“What about the theatre?!”
​
RallyX! terminology
Each of the scenarios described below must be used at least once in any session of Fast 5!
The Gaz shot &
“It was there to hit”
Occasionally, a player will attempt an aggressive winning shot too soon - well before the rally has reached the scoring stage. That shot is called a Gaz and it cannot produce a score for either side.
Hitting a Gaz often draws a sarcastic comment from the bemused opponent or those watching - and justifiably so, because it was never going to be a scoring shot.
After being accused of hitting a Gaz, the offending player might concede they went for a big shot prematurely, but that they could not resist the temptation, claiming: “It was there to hit.”
Borderline Yes & Borderline No (Not quite)
If the Garage rules you play by do not stipulate a set number of shots before a rally can be officially scored, it is done subjectively. Some rallies will obviously count because of the large number of shots that have been played, but others are not so obvious. A player who thinks they have won a rally that might not be immediately recognisable as a scoring one will look appealingly at the umpire who will shake their head and reply “Borderline No” or “Not quite”.
The umpire might alternatively judge that the rally has just qualified as a scoring one, and thereby rule “Borderline Yes”.
These close calls can create some angst in the player on the losing end of the decision, and they will express their opinion accordingly. This is part of the banter that goes with the game.
“What about the theatre?!”
If a rally gets lively and interesting straight away - perhaps involving delicate defensive returns from successive net cords, for example - such a rally might normally be considered too short for a point to be awarded. In some instances, however, a point is awarded because of the interesting spectacle – the theatre – that the rally provides.
A player will complain about a short but interesting point being disallowed: "What about the theatre?!”
“It only takes one shot!”
​​When a player is down 3-4 in a game of Fast 5! (or 1-2 down in Long 3), they are wont to remind their opponent that they too can win the game in the next scoring rally (by hitting a two-point clean winner): "It only takes one shot."
In Fast 3!, of course, a clean winner immediately wins the game, as does the winner of any rally involving a Tonnay (a shot which accidentally hits a wall or the ceiling before landing on the opponent’s side of the table).
Weight of numbers
Frustrated by an opponent who continually makes an unforced error shortly before a rally becomes live, a player might call out “Weight of numbers!”, thereby suggesting that the next borderline rally ought to be decided in their favour.
The Tonnay
A Tonnay occurs when an edged or otherwise mishit ball rebounds off a wall, ceiling or some object and then lands on the opponent’s side of the court. In such instances, the ball is in play and the winner of the ensuing rally automatically wins the game, no matter what the score is at the time.
The Tonnay is named after the person who first introduced us to this local rule.
The Leveller
​​A player who feels they have been short-changed by one or more Borderline No rallies is often inclined to protest when the opponent tries to claim a similar rally. “Leveller!” is the cry, signalling that the close calls on both sides cancel each other out and there should be no score awarded.
“Don’t be the one”
Sometimes there is a period when one or both players are making early unforced errors, thus preventing a scoring rally from occurring. In such cases there is often a call of encouragement from a player or the umpire/onlooker: “Don’t be the one” (to make a mistake).
“Save those”
Occasionally, a player’s ball will touch the edge of their opponent’s side of the table and result in an unplayable shot. If the opponent cannot get a racquet to such a ball, the stroke would be worth two points (or a game-winning point depending on the type of game being played) if a scoring rally is in progress. However, this often happens when it is too early in the rally to score, in which case the call is “Save those!” - in other words, keep that shot in the locker until it really counts.
The Bermuda
Occasionally a player will be in reasonable position to make a return but will somehow contrive to miss the ball completely. In other words, they have an air swing, as if the ball had magically disappeared. In RallyX! this is known as a Bermuda, obviously named after the Bermuda Triangle, a mythical area in the Atlantic Ocean where ships and planes have vanished without trace.
“Too good too early”
Sometimes a player will play an elegant winning shot that is just a tad too early to count towards a winning rally.
A respectful player on the receiving end of such a shot might concede they were outplayed, and generously declare: “Too good too early”.
Free hit
As a rally progresses it will get to the stage when it is on the verge of a scoring rally. An aggressive player might then take advantage of a weak return by attempting to smash a winner. If it is successful they will try to claim the point, if it is not the player will not concede the point, claiming that the rally was only “live” if the ball landed in, that the attempted winner was a free hit.
The early crow
There are times when a player hits what they immediately think is a winning stroke and makes celebratory noises to that effect. Every so often, however, the opponent manages to get a racquet on the ball and makes (or nearly brings off) an unlikely return, which often catches out the attacking player who has gone the early crow.
"Sorry" ... "What, for losing the point?!"
Oftentimes a player will quickly apologise for making an unforced error in a rally that is building up nicely. The opponent, however, might consider that the rally was borderline, and sarcastically reply: “What, for losing the point?!”
“It takes two to tango”
When a player expresses disappointment after losing a long, hard-fought rally (their opponent still fist-pumping in celebration), the resting player might offer a consoling comment in appreciation of the rally: “It takes two to tango.”
Players who consider they have dominated a game but somehow lose thanks to a lucky shot or two by the opponent will often console themselves at the end of the game with this sarcastic comment: “Sometimes the better player loses.”
“Not even a normal point!”
According to the rules of RallyX! a rally that decides a game needs to be at a higher level than a normal scoring point. If the scores are tied at 4-all in Fast 5! or 2-all in Long 3 or Fast 3!, the rally needs to be at a higher level again. In such a situation, a player who claims a game-winning point might be met with a dismissive response from the opponent: “That’s not even a normal point.”
"Siddown!"
Fast3! is the final and certainly the most hotly-contested session of the night, and it can produce some loud and dramatic ejaculations, the most notable of which is “Siddown!”
A player who comes to the table and who is immediately the victim of a clean winner is inevitably subjected to this humiliating putdown.
Tone of voice employed to influence score
When a player somewhat optimistically thinks they have won a point, they might promptly claim the point by saying, for example: “Two, one”. This is deliberately said in a matter-of-fact tone of voice, and is usually a ploy to extract an undeserved point from their opponent. It is invariably disputed in a vigorous and/or derisory manner.
Your turn . . .
If your garage mob has a recurring and interesting scenario that is not covered by any of the above, by all means let us know about it. If we think it can be used to advantage, we will consider including it in this Terminology page.
