Laws of Fives
The laws of Fives for the doubles game, made readable: hitting up, the serve, the cut and the foul, the rally, lets, scoring, and game ball - plus a Fast Fives quick-rules summary.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do you win a point in Fives?
- Only the side that is 'up' (serving) can score. Win a rally as the serving side and you gain a point; win it while receiving and you don't score, but the serve passes to you. Games are played to 12 points, and matches are best of three or five.
- How does serving work in Fives?
- The serve is an underarm throw that must hit the front wall above the top ledge, then the right-hand wall, and fall in the back-step area just off the top step. The receiver (the cutter) can refuse any serve they don't like, so they must be given a good one.
- What is the cut, and what is a foul?
- The cut is the receiver's return of serve, played after one bounce. It must reach the front wall above the line either via the right-hand wall or between the right-hand wall and the service line. A cut that lands on or to the left of the service line without first hitting the right-hand wall is a 'foul', which the serving side may then play.
- When is a let called in Fives?
- A let replays the rally when a player is impeded by an opponent and could otherwise have returned the ball, when a ball is blocked from going up, or when play is disrupted by a ball from another court. If in doubt, play a let - and offer more lets than you accept.
- What is game ball in Fives?
- When the serving side needs one point to win (they are on 11), it is 'game ball'. The server must keep at least one foot in the lower court until the cutter strikes, the service line is no longer used so there is no foul, and a cut that goes into play and straight out loses the match.
- Do you need an umpire for Fives?
- No. Fives is self-policed: players call their own faults, own up to carries and double-hits, and offer lets freely. An umpire should never be needed, though there is nothing wrong with agreeing to one if a game becomes full of disputes.