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Terms & Rules

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At Rest

A ball that has stopped moving usually on a battery wall in front of an opening. The ball is deemed to have entered that opening.

Back Walls

Walls between court floor and penthouse adjoining main wall.

Bandeau

The strip of wall immediately below a penthouse, usually made of the same material as the penthouse.

Batteries

The portions of wall between the openings and the floor.

Battery Wall

 

Wall below galleries.

Better

One chase is better than another if it is made on the same side of the court and further from the net. When the ball enters a gallery (except the winningf gallery of dedans or grille) or falls on the floor (unless it falls in the service court or in the pass court) it makes a chase at the gallery it enters or at the line on which it falls. I marking chases, better means that the ball makes a chase: (a.) further from the net than the line mentioned, and (b.) nearer to that line than to any other yard or gallery line. When it falls between two lines , it makes chase better or worse than the yard line or the gallery line nearest to the spot where it fell, except that: (1.) it makes chase better than half a yard when it so falls, and (2.) when it falls better or worse than the line “a yard worse than the last gallery,” the chase is called “nearly a yard” or “more than a yard worse than the last gallery,” and (3.) when it falls nearer to the net than to the first gallery line it makes chase the line, and (4.) when it drops or falls in the net on the side opposed to the striker and then falls on the side from which it was struck it makes chase the line on the side opposed to the striker, and (5.) when it drops or falls on another ball on the floor it makes a chase as if it had fallen where that other ball was lying.

Bisque

One stroke in a set conceded to an opponent. The player receiving a bisque may take it to win one stroke in each set at any time subject to the following: (a.) he may not take it during a rally or rest, and (b.) if server, he may not take it after serving one fault, and (c.) if he takes it to win or to defend a chase, he may not do so before the time comes to change sides. Then, if there is only one chase, he may take it and need not change sides, or he may take it after changing sides but, after he has passed the net, he may not go back again. If there are two chases, the players must change sides before he takes it to win or to defend either of them.

Boast

A return that is struck against the main wall (presumably derived from Bosse). Originally the word appears to have been used only when it was intended that the ball should enter the dedans; but it is now used more widely, and occasionally even for returns struck against walls other than the main wall.

Bobble Service

 

A slow serve that bounces frequently on the service penthouse and that should drop near the grille wall.

Boomerang Service

A service that strikes the service penthouse, the back penthouse and then the service penthouse again, falling onto the service floor. If served correctly, it falls very closely and parallel to the back wall.

Carrying the Ball

Not cleanly and definitely releasing the ball during a stroke.

Chase

A shot marked by a second bounce on the floor, not having been touched and allowing players to change ends. A chase is made whenever the ball falls in the hazard court, or anywhere on the service side, or enters a gallery, except the winning gallery, dedans or grille. Attacking a.
When a chase is being played for, the opponent of the player who made the chase is said to be attacking the chase. The player attacking the chase loses it if (1.) he serves two consecutive faults, or (2.) he does not make a good return, or (3.) he makes a chase worse than the one being played for. It is chase off when the player attacking the chase makes equal to the one being played for. when it is chase off the chase is annulled and the score is unaltered. The player attacking the chase wins it if (1.) his opponent serves two consecutive faults, or (2.) his opponent does not make a good return (unless the player attacking the chase makes a chase worse than or equal to the one being played for), or (3.) he makes a chase better than the one being played for. Calling a. The marker calls a chase when he states the chase that is being played for. Defending a. When a chase is bering played for, the player who made the chase is said to be defending the chase. Lines. The lines marked on the floor to enable the marker to mark chases are called chase lines or chases.

Coup De Breche

A straight force that drops in the dedans near to one of its outer edges.

Coup De Cabasse

A return that drops in the dedans after first striking the side penthouse wall between the last gallery and the dedans wall (called after a French Professional of that name who played this difficult stroke).

Coup De Chandelle

A lofted return that drops or (more usually) falls in the dedans.

Coup D’Orleans

A return that is struck against the service wall and drops in the dedans direct (called after Philippe Egalite, Duc D’Orleans, who invented or practiced this stroke).

Coup De Temps

The stroke usually attempted off the back wall when the ball is too near to the wall and floor for an ordinary return to be made. The stroke is commenced before the ball reaches the wall so that immediately it leaves it; the stroke can be completed with the minimum amount of further movement and acceleration of the racquet.

Court

The enclosure in which the game is played. The court is divided into two sides, the hazard side and the service side.

Dedans

Netted opening on back wall of service side; outright winner.

Fault Line

The line on the floor nearest the grille and extending from the
service line to the grille wall.

Gallery Post

The post between two galleries is considered to be part of the gallery nearer the net.

Gallery

Netted opening opposite to the main wall. Scored as a chase, except for the winning gallery. The galleries are named as follows, starting from the net: (a.) on the service side, the line, the first gallery, the door, the second gallery, the last gallery; (b.) on the hazard side, the line, the first gallery, the door, the second gallery, the winning gallery.

Grille

Netted opening in the grille wall; outright winner.

Grille Wall

The back wall on the hazard side.

Hazard Chase

 

A chase made on the hazard side of the court.

Hazard Side

The side of the court on the left of the net when facing main wall.

Mark

Keep score. Score announced first always relates to the player who won the last point.

Marker’s Box

Area in which you enter the court.

Marker

One who keeps score.

Net

Divides court into hazard and service courts. Height is 3 ft. on center, 5 ft. at post.

Net Post

Supports net at each end. Ball is out of play if it hits post.

Penthouse

Roofline along which service ball must travel.

Service

Always delivered from the service end. Must bounce at least once on hazard side penthouse. If the first serve is a fault, a second is allowed.

Service Court

The only area from which serves can be made. Defined by
area from back wall to 2nd Gallery line.

Tambour

Vertical, canted section of wall in hazard court.

Winning Gallery

Last netted opening towards end wall in hazard court;
outright winner.

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