As a beginner, you’ll want to start with a squash ball that has a single yellow dot, or even a blue or red dot if you can find them—these are the bounciest and most beginner-friendly. These balls bounce higher, so you won’t have to run as much, making it easier to get a rally going. A rally is when you and your opponent hit the ball back and forth a few times. As you improve and develop more speed and power, you can progress to using double dot balls, which are slower and require more skill.

Here’s a pro tip: just like you need to warm up before a match, you also need to ‘warm up’ the squash ball. This means hitting it hard against the wall several times until it’s nice and bouncy. Alternatively, you can roll the ball under your shoe against the floor to warm it up quickly. A cold squash ball won’t bounce properly, making the game much more challenging.

Knowing a few basic rules will go a long way, and the beauty of squash is its simplicity compared to other sports with complicated rules. Here’s the gist: You win a point if your opponent can’t reach your shot in time and the ball bounces twice or they hit it below the tin line or out. Remember, the ball can only bounce once before it must be returned. If your opponent does manage to return your shot successfully, the rally continues, and it’s their turn to serve until one of you fails to make a good return.

Here’s a tip: The first player to reach 11 points wins the ‘game,’ similar to a set in tennis. However, if the score reaches 10-10, you keep playing until someone gets ahead by two points. The first to win three games takes the match.