Rule

Deshong Four-Wall Rules · American four-wall

Rule 4 Four-handed match

Historical rulebook: not the current rules. The current rules are here (USHA Four-Wall Rulebook, as of 26 January 2025).

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

How this rule changed

See the wording of this rule in every rulebook, with the changes marked.

How these ideas connect in this rule

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.