Spikeball rules: how to play roundnet, explained simply

A game we got seriously hooked on one summer is spikeball. It all started on a walk through a Copenhagen park, where a group challenged us to a match, and since then the set has lived permanently in the garden. It is the perfect garden game for four people: easy to learn, quick to set up, and just as fun on the beach as on the lawn. Here are the rules, explained so you can start playing right away.

What is spikeball?

Spikeball, officially called roundnet, is played two against two around a small trampoline-like net on the ground. The idea resembles volleyball: a team has up to three touches to play the ball down into the net, after which it is the opponents’ turn. The game was invented in the USA in the 1980s and had its big breakthrough after being relaunched in 2008. Today there are tournaments all over the world, and it also happens to be a genuinely great garden game.

Spikeball rules: how to play

• You play two against two, four players in total.
• Each team starts on its own side of the net, and everyone except the receiver stands about 180 centimetres from the net at the serve.
• After the serve, everyone can move freely all the way around the net. There are no sides in spikeball.
• Each team has at most three touches per possession, and the ball must be hit, never caught or thrown.
• The ball has to be played down into the net, so it bounces up towards the opponents, by the third touch at the latest.

The scoring

• Points are played on every ball, no matter who serves.
• You typically play to 11, 15 or 21 points. Agree in advance.
• You have to win by two points, unless you agree otherwise.
• The opponents score when the ball hits the ground, when it does not reach the net within three touches, when it hits the rim, or when it bounces straight back into the net.

The serve

• You have two serve attempts, just like in tennis. Two serving faults in a row cost the point.
• The server has to stand at least 180 centimetres from the net. The receiver chooses their own position.
• The ball has to be tossed at least 10 centimetres into the air before it is struck. You cannot hit it straight out of your hand.
• The serve has to be reachable for the receiver: not above head height, and the ball must at some point have been above knee height.

The classic arguments, and what the rules say

Most garden matches end with at least one argument, so here are the answers to the classics: Yes, you can use every part of your body, not just your hands. No, you cannot touch the net during a rally. And if the ball hits the rim, the point always goes to the opponents, except on the first serve attempt. If you want the full details before a serious tournament, the official rulebook lives at spikeball.com.

If you enjoy games and movement outdoors, chances are you are also the type who would love a long walk. Have a look at the big guide to walking the Camino, or find a shorter adventure among our hiking routes. After all, it was on a walk that we discovered spikeball ourselves.