Jonah Barrington's Squash manual

Jonah Barrington's Squash

INTRODUCTION

"New Generation have produced a computer game so close to the real thing that it is not only great fun to play but will also teach players at all levels to improve their game."
(c) 1985 New Generation Software

Playing Instructions

Jonah Barrington's Squash can be played with either one or two players. If the one player option is selected your opponent will be the computer.
Alternatively a demonstration of play at any level of difficulty can be obtained by selecting the computer option for both players.
There are four levels of difficulty, corresponding to the ball spot colours in squash from RED (easy) to Yellow (difficult). To select level of difficulty press corresponding colour key.
Follow on-screen instructions to select required control keys.
If you have a joystick connected select directions of movement by moving your joystick. Introducing this system of control will enable you to play the game with almost every joystick at present available. If you wish to have a two player game, but have only one joystick, one or both of the players may select the keyboard controls.
Your player will move to the left, right, forwards or backwards by pressing the Defined key. Depressing the fire button will enable your player to make a forehand or backhand stroke, depending on the position of the ball when the button is pressed. By timing the pressing of the fire button you can alter the angle at which the ball leaves the racquet. There are six different angles at your disposal. The timing of the swing will also alter the speed at which the ball leaves the racquet.
When you are playing the computer, and it is the computer's serve, press the fire button. You cannot however affect the serve in the same way as your own, by varying the length of the time you hold down the fire button.

Name

To enter your name, press up or down key until letter is reached and then the fire button. Up to eight letters may be entered. Move to the end of the space allowed and press fire button to enter game. If two player option selected repeat as above for second player.

Rules

The rules of Jonah Barrington's Squash follow the international Squash Racquets Federation rules as far as the computer will allow. There now follows a summary of the rules of Squash, highlighting any differences that may occur in Jonah Barrington's Squash:

Board (Tin)
The area below the bottom line on the front wall of the court. Made of a different material which gives a different sound to the rest of the court.
A different sound will be heard from the computer when the ball strikes the board.

Cut Line
The Centre line on the front wall, six feet from the floor of the court.

Short Line
The line on the floor parallel to the front wall and 18ft. from it.

Half-Court Line
The line on the floor parallel to the side walls, which divides the back half of the court into two equal parts, called the right half court and left half court.

Service Box
A squash area within each half court, from within which hand-in serves.

Out of Court
The ball is out of court when it strikes the front, back or side walls above the top line of the ceiling. In the computer game the line on the back wall is not shown.

Hand-In
The player who serves.

Hand-Out
The player who receives the serve.

The expression used to indicate that a ball has not been returned above the board (tin).

Game/Match Ball
An expression used when the server is within one point of winning the game/match.

Scoring

A match consists of the best of three or five games, although a one game option is included in the computer game. Each game consists of 9 points and the player who first reaches 9 points is the winner except that if the score should reach 8-all hand-out may, if he chooses, sat the game to 2, in which case the first player to score two further points wins.
In the computer game, if the score reaches 8-all, it will automatically continue until one player reaches 10 points. Points can only be scored by hand-in. When hand-in wins a stroke he scores a point. When hand-out wins a stroke he becomes hand-in.

Serving

The right to serve is decided by the spin of a racquet. In the computer game player 2 initially serves first. The server continues to serve until he loses a stroke, when his opponent becomes the server, and so on throughout the match.
Before being struck, the ball is thrown into the air and must not touch the floor or wall. The ball is struck onto the front wall in the area above the cut line and below the top line, so that it would fall on the floor in the half court opposite the server, unless volleyed. If these conditions are not met a fault is called, and the server makes a second attempt. If his second attempt fails a double fault is called and service passes to his opponent.
If the server fails to hit the ball on service a double fault is also called and service passes to his opponent.
The service receiver (hand-out) may attempt to return a fault serve and if he does so the service shall then be good.
At the beginning of each game and of each hand, the server may serve from either box, but after scoring a point he serves from the other and so on throughout the game. No choice is given in the computer game and all initial serves are taken from the right half court. In practice if the service receiver volley's the service before it crosses the short line a markers warning would be given and could lead to disqualification. In the computer game a let is called.

Let

A let is an undecided stroke and the service or rally in which a let is called shall not count.

The Play

After a good service has been delivered the players return the ball alternately until one or the other fails to make a good return.

A Good Return

A return is good if the striker, before the ball bounces twice on the floor, returns the ball onto the front wall above the board and in play without allowing the ball to touch the floor after striking it and before reaching the front wall.

Stroke

A player wins a stroke if the rules regarding service (see above) are not complied with by his opponent or if his opponent fails to make a good return of the ball.

Obstruction

The rules of the International Squash Racquets Federation are complicated and rely totally on descretion and opinion of the referee. Basically after making a stroke a player must get out of his opponents way as much as possible. If a player, in the referees opinion, has not made every effort to do this the referee will stop play and award a stroke to his opponent.
The computer game, in the absence of a referee, allows a let to be played if a collision occurs between the players, so long as the receiver is attempting to play a shot.

General

If the striker fails at his first attempt to hit the ball in play he may make further attempts provided the ball is still in play.
Clothing should be white. Out of necessity both players are dressed in black in the computer game. Player No. 2 being distinguished by a white stripe across his shirt and down the side of his shorts.