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Patball
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Patball
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Patball is a non-contact competitive ball game played in many forms using one's hands or head to hit the ball against a wall – the objective being to get the succeeding player out. The game is popular in school playgrounds during break-time. Patball is played with a tennis ball, or other similar-sized specific patball, and the preferred hand, rather than any form of racquet or bat, similar to wallball. The hand is used to "pat" the ball at the wall or at the opponent with the objective of making the ball un-returnable, similar to squash. Variations of the game include the use of the foot -'footies' or 'Devils' touch', a semi-contact rule popularised at Coopers Technology College.

Key Information

It is popular among London public schools, most notably, private schools such as Whitgift School, St John's Beaumont School, Dulwich College,[1] and Woodcote.

The game is also played extensively across London state schools. In 1992, Highgate Wood Secondary School in Haringey installed special patball walls made from plywood in order to satisfy the popularity of the game. St John's Beaumont School has patball courts painted on a playground wall.

Game

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Patball, in most forms, is played by two opposing players, but multiple players at once are possible depending on space restrictions. It is played against walls of a various widths, with the exact areas usually agreed upon based on age, space availability and a size which will allow continuous play rather than repeated restarts or "second serves".

Patball ball being held by Dulwich College student

Only the players' hands may hit the ball and different shots and skills are employed to avoid the opponent being able to return the shot, at which point the opposing player is out or loses a life depending on the game version being played.

The ball used is usually a standard tennis ball, but Dulwich College uses a specific patball. This is a hollow rubber ball purchased from the school commissariat which can best be described as a tennis ball without the fibrous felt.

Recently, new variants of patball have been invented such as 'Aces', 'Kingpin' and 'Single Dingles'. Aces is played with four players on a special court (eight equally sized squares painted on the ground) and each player uses one square. It is played just as the original version, except for the fact that the wall is on the opponent's court and "lives" are used, varying on who is playing. When a player runs short of lives, he/she becomes a "ghost", who is still allowed to play but cannot lose lives or make players still in the game lose lives. When just two players remain, each player gets four of the eight squares each and continues with the number of lives that they had prior to this. The players continue playing until one of the two is knocked out.

Kingpin consists of three to eight players. Much like aces the players play on the ground but once they lose the point they go to the back and the aim is to become the king, who starts the rally every point. The positions are in order: King, Queen, 1st Jock / Bishop, 2nd Jock / Bishop, 3rd Jock / Bishop, 4th Jock / Bishop, 5th Jock / Bishop and 6th Jock / Bishop. The game ends when the end of break/lunch bell goes. Up to twelve players could play (King, Queen, Jack and playing cards from 10 down) with 9 being a common court configuration (King in the middle). The king bounces the ball in his square and onto someone else's. If the ball double bounced, was missed or went out of court, the player would be out and demoted to the bottom square.

Single Dingles is played like Kingpin but with two people and the one winner stays on.

Rules

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The rules of patball will vary slightly across different areas, but these are the generally accepted rules for a standard game.

General gameplay

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  1. Two players or more can play at any one time. An order is decided for the players, where – in chronological order – the succeeding player will attempt to shoot.
  2. The first player serves by throwing the ball to the floor near the wall, making it bounce and hit the wall.
  3. The second player lets the ball bounce once after hitting the wall, before hitting it to the floor again so it bounces onto the wall and back to the next player.
  4. This continues until one player misses the ball and fails to return it to the other player or hits the wall directly without letting the ball bounce (produces a "direct"). The player that failed to hit it back is out and a new "half-round" begins with the players that are not yet out (if the game consists of more than two players).
  5. When the final two players (if there were other players as well) are left, they compete in rounds where the winner is declared out of two points. In some instances, the final round does not have to go through the "out-of-two" phase. Instead, the final players can decide the winner out of one point.
  6. If the players decide to start a completely new round, the order is based on the players that were out first being last, e.g. if there were five players competing, the first player to get out would be fifth in the order.
  7. In some variations aces will be allowed and in this instance, a serve which is un-returnable will result in an automatic elimination for the receiver.

Event rules

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When the ball hits an object or a person before the returning player has a chance to hit it, "obs" is declared. If a consensus is reached in that it was "obs", the round is restarted with the player that declared "obs" serving. The game-play and rules are often changed by the players. For example, some players would not allow the shooting technique of hitting the ball onto the wall without a bounce, but others could eliminate that rule so that the shooting player can hit the ball right before the bounce occurs. In any instance where the ball goes in a wild direction due to an odd surface, named "curbs" or a "dodgy bounce", a re-throw takes place. If the second player dislikes the first player's serve, they can declare a "second serve", and the first player has to re-serve. The first player can declare a "second serve" as well if they wish to. This can be thought to be useful to the first player because the first player cannot get out on the first serve.

Point-scoring patball

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Patball is sometimes played with a point scoring system where the winner of each round gets a point and the person with the most points at the end is victorious, e.g. the players go through a specific number of rounds, e.g. out of ten. The players have to keep track of their points. This is often known in Dulwich College as "Aces".

Language

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Patball uses a jargon language within the game, with a fairly large number of terms and usages. These jargon languages occur in many sports but patball's jargon is notable and commonplace.

The main terms, which vary across different areas of the game, are in the following glossary:

Term Meaning
Obs A derivation of 'obstruction'. When the ball hits an object or a person that blocks it before the returning player has a chance to hit it. The most common kind of this is "bag obs" or "bobs" in which the ball hits bags acting as posts and therefore cannot reach the wall.
Mids/Crease (original version only) / BC (new versions) The ball hitting exactly between the wall and the ground. The person who calls it remains in the game.
Lines/Post (newer versions only) The ball hitting the line exactly between two opposing courts. In dingles the person who calls it serves next round.
Drag / Carry When a player scoops the ball up instead of patting it, and the player is then out. In many variations, however, the scooping up of the ball and the rolling of it off the hand can be seen.
Straight-ins When a player hits the ball before letting it bounce onto the floor. This shot is not allowed, and the player producing the shot is out.
Double Bounce Scoop-ups When a player allows the ball to bounce twice before hitting it. This shot is normally allowed in games where players are less experienced, but in any other cases the person producing the Double Bounce is out.
Triple Bounce Kick-ups Similar to Double Bounce Scoop-Ups but only with the ball bouncing thrice before a kick.
Blind When a player blocks sight of the ball, so another misses the pat.
Direct/ straight ends When a player hits the ball onto the wall, or into another players court, without letting it bounce, in their court first. The player is then out.
Rolls When, after the ball hits the wall, it rolls across the floor. The point is then replayed.
Second Serve / Re-serves When the first serve is considered ineligible for whatever reason, the ball is "re-served".
Finals When the Second Serve/re-serve is considered ineligible, the ball can be served for a final time. If the ball is to be considered ineligible during the final serve, the person who served is out.
Odd Bounce/ Curbs/ dodgies When, after the ball hits the ground, it bounces in an unpredictable way. If called before the ball is played, the point is replayed unless obvious intentional spin was put on the ball. In some versions it is not replayed.
Self-obs / Spike/ body bits The ball hitting the returning player before they can hit it back themselves. OR:
The ball hitting the player who made the pat before hitting the wall. If this occurs, the player is out.
Killer / Don't want / Bad serve / Dick Serve A serve that can not be returned and a "Second Serve" is appointed.
Conditional As the name suggests, when an unforeseen event occurs and neither player is at fault, that point is replayed.
Demon A player who is out but stands in front of the wall and can catch the ball on any shot except a serve. If the ball is caught, the demon may replace the player who hit the shot. If the ball hits the wall before being caught the catch does not count and the demon is given one "obs". If the ball hits the demon without them catching it, this is also considered an "obs". If the demon obstructs the ball twice they are no longer allowed near the wall, in which case they are out. A demon does not move from his chosen position on the wall, although this depends on the game. Demons are not generally used in games and will vary in number depending on wall size. The term 'demon' is used to mean someone who has come back to haunt the other remaining players.
Side-demon Similar to a demon, a side demon is a player who is out and may stand to the side of the wall and catch the ball. The same rules apply to the side-demon as the demon. Side-demons are normally used on smaller walls where there is less space.
Mountains When the ball is thrown to the ground to bounce higher than usual or to the back courts in 'king pin'.
Low-cut / Below-Knees When the ball is hit and bounces below one's knees, usually winning the point.
Tips When the ball is played with the tips of the fingers. This is a controversial foul call, the legitimacy of which is in constant debate.
Purpose Obs When a player tries to intentionally simulate the act of being 'obsed' by another person, in which case they are out.
Stealies When a player purposely hits the ball off the oppositions court it is not bouncing on their own court.
Savies When a player purposely saves a player by hitting the ball off the oppositions court.
Copy Where a player plays the ball through his or her legs, or any other distinguishable move subsequently calling "copy". The proceeding players then have to copy the action. If a copy is called and the player calling the copy does a standard hit, then that player is out.
Devils' Touch If activated prior to a round of play then it is possible to knock out any player by hitting the ball at them instead of the wall. If such an attempt is successfully dodged the 'hitter' goes out. If the shot hits a player then that player is out and a new round is begun.
Holidays When extra players can join a full match of kingpin by using a queue behind the last square. If holidays are legal the player who has been knocked out is required to go to 'holidays', when the player is knocked out the first in queue for holidays moves up to the last court.

See also

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References

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Sources

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Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Patball

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Patball is a non-contact competitive ball game originating in British school playgrounds, typically played with a against a wall using the hands (or sometimes the head) to hit the ball in such a way that it bounces on the ground before striking the wall, with the goal of eliminating opponents by making the return unplayable. The game is believed to have been invented at , a public school in , and has since spread to other UK institutions and beyond school settings, including street play among university students in places like . Players, often numbering from two to twelve, take turns in a sequence, striking the ball with the palm to ensure it bounces once on the ground after hitting the wall; errors result in accumulating the letters "P," "A," and "T," leading to elimination when the word is spelled out. Variations such as Aces (requiring a special court and four players), Kingpin (for three to eight players), and Single Dingles (a two-player version similar to Kingpin) add diversity, while rules emphasize fair play, prohibiting obstructions and encouraging goodwill serves to avoid short rallies. Patball's popularity stems from its simplicity—requiring only a ball and a wall—and inclusivity, appealing to teenagers in London schools and beyond during breaks, with techniques like the sweeping "hook" shot or deceptive "dabber" adding skill and excitement. It is played widely in primary and as an informal breaktime activity, sometimes under names like "slapball," and has inspired efforts to formalize related wall games like for broader recognition. At institutions such as , it supports competitive tournaments, including charity events with formats like and "Kingpin," demonstrating its ongoing appeal among pupils. The sport draws from traditions like squash and but distinguishes itself through its open-court, multi-player dynamics and "gentlemanly" ethos.

History

Origins

Patball originated as a simple wall-hitting game played in British school playgrounds, with references to its earliest documented evidence appearing in the 1901 edition of The Alleynian, the magazine of , during the first year of 's reign. This mention, as noted in later school publications, confirms the game's presence at the school at least 120 years ago as of the early 2020s, indicating it emerged from informal playground activities among students in the early 20th century. Anecdotal accounts and school records suggest patball was supposedly invented at , a in , where it developed as a non-contact activity using hands to strike a ball against a wall. The game relied on basic equipment like and available walls and was played casually during breaks. The game's non-contact format was shaped by influences from established wall-based sports in British schools, such as —a variant played without equipment against walls—and basic handball traditions, adapting these into a simpler, accessible playground pursuit. These roots in early schoolyard play laid the groundwork for patball's later formalized evolution.

Spread and Popularity

Patball originated at but has since spread to other institutions, including such as , St John's Beaumont School, and Woodcote House School, as well as primary and secondary schools across and beyond. It has gained popularity in among university students in places like . The game is widely played in hundreds of UK primary and secondary schools as an informal breaktime activity, often under names like "slapball." At Dulwich College, it has seen growing popularity among students, particularly in the , where it is played during breaks and has inspired organized events such as charity competitions. This adoption highlights its role as an accessible activity in school environments, requiring minimal equipment like a and a suitable wall or court.

Rules and Gameplay

Objective and Basic Mechanics

The primary objective of Patball is to eliminate opponents by striking the ball in a manner that renders it unreturnable for the next player, after it has bounced once off the ground following contact with the wall. This non-contact game emphasizes precision and strategy to force errors, with players using their hands (or occasionally the head) to propel a against a wall. In basic play, the sequence begins with a player hitting the ball such that it bounces once on the ground before striking the wall; upon rebounding, the ball must bounce once on the ground before the succeeding player returns it by hitting it such that it bounces once on the ground before striking the wall. Violations, such as returning the ball without the required ground bounce or allowing it to bounce twice, result in the player's elimination or loss of a point, depending on the format. The game supports two or more participants arranged in a fixed turn order, with play proceeding sequentially until leave a single winner.

Equipment and Setup

Patball requires minimal equipment, primarily consisting of a single , which serves as the core tool for gameplay in its standard non-contact form. This ball is struck with the open palm of the hand against a wall, allowing it to bounce once on the ground before being returned by the next player. At institutions like , a specialized patball—such as the "PAT BALL (KINGPIN)" sold through the school's official shop—is used instead of a standard ; this is a hollow rubber ball. The game can accommodate up to 12 players simultaneously, though the available space around the playing area often limits the number of participants. The playing area for standard Patball is simple and versatile, typically involving any flat, vertical wall in an open court or setting, with no specific markings required for basic games. Players in the non-contact version rely solely on their hands or head to strike the ball, with no additional gear such as racquets or needed.

Serving and Elimination Rules

In Patball, the serving process begins with the first player throwing or hitting the ball to the ground so that it bounces once before striking the wall, ensuring the subsequent return can continue the rally smoothly. This underhand or palm strike to the floor near the wall is designed to promote fair play and extended exchanges, with the ball then allowed to bounce once on the ground after hitting the wall before the next player must return it using their hand. Players are eliminated through specific faults that prevent a proper return, such as missing the ball entirely or allowing it to bounce twice (known as a double bounce) before striking it back to the wall. In multi-player games, these errors typically result in the player being knocked out of the round in a , gradually reducing the number of participants. Additionally, if the ball hits an obstruction like a person or object (commonly called "obs") before a player can attempt a return, the point may be replayed rather than counting as an elimination, depending on group consensus. Once the game reduces to two players through , it shifts to a decisive one-on-one match where points are scored based on the opponent's inability to return the ball legally, with the first to reach an agreed target declared the winner. This final phase emphasizes direct competition, often continuing until one player accumulates sufficient points via like misses or . In some variations observed in British school settings, elimination in earlier rounds may involve accumulating letters to spell "PAT" through mistakes, leading to the same two-player showdown.

Variations

Non-Contact Variants

Non-contact variants of Patball represent structured adaptations that incorporate elements such as scoring systems, team play, or hierarchical progression while maintaining the game's core non-physical nature, where players hit the ball against a wall using hands or head to eliminate opponents without body contact. These variants emerged as recent innovations to add complexity and replayability to the traditional elimination-based gameplay. The Aces variant is designed for four players on a dedicated court divided into eight squares, employing a lives system where participants start with a set number of lives and lose one for each unreturnable shot or rule violation. As players deplete their lives, they become "ghosts" who are still allowed to play but cannot lose or gain lives or affect other players' lives—and the game continues until only one survivor remains, emphasizing strategic positioning and within the . This setup allows for across the court, with basic applying to determine lives lost. In the Kingpin variant, suitable for three to eight players, a hierarchical structure is established with titles such as King, Queen, and lower ranks assigned based on performance; the objective is to climb the ranks by defeating higher-positioned players, while losers are demoted until potentially eliminated. This variant introduces a , where the top player (Kingpin) defends their status against challengers, and the game can involve rotating serves and to shift the hierarchy, making it one of the most popular non-contact forms due to its dynamic progression. Players often adapt core rules like legal shots and double-bounces to fit the . Single Dingles serves as a two-player adaptation of the Kingpin variant, simplifying the hierarchy for one-on-one challenges where the winner remains in position to face new opponents in a "king of the court" style, allowing continuous play as challengers rotate in after losses. This format retains the but streamlines them for duels, focusing on serve accuracy and to maintain or claim the dominant spot, often played in school settings to build on without needing multiple participants simultaneously.

Contact and Foot-Use Variants

Contact and foot-use variants of Patball introduce modifications that allow for limited physical interaction and the use of feet, diverging from the standard hand-only, non-contact play described in the basic rules. One such variant is known as "Footies" or "Devils’ Touch," which permits players to hit the ball with their feet in addition to hands, adding a layer of versatility to shots and returns. This version also incorporates semi-contact rules, where players can eliminate opponents by tagging them with the ball rather than solely relying on unreturnable bounces, while dodging is allowed to evade tags. These elements emphasize evasion tactics and physical strategy, making the game more dynamic without escalating to full-contact sports. The semi-contact aspect was popularized at Coopers Technology College, where it became a favored adaptation among students.

Cultural Aspects

Terminology and Jargon

Patball, as a game deeply rooted in British school playground culture, features a distinctive set of terminology and jargon that has evolved organically among players. This slang not only defines specific actions and rules but also facilitates quick communication and dispute resolution during play, enhancing the social dynamics of group participation. For instance, terms like "obs," short for obstruction, refer to interruptions in play caused by external factors such as objects or other players blocking the ball's path, allowing for a restart to maintain fairness. Key jargon includes "direct," which describes an illegal hit where the ball is struck without first bouncing on the ground in the player's court, resulting in an out; this rule emphasizes the game's requirement for a single bounce before contacting the . Other community-developed terms, such as "mids" for a simultaneous bounce on the ground and wall leading to an awkward return, and "skanky bounce" for tricky serves causing unpredictable movement, illustrate how slang adapts to conditions and player creativity in school settings. These phrases originated from informal evolution among students, with variations emerging across different schools to describe techniques like the "low-cut," a powerful that bends the player down to make returns difficult. In addition to rule-based terms, stylistic jargon like "hook"—a sweeping shot to maximize angle and distance for the next player—and "dabber," a deceptive short shot akin to a in other sports, highlight the tactical depth communicated through lingo. The acronym "PAT" is used in some scoring systems, where players accumulate letters (P, A, T) for errors until elimination, reinforcing rule enforcement through shared vocabulary. Such jargon plays a crucial role in social play by promoting inclusivity and gentlemanly conduct, as seen in calls against obstruction to prevent cheating, while fostering camaraderie during extended rallies in school environments. This evolution of slang in Patball communities underscores its grassroots nature, with terms like "obs" gaining formal recognition in the late 1980s to standardize restarts and ensure equitable gameplay among young players. In variants, similar terminology aids in adapting rules for different setups, though core jargon remains consistent for social cohesion.

Comparisons to Similar Games

Patball shares core elements with other wall-based ball games, particularly in the mechanics of striking a ball against a wall to create unreturnable shots. It exhibits similarities to wallball, where players use their hands to propel a ball toward a single wall, aiming for it to rebound in a way that challenges the opponent, much like the basic rally structure in patball. Similarly, patball resembles squash in its objective of making the ball difficult to return after it bounces off the wall, fostering a fast-paced, strategic gameplay that emphasizes precision and positioning. However, unlike squash, which employs racquets and is typically played in an enclosed four-walled court, patball relies solely on hands (or the head) without any equipment and uses an open, informal space such as a school wall, making it more accessible and less structured. Both patball and wallball require the ball to bounce on the ground before striking the wall, but patball distinguishes itself through its and , whereas wallball often features point-based scoring and can be played in more structured settings. Compared to downball, patball serves as a regional variation prominent in , incorporating options like head strikes for returns and adaptations tailored to , whereas downball is more commonly associated with and may emphasize stricter hand-only rules without such flexibility. Patball's allowance for head use introduces a unique non-contact element, enabling creative plays that extend rallies beyond pure hand striking, setting it apart as a school-specific evolution. These adaptations reflect patball's informal, community-driven development in during the . Patball also differs from , a more formal English handball sport, in its lack of specialized gloves, dedicated courts with features like , and point-based scoring systems; instead, patball prioritizes elimination through unreturnable shots in a casual, open-wall setup without protective gear. While both games derive from handball traditions and involve wall rebounds, fives' structured environment and equipment contrast with patball's emphasis on quick elimination rounds in everyday school spaces, rendering it less regulated and more accessible for casual play.
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