Rules of the Game
You can download a .pdf of the rules for yourself to print.
Components
- 52 Card Deck
- 16 Court Cards (12 are used in Singles)
- 8 Character Cards
- 4 Scorekeeper Cards
- 1 Ball token
- 1 Copy of The Rules
Set-Up
Each player takes one character card to use for the whole game. The character card acts as your player piece: place it on top of a court card to indicate you are on that space. Any extra character cards go back in the box.
The scorekeeper cards (green cards with tennis balls numbered 1–3) are used to keep track of points. Each player displays one next to them, and places another scorekeeper card facedown on top of it, covering up portions of the other card to show many points you have.
Lay out the court cards according to the diagram below (See “The Court”). Set aside the remaining cards as the draw deck. Should this deck run out, re-shuffle the discard to replenish it. Each player draws 8 cards and may look at them. You may mulligan (see “Serving”).
One player calls “red” or “blue.” The other player reveals the top card (if the card is an Enchantment, re-reveal). If the correct color was called, the guesser serves first. If the card is not that color, the other player is first server.
The first server chooses which back corner of the board the serve is hit from. The receiver starts their turn from the diagonally opposite corner. The serving player goes first.
The Court
How the court should look for a Singles game. 12 cards are used.
Treat the horizontal middle of the court as the net, using the divide between court cards to mark it.
Goal
Be the first to score 3 points.
Scoring
Anytime a player fails to return a shot over the net, hits the ball out of bounds, or fails to make a valid serve, the other player gets 1 point.
The player who lost the point may discard up to 3 cards, and both players then draw or discard until they have 8 cards in hand.
Serving
Once a point is scored, the player who lost the point serves the ball. The serving player goes first.
Mulligan After drawing your new hand, but before the serve, you may choose to discard your entire hand and draw a new hand with one fewer card than you discarded. You may do this as many times as you like (you will draw fewer cards each time).
The server chooses which back corner to serve from. The receiver starts from the diagonally opposite corner.
When serving, you must hit the ball before you are able to move. To be valid, a serve needs to land on the opposite side of the board in a column other than the one it started in (the serve may not go straight).
The Turn
- Move (optional)
- Hit the ball
Play 1–3 cards. - Move (optional if you haven’t already)
- Draw 2 (unless you lost the point)
There is no maximum hand size.
Movement
Anytime during your turn, move up to 1 space for free and/or discard as many Enchantment cards as you like for extra movement. Each Enchantment card moves you 1 space, regardless of the number on the card.
Players and the ball cannot move diagonally. To hit the ball, you must be in the same space as it. The ball only moves when it is hit.
Hit the Ball
To return a shot, play up to 3 cards (assuming the shot has not been Enchanted) from your hand. You may also choose not to hit the ball. The other player will get the point.
Enchantments
Of the up to 3 cards played to hit the ball, only one may be an Enchantment.
If you play an Enchantment on the ball, your opponent must use exactly as many cards as the Enchantment’s value (no more, no less) to hit it back (ex. Enchant-2 = play 2 cards). Enchantments are included in this card count.
Enchantments do not affect the number of cards your opponent may use for movement.
Aim & Distance
A Hit card’s color determines aiming. Each Hit card moves the ball 1 space horizontally towards the side of the board that the card color matches (blue or red). The Hit card’s value determines distance; this is the number of spaces the ball moves forward vertically.
The ball must cross the net. The ball may pass off the court while still in the air so long as, once the effects of your played hit cards (aim & distance) are combined, it lands on the court. Directing the ball to end its movement outside of the court sends it out of bounds.
Characters
Characters have unique abilities; when and how they can be used are explained on the cards themselves. Clarifications can be found on the FAQ page.
Doubles Variant
(4 Players)
We recommend you play Singles first before trying out the Doubles variant.
In this variant, teammates work together; when one is at the ball, the other uses magick to boost their shot.
Unless otherwise specified, the rules are the same as in Singles. The goal is to be the first team to 3 points.
Set-Up
- Players form two teams of 2.
- Remove all Enchant-1s from the deck.
- Add 1 column to court.
Serving
One player serves from a back corner. As in Singles, this player chooses the corner.
The server’s teammate starts from a position 1 space forward and 2 spaces to the opposite horizontal side from the server. The opposing team mirrors the serving team.
Either player on the receiving team can hit the ball.
The Turn (In Order)
- Move (optional)
Both teammates move simultaneously. - Hit the Ball
- Player at the ball plays 1–3 cards.
- Support plays 1–3 cards.
- Reveal and resolve the player at the ball's cards.
- Reveal and resolve the support's cards.
- Move (optional if you haven’t already)
- Draw
Each teammate draws 1 card.
Movement
Movement may be vaguely discussed between teammates: players may say whether or not they can reach the ball, but they may not name or describe the cards in their hand.
Once per turn, the team has 1 free movement to give to either player.
Enchantments cannot be used to give a teammate movement, but can still be used to give yourself extra movement.
One player must be at the ball for their team to return the shot.
Hit the Ball
The player at the ball plays 1-3 cards facedown. Their teammate (the Support) can see how many cards are used but not what they will be.
The Support then plays 1-3 cards facedown.
The player at the ball reveals and resolves their cards. Then the support does the same. The support's Hit cards move the ball from where their teammate's Hit cards placed it.
Enchantments
Each teammate chooses which opposing player their Enchantment will affect. The player at the ball chooses first. You may not both Enchant the same opposing player.
Draw
On every hit, including the serve, each teammate draws 1.
Scoring
The teammates who lost the point may each discard up to 3 cards, and all players then draw or discard until they have 8 cards in hand.