# Rule 4 Four-handed match (Deshong Four-Wall Rules, 1903, historical)

> **Historical rulebook: not the current rules.** The current rules are here: https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/four-wall/

In a four-handed match, parties winning the toss are allowed only one hand at the commencement. The server’s partner shall stand inside of the ace line, with his back to either the right or left wall, until the service ball strikes the front wall. All balls striking an opponent shall be a hinder.

The server’s partner and one of the opponents generally stand side by side against the left-hand wall, if the service is from the right. The recoverer is on the alert in the outer court the same as in a single-handed game. It is not compulsory, however, that the opponent of the server’s partner shall stand just outside of the ace line. He can go in the outer court and help his partner to recover service, but he may be more useful at the line, particularly to take all line service to the left on the fly. This is a very important position against a heavy server, because in a majority of instances it results in the disposing of the hand.

## Mentioned here

- [Server](https://handball.theperfectship.com/server.md)
- [Receiver](https://handball.theperfectship.com/receiver.md)
- [Partner](https://handball.theperfectship.com/partner.md)
- [Opponent](https://handball.theperfectship.com/opponent.md)
- [Hinder](https://handball.theperfectship.com/hinder.md)
- [Court](https://handball.theperfectship.com/court.md)
- [Front wall](https://handball.theperfectship.com/front-wall.md)
- [Short line](https://handball.theperfectship.com/short-line.md)
- [Ball](https://handball.theperfectship.com/ball.md)
- [Game, match, tiebreaker](https://handball.theperfectship.com/game.md)
- [Doubles](https://handball.theperfectship.com/doubles.md)
- [Ace](https://handball.theperfectship.com/ace.md)
- [Wall](https://handball.theperfectship.com/wall.md)

How this rule changed: [wording in every rulebook](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/clause-history/code-fourwall-american/4.md)

## Relationships

- Server relates to Partner: mentioned together in 3 sub-rules.
- Server relates to Front wall: mentioned together in 2 sub-rules.
- Server relates to Short line: mentioned together in 2 sub-rules.
- Server relates to Ball: mentioned together in 2 sub-rules.
- Server relates to Ace: mentioned together in 2 sub-rules.
- Server relates to Wall: mentioned together in 2 sub-rules.
- Partner relates to Front wall: mentioned together in 2 sub-rules.
- Partner relates to Short line: mentioned together in 2 sub-rules.
- Front wall relates to Ball: mentioned together in 3 sub-rules.
- Front wall relates to Ace: mentioned together in 3 sub-rules.
- Front wall relates to Wall: mentioned together in 3 sub-rules.
- Ball relates to Ace: mentioned together in 4 sub-rules.
- Ball relates to Wall: mentioned together in 3 sub-rules.
- Ace relates to Wall: mentioned together in 3 sub-rules.
- No link to the other terms shown: Opponent, Receiver, Hinder, Court, Doubles, Game, match, tiebreaker.
- 8 weaker links (terms mentioned together in few sub-rules) are not drawn.

Rulebook: [Deshong Four-Wall Rules, 1903](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/deshong-fourwall-1903.md)

Source: [M. W. Deshong], Handball and How to Play It (American Sports Publishing Co., ©1903), pp. 12-18 (Library of Congress, LCCN 04000015); reprinted from the same type in M. Egan, Hand Ball and How to Play It (©1914 printing, LCCN 13015574), pp. 12-18. Public domain.