4 Square is a playground ball game where four players occupy court quadrants, bounce the ball between squares, and try to eliminate opponents while advancing toward the king square.
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Four players occupy numbered squares (King, Queen, Jack, Dunce). Serve and rally a rubber ball by bouncing it once in another player's square. Miss or fault and you rotate to the back of the line; survive and advance toward the King square for the highest ranking.
4 Square (also called Four Square) is a fast-paced playground ball game played on a court divided into four equal quadrants. Each quadrant is ranked 1 through 4 (often called King, Queen, Jack, and Dunce). Players take turns hitting a rubber playground ball into each other's squares after one bounce. If you make an error, you leave the court, everyone rotates up, and a new player enters at the lowest square.
The goal is to reach and hold the King square for as long as possible. Games run continuously and can accommodate any number of waiting players rotating in. A round typically lasts just a few minutes, making it ideal for large groups.
Draw or tape a large square (typically 16 feet on a side) and divide it into four equal quadrants. Number the squares 1 (King) through 4 (Dunce). Each quadrant should be roughly 8 feet by 8 feet.
One rubber playground ball (8.5-inch diameter is standard).
A flat surface (concrete, gym floor, or asphalt).
One player stands in each of the four squares. Remaining players form a line behind the Dunce square.
The King (Square 1) always serves first.
The King bounces the ball once in their own square, then strikes it with an open hand so it bounces in any other player's square.
The ball must bounce exactly once in the receiving player's square before that player hits it.
After receiving, a player must hit the ball (after one bounce in their square) into any other player's square.
Players may only use hands (open palm or fist, depending on house rules).
The ball must travel directly from one square to another without touching lines or going out of bounds.
A player is eliminated from the round if they:
Fail to hit the ball before it bounces twice in their square.
Hit the ball out of bounds or onto a line.
Catch, carry, or hold the ball.
Hit the ball before it bounces in their square (a volley, unless house rules allow it).
Commit a double-touch or illegal strike.
When a player is eliminated:
They go to the back of the waiting line.
All players below the eliminated player's square move up one square.
The first player in line enters the Dunce square (Square 4).
There is no single endpoint. The King stays in Square 1 as long as they avoid elimination. In informal play, the player who holds King the longest or accumulates the most rounds as King is considered the best player.
Cherry Bomb / Slam: An overhand hit allowed by the King.
Black Magic: A low spinning serve.
Bus Stop: All players rotate one square after a serve.
Lines Are Out / Lines Are In: Whether landing on a line counts as a fault.
No Double-Touches: The ball must be struck cleanly in one motion.
4 Square is an elimination-based game with no numeric score. Ranking is determined by your position on the court at any given time.
King (Square 1) is the top position.
Dunce (Square 4) is the bottom position.
Players who are waiting in line have no rank until they rotate in.
Because 4 Square is continuous, a typical "match" in the system records one session of play rather than a single rally.
Player list (who participated in the session).
Final placements: rank players by how well they performed overall (longest King streaks, fewest eliminations, etc.).
Number of rounds each player held the King position (best single metric of dominance).
Total eliminations per player.
If two players held King for the same number of rounds, the player with fewer total eliminations ranks higher.
Select the Standard variant.
Add all players who participated in the session.
Enter placement rankings (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.) based on overall performance during the session.
The system records placement-only results.
Tip: For the most meaningful rankings, rank the player who held King the longest as 1st and work down from there.