliminated. Cheap shots are deemed normal play in some places, while it is deemed to be of a bad sport in other places. People who play cheap shots to win are usually seen to be weak and unskillful. This differs from place to place.
Chicken Line Tag: The players run around the lines squaking like a chicken. The player in "A" chases the other players. The first one to get caught is out, or goed to "D."
Cherry: In Australia, players are not normally allowed to hit the ball in another player's square with out hitting into their own square first. However, it is sometimes accepted to hit the ball into another player's square on the full if the players call "cherry." The player must hit the ball upward, i.e. they cannot hit it downward or slam it into someone elses square. Sometime cherry can be abbreviated to just "chez" to make it easier to say.
Cherry Bomb: When a player grabs the ball and throws it hard into any square. The attacking player must say "Cherry Bomb". This is generally the hardest ball to return.
"Chicken _____" or "Duck _____": When the ball hits any part of the body other than the hands or chest: a "Chicken Foot" is when the ball hits a player's foot, etc. If "Chicken Feet" is enforced, the player who hit the other player's feet with the ball is out instead of the hit player.
Death Rally: If the server chooses to allow them, any player may call a "Death Rally" (also known as "Battle", "Duel", "War", "Showdown", "Doodley" or "Tea Party"). The two players may only hit the ball to each other until one of these two players is eliminated. If a player calls a Death Rally off at the right moment and quickly puts the ball in another it is called a Sneak or Stealth Attack, and the player who was attacked will often not be able to react to the sudden attack, and the ball will often roll or bounce twice in their square.
"Do Over" or "Redo" (term varies from school to school): Term used when there is a dispute, players are unsure of a decision, or the line judge determines that the previous play was too close to call or invalidated by an outside interruption. The ball is re-served with no eliminations.
Dodge Ball: If a player is able to catch the ball before it bounces in any square or out of bounds, the game play shifts to Dodge Ball, wherein all players must abide by the standard rules for the game Dodge Ball. This entails the player with the ball not taking more than three steps, and attempting to throw another player out by striking them with the ball (recommended only with soft large rubber balls). If the target player catches the ball or the ball misses all players the player who threw the ball is out.
Doubles: This is normal four square played with a tennis ball although two players play per square. The squares are usually bigger than normal to fit two players. This variant allows the game to move faster and lets more people play.
Double Bounces: The ball must bounce twice in a player's square before he hits it. If it bounces any other number of times before the receiver hits it, he is out. If it bounces once in and then once out of a player's square, the hitter is out.
Elimination: In elimination there are no ranks of any kind. When any player gets out another player comes in and they leave the square. There are no changes in the square that each player is in. There are also no "lines." If a player makes the ball roll than that player is out.
Fair Serve (No Blood on Serve, etc.): A common rule in which players cannot get out on the serve. For example, if the server hits the ball out on serve, he is given a second chance; likewise, if a player misses the ball after it is served to him, he also gets a "redo." The term "Outs on Serves" is sometimes used to indicate that there is no Fair Serve; such a rule is usually invoked to make the game move faster.
Fair Return: Usually called along with "Fair Serve" in a two-square variant. A Fair Return is one that can easily be hit by the server after the initial serve is made.
Grandfather Clock: All players on the court take turns throwing the ball in the air and clapping as many times as they can. The player with the lowest number of claps is out.
Holding (Grabbing, etc.): Usually a player can only hit the ball and not hold it, but some rules allow holding the ball for half a second or less if using a special move.
Faking (Psyche Out, Teardrop, etc.): A hit where a player acts like he will slam the ball, but instead barely taps it so the other player will miss it.
Final Play (Last Play, Last Round, Final Rally): In Australia, this term is used to denote the last round of play due to the end of the break period. This would usually confirm the winner for the day. Final Play could include a duel of the top two squares.
Intercepting (Poaching, etc.): Term used for a player other than the intended receiver grabbing and/or hitting the ball in play. This often happens if the ball passes through one players' square but does not bounce in it.
Liner: (Laser lines, poisonous lines, etc.): When the ball hits a line, the player that hit it is usually out, although a myriad of rules have been made up for this occurrence (see "Liner Mini-Games" below).
"Musical Chairs": The player with the ball may call musical chairs, the player then bounces the ball 20 times while going around the square. On the 20th time, all players stop. Anyone not in their square is out, if noone iss in the square, it is a Re-Do
"Must Accept" (Ready or not): A receiver must hit the serve regardless of interference or if they are not ready.
Off-Serve: Where the player who received service is then required to hit the ball to the caller, adds more variety. This is quite common in Australia.
Pick Up: A common rule in Australia is Pick Up. This means that players can pick up the ball at a specified height depending on the group. Heights can be rolling, below ankles, or even, normal bouncing. in some places, rules require you to call "Pick Up" when picking up. Not doing so will get you eliminated, or relegated to the lowest square.
"Pele": Also known as "Soccer Rules," only the player's feet can be used to touch the ball.
"Play On": This is called when a decision is made to continues play, despite the call being close. "Play On" must be called immediately by the umpire after the bounce, or a dispute will occur.
"Poison": In Australia, a person of any rank may call poison if they are not ready.
"Popcorn":(Different from Baubling) Similar to typewriter, a player calls out "Popcorn 0" With 0 being any number. A player must throw the ball in the air, clap there hands the number of times specified, and catch the ball
Revenge: When the top square (Server) is out, he may choose to call Revenge, or King's Revenge. The player who is now server must Death Rally (See Death Rally).
Rolling (Bowling, etc.): A player hits the ball so low that the ball rolls. Usually the player who rolled it is out. In some games, if the player is accurate enough to make the ball roll in the other square but bounce in their own, the player whose square it rolled in is out. This can differ from place to place as rules in Australia state that rolling is permitted, but some places the 'roller' must call 'rolls' to allow play to continue
Sentences: In this version, the server begins a sentence by saying one word, and each play must continue the sentence or end it by saying period. If they fail to continue the sentence logically, they are out. (An example: "I love playing four square period").
Services: When the ball is about to be served, any player may call "Service" and the server must automatically play the ball to them, unless they chose to overrule it, at which point no other player may call service on that serve. If multiple people attempt it, the first to call is given the honour. A player may also call "Service no overrules" which will force the server to play the ball to him.
Sharking (Skunk, Sting, etc.): Aiming directly for any part of an opponent's body rather than playing it normally. If the sharker hits the opponent, the opponent is out. If the opponent dodges the ball, the sharker is usually out (because the ball did not bounce in his or her own square).
"Shoe Shine": If a ball hits any players shoes, the person who threw the ball is out.
Slamming (High Bounces, Treetops, Cherry Bombs, etc.): Hitting the ball in such a way that it bounces a considerable distance over the receiver's head. More than for being hard to receive, this move is often discouraged for risk of the ball becoming stuck on a roof, in a tree, etc. Defensive moves against slams, such as using one's body to stop the ball from flying out of bounds, are often given names themselves, such as "Tianenmen Square".
Spinning ((Texas) Twisters, Screwballs, Peppermint Sticks): Hitting the ball, usually with both hands, in such a way that a spin is imparted on it, causing it to bounce unusually.
Style Points: In some variations, style points are awarded to players who exhibit excellent or rare form during play, and/or artistically hit the ball (such as under one's legs); depending on the rules at that school or location, style points can be used to exempt a player from one out, or award other bonuses as players agree upon them.
Tapping (Babies, Tiny Tims, etc.): Hitting the ball in such a way that it barely bounces off the ground and likewise goes across a very small horizontal distance.
Toesies: When one player aims the ball directly at another players toes. If the ball connects all players must rush to the center and place their toes in the middle. The last player to put their toes in is eliminated.
Two and Up: If the ball bounces in one player's square twice before the owner of the square hits the ball, the player can tap the ball upward into another player's square while saying "2 and up" and not be eliminated.
Typewriter: A rule in which a player grabs or baubles the ball, moves close to an adjacent square, and bounces the ball in that square a predetermined number of times. The usual variant is to spell out the opponent's name, one letter per bounce. If the player successfully completes the move, the opponent is out. If the opponent hits the ball to disrupt the spelling, the person who initiated the typewriter is out.

[edit] Side Games and Line Games

Creative players around the world dream up exciting varieties that break out of normal game play entirely. This Side and Line Games section will lay out some of the best known mini-games to take place on (or off) the court.

When the ball hits a line (or in some cases, a wall), the game will usually stop with a player being eliminated, a special rule will be enforced, or the players will go directly into a mini-game. Possibilities include the following:

The person who hit the line automatically getting "out".
The server calling a re-do.
The players continuing play as if the ball was in one of the players' squares, and if no player continues, it is a re-do.
Multiple players being eliminated if the line between them is hit by the ball.
A dispute resolution, as outlined in the Disputes section above.

Some servers call one of the following side-games:

Shark Attack: The person calling Shark Attack may hold the ball and run around on the lines to tag another player, and whoever they tag is eliminated.
Bubble (not to be confused with baubling/bubbling): If a player calling Liner chooses Bubbles, he or she stands in the intersection, bounces a ball and say "Bubbles times n" The number they call is the amount they have to let the ball bounce for before normal game proceeds. If the ball is about to stop bouncing, a player may tap it up. After the ball has bounced said number of times, normal play continues with the player whose court it lands on hitting it next.
Rocks: If a player calls Rocks, they bounce the ball hard and slam it into an opponent's court, usually a corner to make it harder. After the hit has been done normal play proceeds. This is also called Footy Rucks because it resembles a ruck contest in Australian rules football.
Taps: If a player calls Liner and chooses Taps, they place the ball on the line; at that point, any player can run up and lightly tap the ball to another players square.
Tea Party: A player returning a ball to another player can call a "Tea Party." When this occurs, the match becomes an intense bout between these two players until one is eliminated.