For 2 Players

1. Each player stands in the far outside edge of a square, facing his opponent.

2. To start the game, the server bounces the ball once and then slaps it with an open hand so that it lands in the opponent’s square, much like ping pong.

3. After only one bounce, the opponent must use one hand to slap the ball back into the server’s square.

4. The game continues until either player:
> Hits the ball out of the square
> Misses the ball
> Lets the ball bounce more than once in his or her square
> Lets the ball hit any part of his or her body other than an open hand

5. If the server loses the volley, the other player gets the serve.

Scoring: only the server can score a point. A point is scored for each volley that the server wins. Games are usually played to 11 or 21 points.

For 4 players:

1. Four-player box ball requires 4 sidewalk squares. The play is the same as in the two-person game except that you can hit the ball into any opponent’s square and the scoring is reversed. Any time you miss the ball or hit it out of the square, you get a point. If you’re the server and you miss, you lose the serve, but you don’t get a point. You play to 11 or 21 points, and when you reach that score, you’re out. The last player remaining wins.