Squash: 'Chess at 100mph'

In squash, your enemy is next to you

Set in the claustrophobic confines of four walls, squash is clearly the most mentally intense of all racquet sports.

Event guide: Squash

It might seem like just hitting a small rubber ball against a wall, but anyone in the know will tell you squash requires strategy, concentration and knowing when to get out of your opponent's way.

It is not surprising that the popular sport, making its second successive appearance at the Commonwealth Games, is often described as "chess at 100mph".

Squash equipment

Ball: A yellow dot (super low speed) used for all tournament play

Racquets: made from wood, aluminium, ceramic material, or graphite composition (fibreglass and graphite)

Shoes: Trainers with non-marking soles and strong heel and arch support

Eyeguards: Designed to protect the eyes from the impact of ball or racquet - mandatory for doubles squash

In most other racquet sports such as tennis and badminton, opponents face each other over a net.

But in squash, all the action takes place inside a small box-like room, where opponents must stand side-by-side, using the surrounding walls to thwart their enemy.

It is played on a court measuring about 9.75m by 6.40m and players hit the ball to each other via the front wall using a racquet.

Scoring

A match is the best of five games, with each game going up to nine points, unless the score reaches eight-all.

If the score is tied at eight-all, the receiver has to choose to play either to nine points or to 10 points - it is not necessary for a player to be two points ahead to win a game.

Only the server scores points. When the server wins a rally he or she scores a point, but if the receiver wins a rally, then he or she becomes the server.

Serving and rallies

A squash match begins after players take part in a five-minute warm-up and commences with a service.

The player to serve first is decided by the spin of a racket and the server continues serving until losing a rally.

Then the roles reverse as the opponent becomes the server and the server becomes the receiver.

The player who wins the preceding game serves first in the next game.

When serving, a player stands with at least part of one foot on the floor within the service box.

Players must serve directly onto the front wall above the service line and below the out line.

And on its return, unless volleyed, the ball should reach the floor within the back quarter of the court opposite to the server's box.

Then, after a good service has been made, the players hit the ball in turn until one fails to make a good return.