Rules

Can I return a serve using one hit?

To return the ball in one hit, the ball must fall below the height of the net, and the arms of the returning player may not reach higher than the top of the net.

Does the block count as a touch?

If only one team is involved in the block, it counts as one touch, but a person who was blocking can perform the next (second) touch.

If both teams are in contact with the ball while it is above the net (i.e. in both teams' playing field), then the team whose side the ball falls on has three touches remaining. If the ball falls out, the team whose side it fell on win the point.

What are the rules for rotations of players?

Simply put, whenever a team wins back the serve, a player must exit and another enter. The players who enter must follow the same cyclical order throughout the set. In the same way, the player who serves on each team must rotate in order.

Are there any determined positions on the court?

There are no determined positions on the court. As long as the correct four players are present on their field, they may place themselves how they like before and during the point. (However, when serving, players cannot deliberately prevent their opponent, through individual or collective screening, from seeing the server and the flight path of the ball.)

At what height should the net be set?

The net should be set at the height for mixed beach volleyball. Of the three possible heights, it is the middle one.

Points

• • Matches are played as best of three sets.

  • To win a set, a team needs 21 points, with a lead of at least 2 points. This includes the 3rd set. If the score reaches 20-20 in a set, teams keep playing until the score 22-20, or 23-21, or 24-22... is reached.

  • The first team to win 2 sets wins the match. After a 2-0 victory, the teams may play a third set, if time allows, but it is optional and the final score is still 2-0.

Players and Rotations

• • Each team plays with 4 players on the court at any given time.

  • A team's line-up for a match is all of the players of the team that wish to represent the team for that match.

  • A team's line-up must contain between 4 and 9 players, and follow the mixed gender line-up rule: all players of the line-up cannot be of the same gender. Otherwise, the line-up is considered incomplete.

  • Matches cannot be played while a team's line-up is incomplete.

  • Player Substitution Rule: If a team's line-up has 5 or more players, then they should perform fair substitutions of all players throughout the set. That is, whenever the team wins back the serve, a player should exit the field and another player from the line-up enter, following the same cyclical order throughout the set. For it to be fair, a player who exits may not reenter until all the players who were already out have also reentered. For example, if a team of 7 players starts a set with players 1 to 4, then when they win back the serve, player 5 should replace player 1, then next time 6 replaces 2, 7 replaces 3, 1 replaces 4, etc...

  • Service Order Rule: Whenever a team wins back the serve, they should change server, cycling through all of the players of the team in turn, and in the same order for the whole set.

  • In summary, as long as your team keeps winning points, your players on the court don't change and your server remains the same person. Service then goes to the opposing team when a point is lost. When a point is won again, you should change server, and perform a substitution if 5 or more players are in the line-up. Service order and substitution order (of all players) should be maintained throughout the set.

Classification

Teams are awarded points according to the scores in sets of each of their matches. If the score is 2-0, 3 points are awarded to the winning team and 0 for the losing one. If the score is 2-1, it is 2 points for the winner, 1 for the loser. Any additional set played after a team has reached 2 sets does NOT count.

Teams are deducted points as penalisation when applicable, as described below.

The classification of teams is done according to total number of points. Ties are resolved by comparing the ratio of sets won (Won : Lost) and then by looking at the result of the match between both teams.

The Classification is regularly updated on this page, and any mistake should be reported to the organisation committee.

Penalties

• • Outside of exceptional circumstances, to postpone a match, 48h advance notice to the other team and the BV-DTIC committee is required. Last-minute notice will be penalized with MINUS 1 point (Exceptions: RAIN and EXTREME WIND).

  • Matches cannot be played while a team's line-up is incomplete: they must have at least four players, and respect the mixed-gender line-up rule.

  • Teams that are over 15 minutes late without communicating with the appropriate captain will be penalised MINUS 1 point.

  • Outside of exceptional circumstances, if a team is absent or if their line-up is incomplete (not enough players or not abiding by the mixed-gender line-up rule) more than 30 minutes after the scheduled time: MINUS 2 points for the absent team + the match will be considered lost 2-0 unless the opposing team agrees on rescheduling (we rely on fair play).

  • Games played with incomplete line-ups or without proper approval from BV-DTIC committee count as not played and score 0 points. 

  • The teams in charge of the net will be penalized 1 point for losing any piece from the net kit. 

  • Teams that have non-registered players will be penalized. If these players are externals, the team will be EXPELLED from the tournament. No excuse will be accepted.

We follow the official rules of 4v4 Beach Volleyball, as determined by the FIVB.

We propose a summary of the main rules here, but we recommend that you join us during the Warm Up Days (Tuesday 1st April and Thursday 3rd April) and the Opening Day (Saturday 5th April) to learn the rules on the court.

Please bear in mind that these rules should be applied with common sense. Remember we are not professional players and the most important thing is to enjoy the game.

Start of a match

The net should be set at the height for mixed beach volleyball. Of the three possible heights, it is the middle one.

Before starting the match, captains agree on which team starts serving and which side each team starts playing on. We suggest playing a free ball that has at least 4 touches. 

Captains also agree on the system of switching sides during the match. We suggest swapping every 7 points within each set (especially in cases of wind or sun that may advantage one side), or swapping between the first and second set and then every 7 points during the third set if it should be played. 

Positions

• Players should follow the Player Substitution Rule and the Service Order Rule, as detailed in the General Match Rules section above.

• The players are free to position themselves, be it at the start of the point or during. There are NO determined positions on the court; only which players are on the court and who serves is determined for each point.  (We recommend rotating so that everyone can play every position)

Serve

• The game starts when the ball is hit for the service.

• In a service the ball should be hit with one hand or arm.

• The service should be realised from outside the playing field, at the back, and without stepping on the field line. The server may move freely within the service zone. After serving, the server may step or fall inside the field.

• The game starts once the ball is thrown in the air, therefore it is considered fault (and the point is assigned to the opponent team) if the server throws the ball and catches it again.

• Service order should be maintained throughout the set.

• The players of the serving team must not prevent their opponent, through individual or collective screening, from seeing the server and the flight path of the ball.

Returning the serve

• The serve may always be returned using two or three hits.

• The serve may not be returned directly using an attack hit when the ball is entirely higher than the top of the net.

• To block an opponent's service is also forbidden and considered a fault. This means that a player's arms cannot be placed by the net to return the ball directly when a part of their body is above the top of the net.

• In summary, to return the ball in one hit, the ball must fall below the height of the net, and the arms of the returning player may not reach higher than the top of the net.

Hitting the ball

• The ball can hit any part of the body.

• The ball cannot be retained and/or thrown, it must be hit, otherwise it is considered a fault.

• It is considered fault when a player hits the ball two consecutive times, including when the ball touches the net in between the two touches. A player may however perform a block and then be the next player to hit the ball if it falls to their side of the net.

• A team can touch the ball for a maximum of 3 times. It is considered fault to touch the ball more than 3 times and the point will be assigned to the opponent team.

• When the ball hits the ground it is considered inside if it hits the field, including the lines. The game should be stopped and the serve repeated in the case of external interference.

Game at the net

• The ball can touch the net while crossing fields. A ball that touches, hits, or bounces against the net during the play can be still saved within the 3 touches permitted to a team.

• It is not allowed to touch or hold the net with any part of the body in a way that clearly interferes with gameplay or visibly moves the top of the net.

• It is not considered fault when the ball is thrown to the net and the latter touches an opponent as a consequence.

• It is permitted to partly enter the opposite field from below the net during your play whenever this does not interfere with the opponents' game (be VERY careful when doing so because it is very easy to get injured!).

Block

• Blocking is the action of players close to the net to intercept the ball coming from the opponent by reaching higher than the top of the net, regardless of the height of the ball contact. At the moment of the contact with the ball, a part of the body must be higher than the top of the net.

• A block may be performed by one or several players, as long as the contacts are consecutive and made during one action. In this case it counts as a single touch (outside of a block it would count as several touches).

• During a block, the blocker can touch the ball in the opponent's space whenever this does not interfere with the opponents' game before or during the attack hit. Therefore it is not permitted to touch the ball in the opponent's space before the opponent has completed their attack.

• Blocking the setter is considered fault. That is to say, touching the ball while it in the opponent's space is not allowed if they have a touch left and they are not attacking.

• A block counts as one touch (even if performed by several players), whenever the opponent is not also touching the ball. After a block, if the ball falls to their side of the net, the team therefore has two remaining touches, but any team member may hit the ball next, therefore the blocker can touch the ball again after the block.

• When two opponents touch the ball simultaneously over the net and the ball remains in play, the team receiving the ball is entitled to another three touches. If such a ball goes ”out”, it is the fault of the team on the opposite side.

• It is forbidden to block the opponent's service.