Four Square

Four Square is a game very commonly played at most CTY sites. Its rules (some of which are described here) are intricate, varied, and rapidly changing.

Golden Rules of Four Square

1. The Golden Rules must always be obeyed. The King cannot change or effect them in any manner.
2. The King is the only one that can make rules. These rules have to effect all of the players, not only the King, Queen, Jack, or trash.
3. If a player gets out, then they are out, no trades or subs. The King makes all final decisions on outs, unless Mob rules are called.
4. If a player thinks they are out, and subsequently walks off the court, then they are out.
5. Any rule can be called, as long as all players understand it. Also, rules can only be called at the beginning of each turn.
6. No player can get out on the first hit (after the King's bounce).

Normal Rules (Old School Rules)

Old School rules are a set of rules that are used when no other rules are being played.

Single touch, one hit, and that is it.

Reasons for Being Out

These apply to all games, unless the King has changed the rules.

• Hitting the ball out of the square
• Bouncing out of your square into the outside area
• Transgression of any of the rules set by the King
• Slamming the ball (a.k.a. cherry bombs)

Various Rules of Four Square

Here are the various rules, what they mean, and other notes.

• Single Touch: only hit once.
• Double Touch: once or twice.
• Etc.
• Forced ___#___: means that you must touch the ball a preset number of times each time it goes into your square.
• Volleys: must hit the ball before it touches the ground. Four Square can also be played without Volleys.
• Black Knight: one can spin the ball in the air without catching it.
• Black Magic: if another person hits the ball and you catch their volley and say "Black Magic" before they say "White Magic", then they are out-- if you don't catch it or they say it later then the "Whiter", then you are OUT!
• Pirates!! (also known as argg...): all players must say "argg" when you hit the ball, stand on one leg, and close one eye.
• Napoleon: the next King can't change the rules until they have been up for two turns.
• Vortex: if one player hits the ball in the perfect center of the court and the King says "VORTEX!!", then the whole court moves in a clockwise direction. This can be done many times, and it stays until the next King comes.
• Earthquake: the same as Vortex but the players must jump. The last to do so is out.
• Snakes in the grass: when the King says this, all the players must get out of their squares. The last to do so is out.
• Bus stop: when the King says this, all the players must put one foot in the middle. The last to do so is out.
• Body parts: can't hit others on their body (no one will be out, just a restart).
• Chicken feet: allows balls that bounce off the feet to not count.
• Forced body: one must hit the ball with your body into the other square.
• Bobbles: allows the ball to be bobbled between the two hands of the current ball holder.
• Mob: if no one can decide if a person is out, then the Mob will.
• Mob wall: the Mob can hit the ball back into play.
• Baby pig: the next person in line will sit in the middle of the squares, will play the ball, and won't be out.
• Da' Barn: must say any kind of animal noise (no two consecutive sounds).
• Mini-land: must be on knees.
• Danceworld!: Do a dance move and hit the ball. Pelvic thrusting is highly recommended.
• Two-square: a tiebreaker between two people, one of which should be out, whenever there is a dispute. It's kind of like a smaller redo.

If you have any you wish to add, just do it!!

(uhhhh... I've known people who played foursquare while sitting on aluminum chairs or using external objects such as notebooks to hit the ball. This was never actually made a rule because not everyone in the game did it, but does it count?)

Game Variations

9-Square

This variation is a pattern of nine squares with the King in the middle.

9-Square is very hard but allows many players to play at the same time. It also benefits the King: it allows the King to let the ball bounce though his square and onto the next. The best way to eliminate him is to hit him in the leg.

You Got Nuked!!

Where everyone is a country, and everyone gets nuked.

Everyone becomes a country (this is what you are called) and whenever anyone gets out everyone can yell "You got nuked!!"; this makes for a very funny game. All the other rules are normal.

Doubles

Double the people, twice the chaos.

• One person is in the square and the other is outside.
• Only one of them can play the ball before the next person touches it.
• The King doesn't get a double.

Nameless

A variation of foursquare invented by a group of desperate babyCTY students when the RA's wouldn't give them the balls.

As the above statement indicates, this version of foursquare does not require a ball.

• The players in the squares announce their names at the beginning of each round, no matter how redundant it gets.
• To "pass" to a player, one must point at them and say their name clearly and correctly.
• If you point to the wrong person or get their name wrong, you're out.

As easy as this sounds, if you're playing with a lot of people it is surprisingly easy to get out. This would also make a good icebreaker activity, but I don't know if the RA's who thought we were "playing too much foursquare" actually use it. They said they would.