Eton Fives

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Eton Fives, one derivative of the British game of Fives, is a hand-ball game, similar to Rugby Fives, played as doubles in a three-sided court. The object is to force the other team to fail to hit the ball 'up' off the front wall, using any variety of wall or ledge combinations as long as the ball is played 'up' before it bounces twice. The compact nature of the court and the speed at which the ball can be hit leads to an entertaining game, in which both a quick mind and agile feet are needed if you are to succeed. Eton Fives is an uncommon sport, with only a few courts, most of them as part of the facilities of the Public Schools in the United Kingdom (as well as Wolverhampton Grammar School, St Olave's and St Saviour's Grammar School, the Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe, and Queen Elizabeth's School for Boys; consequently, it is primarily the preserve of their students and alumni. The only known court to be owned by a private individual is on the Torry Hill estate in Kent.

St Olaves Grammar School, and Summerfields Prep school house the only indoor Eton Fives courts in England, with four courts being part of an Eton Fives and Squash Court complex (consisting of four top quality courts for both sports) at the former[citation needed]. However, the first real public courts have recently opened in the Westway sports centre in London's White City, marking a possible change in fortunes for Eton Fives as a minor sport. Only a few courts exist outside Britain, most notably at Geelong Grammar School in Australia (the school is often referred to as the 'Eton of Australia'); there are also courts in Geneva, Zurich, Lyceum Alpinum Zuoz, Switzerland, St. Paul's School, Darjeeling, India and Malay College Kuala Kangsar, Malaysia.

Contents

[edit] The origins

Throughout history, different races and cultures have always played some type of game where a ball is hit against a wall. This is no different with England, and Fives, as a secular inclusion of Rugby, Eton, Winchester and any other of the many types of Fives, is the same. In mediaeval times, peasants used to hit a ball against their chapel wall as a form of entertainment. The game has moved on a long way since then, but in essence it is still the same; you hit a ball against a wall. The shape of the court used now is taken from the chapel at Eton College, where A. C. Ainger and some of his friends developed a simple set of rules in 1877. The rules have been modified since that time to those seen now, but the essential components are still the same and are described below in the 'Rules' section.

[edit] The court

An Eton Fives court consists of three walls, with the left hand wall interrupted by a buttress approximately halfway up the court [1]. There are also two levels to the court, the front being around six inches higher than the back half of the playing area. On the front wall is a vertical black line about three quarters of a metre from the right wall; this is used during the serve and return process detailed later. There is a diagonal ledge that circumvents the entire 'top-step' at about chest height; it is this ledge which the ball has to hit or go above to be 'up'. Below this ledge, at knee height, is a horizontal ledge about two inches wide, and which is only present on the 'top-step'. This is merely here because of the origins of Eton Fives as the ledge is present at the chapel in Eton College. The diagonal ledge drops vertically at the edge of the 'top-step' and then returns to normal at a slightly lower height on the bottom step, running to the back of the court. At the back are brick columns that jutt out slightly into the court, which are only about an inch to two inches wide. Shots very rarely hit this part of the court, but once they do it is usually very effective for winning a point. Each of the courts at varying schools differ in some way, leaving room to modify how your school's courts are built to a certain extent. In this way the 'home team' will often have an advantage over a visiting side because of their knowledge of the court's layout.

[edit] The rules

Fives has many rules that are similar to other court type games, such as Tennis or Squash:

  1. The ball is only allowed to hit the floor once (note: it can bounce off as many ledges or hit the walls any number of times).
  2. The pair whose turn it is to hit the ball 'up' must do so without the ball hitting the ground.
  3. You can only use your gloves to return the ball, no legs, arms, wrists, feet or any other appendages can be utilised in this way (similar to tennis and squash where you can only use your racket).
  4. You can only hit the ball once before it must go up, and therefore only one member of the pair is able to hit the ball during the return of a shot (i.e., no Volley ball style 'set-ups' can be used).
  5. A pair can only score when it is their serve (like Badminton)

However, there are a large number of rules unique to the game of Eton Fives:

  1. All games are played to 12. However, if the score is 10–10, or 11–11 the game can be 'set' so that you play to a higher number.
  2. The start of a point comes from a serve, and then a shot called a 'cut' is used to try and stop the server or his/her partner being able to hit the ball back.
  3. The cut must go to the right of the black line on the front wall (note: if the ball hits the right hand wall and then hits the front wall to the left of the black line this is regarded as 'in'). If the ball goes to the left of the black line a 'Black Guard' is in effect and if the serving pair hit the ball down they do not lose the point; it is treated as a 'let'.
  4. When a pair reaches 11 points, the server must stand with at least one foot on the bottom step when they serve. From that point they cannot move until the 'cutter' has hit to ball. This is called 'step'.
  5. On 'step' the cutter can hit the ball anywhere on the front wall, it does not have to go to the right of the black line.

[edit] A point

A point operates thus: At the start of the play, the server stands between the buttress and the front wall. The receiver, known as a 'cutter', stands in the backcourt, along with the other two players (the cutter's partner stands behind him, with the server's partner in the bottom right corner). The server throws the ball high so it bounces off the front and right wall, landing after the step and roughly in the middle of the court (note: different players like the ball to bounce at different points in order to get varying types of spin on their 'cuts'). There are no rules about the serve but as a cutter can reject any serve, there is little benefit in giving him a serve which can not be easily hit. The cutter will then smash the ball overarm so that it is 'up', usually into the corner, so that the ball hits the right then the front wall and goes straight back at the server. The best way to follow up this 'cut' is to follow the ball in and stand on the step, ready for a volley if the server returns it high. From here the cutter and the server will try to volley the ball, while the other two players will sweep up anything that they miss. This continues until the ball is either hit 'down' or out of the court.

[edit] Competitions

There are now a huge number of Championships and tournaments that take place at various times throughout the fives season.

The Kinnaird Cup is an open tournament for men of any age. Over the years it has become more and more competitive, and is now the most sought after trophy of them all. Other Men's tournaments include the Northern Championships and the Eton Fives Association (EFA) Trophy, where teams of 6 players (3 pairs) compete against one another in one-set matches. This year (2007) was the first year that the EFA Trophy was won by a school team (from St. Olaves Grammar School).

The Schools National Championships are the highlight of the season for school players across the country. The location of the championships changes every year between Highgate School, Eton College and Shrewsbury School. There are championships for every age group, ranging from the Under 10s to the Open (Under 18s). Within these championships are the Main Tournament, Plate A, Plate B and as many plates as possible until everyone has played as much Fives as they want.

Among those to have succeeded in recent years are the notorious Wiseman brothers, Matthew (Matt) and Howard. Matthew currently teaches at Westminster School.

[edit] Modern Fives

Fives is a sport that has become evermore popular amongst juniors and seniors, with a wide range a recreational, ladder and national tournaments to keep players occupied. The enthuiasm of top players like Matt Wiseman and Howard Wiseman is passed on throughout the teaching and hopefully a new generation of talent is on the brink.

Also notable to the achievement of Fives today is the growing involvement by women. The relatively new women's fives league has started up with the addition of an annual nationals and many ladder competitions — female or mixed.

[edit] Successful players

Some successful players include:

  • Brian Matthews (Citizen), Kinnaird Cup 1981-90, Keeling Cup 93-97, Northern 1982, 86
  • John Reynolds (Citizen), Kinnaird Cup 1981-91, Northern 1982, 84, 88, 91, 98, 99
  • Dennis Firth (Berkhamstedian), Kinnaird Cup 1974,76-77, 79-80
  • Tony Hughes (Edwardian), Kinnaird Cup 1958, 63, 65-68, 71, 73, 75
  • Alastair Campbell (Edwardian), Kinnaird Cup 1958, 65-68, 71, 73, 75
  • Robin Mason (Edwardian), Kinnaird Cup 1993-95, 98-99, 2002-04, Keeling Cup 2000, Northern 1988, 92, 94, 95, 97, 02, 04

Some current successful players include:

  • Tom Dunbar (Harrovian), Kinnaird Cup 2002-04, 06-07, Keeling Cup 2005, 07
  • James Toop (Olavian), Kinnaird Cup 2000, 05, Rugby Fives National Singles Champion 2005, City Fives Champion 2007

Note: The Keeling Cup was introduced in 1993; the Northern in 1982.

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