Like all other sports of the world, the sport named `Squash` also has its own rules and regulations. Though they have some similarities with the other racquet games, there are a lot of differences as well. The game of Squash is normally played by two or four players. It is played by two players if it is a Singles match and it is played by four players in case of Doubles Match. The principal object of the game is to hit the ball very hard so that the opponent can`t reach it before it bounces twice. Usually the players hit the ball alternately. The general Rules of Squash are stated below:

General Rules:
Service:
1) According to the rules set by the World Squash Federation, the right to serve first is usually decided by the spin of a racket or coin. The referee takes the decision. Once decided, the server continues to serve until he or she loses a point. After losing the point, the serve passes to the opponents.

2) In order to serve properly, the player must drop the ball onto the floor and then hit directly onto the front wall between the board/tin and the out of court line without bouncing it. If the opponent fails to volley the ball in return, the ball must fall to the floor within the back quarter of the court opposite the server`s box.

3) The server can serve again if he does one false serves, but if it is two consecutive faults, he will loose the point and also his serve.

4) One Serve will be called as false if the following instances occur:

(1) If the server fails to have at least one foot in contact with the floor within the service box at the time of serving. This is called as a `foot-fault`.

(2) If the ball touches the back wall before touching the floor. However, the Serve will not be considered as false if the ball touches one of the sidewalls before touching the floor.

(3) If the ball fails to land in the correct back quarter of the court after hitting the front wall.

(4) If the player does not drop the ball on the floor before serving.

(5) If the player serves the ball onto or below the board/tin.

(6) If the player serves the ball against any part of the court other than the front wall.

Return:After a good service has been delivered, both the players should try to return the ball alternately until one of them fails to make a good return. If the ball player can hit the ball against the front wall before it bounces twice, it will be considered as a good return. The player can hit the ball onto the front wall either directly or via the other walls.

Scoring:The players can score points by either player serving. If the server wins a point, he or she keeps the service and if he serves a fault or fails to make a good return, then the opponent will win the point and get the chance to become the server. A player can win a point in a number of ways, including the following:
1) If the opponent player fails to return the ball before it bounces twice on the floor.
2) If the opponent hits the ball out of bounds.
3) If the ball touches the body of the opposing player or anything worn by the opposing player including the player`s racquet. But there is a condition and that is if the return seems to be good and the ball also seems to struck the front wall without first touching any other wall, the striker wins the rally, provided he did not "turn".
4) If the ball either had struck or seems to have struck any other wall and the return seems to be good, a let is played. However, if the return does not seem to be good, the striker loses the rally.
5) If the opposition player hits the ball twice. Such occurrence is called `Double Hits`.

Winning a Match:Usually, there are three or five games in the Squash matches. If any player wins two or three games respectively, he is announced as the winner. In other way, the player who becomes the first player to reach 15 points is the winner except when the scores are 14-all. In this position, the game is reset to `the best of five points` and the player who scores three points first, wins the match.

Doubles Rules:The rules discussed so far were the rules for the Singles matches. For the Doubles matches, there are some additional rules with the general rules. The rules are as follows:
1) Both the sides have two players each.
2) Each of the sides nominates one specific player who will serve for the whole of a particular game during a match. The alternative player will serve in the following game. One player cannot serve for two consecutive games.
3) Each of the two sides specifies one of its players to receive service in the right-hand service court and the other to receive service in the left-hand service court at the very beginning of each game.
4) The players must strike the ball in rotation during a point so that they can maintain the order of striking. The order is: The Server, The Receiver, The Server`s partner, The Receiver`s partner. The players should always continue to maintain this order until any of the sides wins or loses the point.

Some Other Rules:
(1) A match is at first of 2 games.
(2) Each of the games is consist of nine points unless the score reaches eight-all. When the score is eight-all, the receiver or non-server will choose whether he will play for nine points or for ten points.
(3) Only the server can score points. When the server wins a rally he scores a point and if the receiver wins a rally he or she becomes the server.
(4) An interval of 90 seconds is permitted in between all the games.
(5) The players are allowed up to 5 minutes (2½ minutes on each side) to "warm-up" themselves and the ball on the match court before the start of a match. The ball may also be warmed up after any interval in the game.
(6) The player chooses which side of the court to play on by the spin of a racket. The player plays in alternating sides until he loses the point.
(7)The player who wins the preceding game serves first in the next game. (8) When the service changes from one player to the other at the beginning of each game, the server can serve from either service box.
(9)A player always enjoys the freedom from interference by the opponent when it is his turn to play the ball. To avoid interference, the opponent should always try to provide the player with unobstructed direct access to the ball, a clear view of the ball, space to complete a swing at the ball and the freedom to play the ball directly to any part of the front wall.
(10)If the ball hits the line after a stroke, it is considered as out. One cannot carry the ball or hit the ball twice. However, he can make several attempts at striking the ball as long as he contacts it once.

All the rules that have been discussed in the article are the rules that all the players of the world obey. However, there may be some exceptions in some of the regions of the world.