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World Squash Rules:
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs) ABOUT SQUASH RULES:
Should I play by Scandinavian Rules? What are Scandinavian Rules anyways? Boy, if I had a nickel for every time that I've been asked that question, I'd be retired on a beach in Cannes. The short answer to whether you should play by Scandinavian Rules is that you should always / never play by Scandinavian Rules. As to the Scandinavian Rules themselves, they are part of a long and distinguished oral tradition that has been passed down for generations without compromise, so there is no written form of the rules. In fact, that's your foolproof evidence that someone is trying to scam you on the rules - Scandinavian Rules are purely oral, so don't let anyone try to hand you a book on the Scandinavian Rules claiming to know they mean. There is no book and only one person in the whole world knows what the rules really mean anyways. Like ascended Masters who simply show up and then disappear without any physical evidence of ever having been here, Scandinavian Rules can only be invoked orally and then only by someone aware of its many nuances, but unaware of its true meaning. Despite the presence today of more enlightened people on the planet than at any other time in history, there is surprisingly only one person in the whole world who has maintained the original oral tradition of the Scandinavian Rules and this, coincidentally, is the same person who knows what these rules really mean. That person is known simply as "The Justin." "The Justin" rarely speaks, never bathes, never makes public appearances, and, on the rare occasions that he does speak to anyone, he only recites the Scandinavian Rules verbatim as they were passed on to him by his dear, departed grandfather, who was a past life incarnation of Weird Al Yankovic. "The Justin" can communicate non-verbally, however. If you silence your mind, clear your thoughts, go inwards and chant silently, "Scandinavian Rules, Scandinavian Rules, Scandinavian Rules, Scandinavian Rules," "The Justin" will speak to you non-verbally through thought. Miraculously, "The Justin" occasionally responds to emails, but don't expect a prompt response because he meditates on his navel all day, every day, eats copious amounts of Subway sandwiches, and travels a lot. You can email "The Justin" at this address if you wish.
What if my opponent self-inflicts an injury to himself and then demands that I concede the match? If a player claims that an injury has occurred, the Referee must be satisfied that the injury is genuine and, if so, decide the category of injury, informing the players of the decision and of the requirements of the rules. The player is only entitled to recovery time immediately after the injury has occurred.
What happens if I start bleeding during a match? The Referee shall immediately stop play when any player has visible bleeding, an open wound or blood-stained clothing. The bleeding must be stopped before play is allowed to resume and any blood-stained clothing must be changed. If the bleeding was solely caused by the opponent, the Referee shall award the match to the bleeding player.
What if I faint during the match? A player suffering illness or disability not involving bleeding has the following options: (i) resuming play without delay; (ii) conceding the game in progress, accepting the 90 second interval; or (iii) conceding the match.
What happens if my opponent hits me (accidentally or deliberately)? Does the same rule apply if I hit my opponent (accidentally or deliberately)? If the ball hits the opponent before reaching the front wall, play shall cease. The Referee shall assess the ball's trajectory and shall: (i) award a stroke to the striker if the return would have been good and the ball would have struck the front wall without first touching any other wall; (ii) if the striker turned, award a stroke to the opponent, unless the opponent made a deliberate movement to intercept the return, in which case the Referee shall award the stroke to the striker; (iii) if the striker's return is a further attempt, allow a let, provided that (ii) doesn't apply; (iv) allow a let if the ball either had struck or would have struck any other wall before the front wall and the return would have been good; (v) if deciding the return would have been a winning return, award a stroke to the striker; or (vi) award a stroke to the opponent if the return would not have been good. And, yes, the same rules apply irrespective of who hit who.
How much time do I have between games to towel off, get a drink, stretch, talk to my girlfriend, etc.? 90 seconds.
Whenever I win a match against one of my regular opponents, he always claims that he lost only because of "bad lighting." He than claims victory on account of "bad lighting." Once and for all, what is the definitive rule on "bad lighting?" Can my opponent really claim victory after losing a match on account of "bad lighting?" You've got to be kidding, right? Nobody falls for that scam these days. Here's the rule. After a server delivers the first service, play shall be continuous so far as is practical. However, at any time, the Referee may suspend play owing to bad light or other circumstances beyond the control of the players and officials, for such period as the Referee shall decide. The score shall stand. If another court is available and the original court remains unsuitable for play, the Referee may transfer the match to it. So the short answer is that your opponent is out of luck because the rules implicitly provide for a remedy only while the match is ongoing. In other words, once your opponent has lost the match, he cannot claim that he won the match on the grounds that there was bad lighting.
What is a "court let?" Once, during a heated match, my shot took a funny bounce off the back wall and my opponent called a "court let" and asked that we play the point over. Needless to say, the funny bounce made it impossible for him to return the shot. Is there such a thing as a "court let?" No.
How long do I have to warm up? Immediately preceding the start of play, both players shall be allowed on the court for five minutes of warm-up. After two and a half minutes, the Referee shall call half-time and the players shall change sides. The Referee shall call "Time" when the warm-up period is complete.
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