# Point

> Scored by the server (or either side in rally scoring) when a rally ends in their favour.

From the rulebook:

>  Points are scored by the serving side when it serves an ace (a serve which is untouched by the receiver’s hand) or wins a rally (except as provided by Rule 3.4.D.4.b, Late start.) When the serving side loses one rally in singles or two rallies in doubles, it loses the serve (except as provided by Rule 4.2.A, Server.) Losing the serve is called an “out.”

— [One-wall · Rule 1.4 Points and outs](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/one-wall/1.4.md)

## How to score a point

1. Points are scored by the serving side, when it serves an ace or wins a rally. ([One-wall 1.4](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/one-wall/1.4.md))
2. An ace is a serve which is untouched by the receiver's hand. ([One-wall 1.4](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/one-wall/1.4.md))
3. If the receiving side fails to make a legal return of the serve, the server scores a point. ([One-wall 4.4(c)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/one-wall/4.4/c.md))
4. One-wall: if a receiver does not stand in back of the service line until the ball from the wall passes the short line, the server scores a point. ([One-wall 4.4(a)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/one-wall/4.4/a.md))
5. Four-wall: if a receiver does not stay at least five feet behind the short line until the server hits the ball, the server scores a point. ([Four-wall 4.4(a)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/four-wall/4.4/a.md))
6. During a rally, each failure to make a legal return results in an out or a point. ([One-wall 4.6(e)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/one-wall/4.6/e.md))
7. If the server or the server's partner fails to keep the ball in play with a legal return, it is an out, not a point. ([One-wall 4.5(d)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/one-wall/4.5/d.md))
8. When the serving side loses the serve, the receiving side becomes the serving side. ([One-wall 4.5](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/one-wall/4.5.md))
9. The first two games of a match go to 21 points; a tiebreaker, if needed, goes to 11. ([One-wall 1.5](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/one-wall/1.5.md))

## Quick Qs

- **Can the receiving side score a point?** Points are scored by the serving side, when it serves an ace or wins a rally. When the serving side loses a rally (two rallies in doubles), it loses the serve, which is called an out. ([One-wall 1.4](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/one-wall/1.4.md))
- **How many points win a game?** The first two games of a match go to 21 points, and a tiebreaker goes to 11. In one-wall, 15, 21 or 25 point games may also be used if the entry says so. ([One-wall 1.5](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/one-wall/1.5.md))
- **Does a technical cost a point?** Yes. One point is deducted from the offender's score. If the offender has no points, the score becomes minus one. ([One-wall 4.9](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/one-wall/4.9.md))

## Where it shows up

- [One-wall · Rule 1.4 Points and outs](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/one-wall/1.4.md): intro
- [One-wall · Rule 1.5 Game, match, tiebreaker](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/one-wall/1.5.md): intro
- [One-wall · Rule 3.4 Referee](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/one-wall/3.4.md): d
- [One-wall · Rule 3.7 Appeals](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/one-wall/3.7.md): a
- [One-wall · Rule 3.8 Scorer](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/one-wall/3.8.md): intro
- [One-wall · Rule 4.1 Serve](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/one-wall/4.1.md): a, e
- [One-wall · Rule 4.3 Defective serves](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/one-wall/4.3.md): c, d
- [One-wall · Rule 4.4 Return of Serve](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/one-wall/4.4.md): a, b, c
- [One-wall · Rule 4.6 Rally](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/one-wall/4.6.md): e, g, h, i, j
- [One-wall · Rule 4.7 Dead-ball Hinders](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/one-wall/4.7.md): d
- [One-wall · Rule 4.8 Avoidable hinders](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/one-wall/4.8.md): intro
- [One-wall · Rule 4.9 Technicals](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/one-wall/4.9.md): intro, b
- [One-wall · Rule 4.10 Timeouts](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/one-wall/4.10.md): a
- [One-wall · Rule 5.9 Round Robin Tiebreaker Scoring](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/one-wall/5.9.md): intro
- [Four-wall · Rule 1.4 Points and outs](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/four-wall/1.4.md): intro
- [Four-wall · Rule 1.5 Game, match, tiebreaker](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/four-wall/1.5.md): intro
- [Four-wall · Rule 3.4 Referee](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/four-wall/3.4.md): d
- [Four-wall · Rule 3.7 Appeals](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/four-wall/3.7.md): a
- [Four-wall · Rule 3.8 Scorer](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/four-wall/3.8.md): intro
- [Four-wall · Rule 4.1 Serve](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/four-wall/4.1.md): a, e
- [Four-wall · Rule 4.3 Defective serves](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/four-wall/4.3.md): d
- [Four-wall · Rule 4.4 Return of Serve](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/four-wall/4.4.md): a, b, c
- [Four-wall · Rule 4.6 Rally](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/four-wall/4.6.md): e, g, h, i, j
- [Four-wall · Rule 4.7 Dead-ball Hinders](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/four-wall/4.7.md): d
- [Four-wall · Rule 4.8 Avoidable hinders](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/four-wall/4.8.md): intro
- [Four-wall · Rule 4.9 Technicals](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/four-wall/4.9.md): intro, b
- [Four-wall · Rule 4.10 Timeouts](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/four-wall/4.10.md): a
- [Four-wall · Rule 5.9 Round Robin Tiebreaker Scoring](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/four-wall/5.9.md): intro
- [Four-wall · Rule 2.1-three Courts](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/four-wall/2.1-three.md): b
- [Four-wall · Rule 2.1-one Courts](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/four-wall/2.1-one.md): b, d

## Related

- [Rally](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rally.md)
- [Game, match, tiebreaker](https://handball.theperfectship.com/game.md)

## Ref questions

- [All Scoring questions (56)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/referee/scoring.md)
- [All Score call questions (154)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/referee/score-call.md)

Rules text: United States Handball Association, used with written permission — https://www.ushandball.org/