Set & Match
Set & Match Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Object of the Game
With flicks, sliding the ball across the court, players compete to win rallies, then games, then sets, in order to win the match.
Each player sits at the (short) end of the court and is assigned one half of the court on their side of the net (their side). A player may only flick from their own side towards the opponent's side, sending the ball beyond the net and within the limits of the court. The players contest the rally stroke after stroke, accumulating stroke points on the in-rally scorer, which represents the advantage within the rally. The player who accumulates enough of a stroke-point differential to reach the POINT! space wins the rally.
Any direct fault (see next section) ends the rally and gives the rally to the opponent. Each rally won is added to the game scorer. Points are counted as in tennis on the game scorer.
See FIGURE J.
The Flick (La Pichenette)
The flick is a sharp, instantaneous stroke between a finger and the ball pawn, with the aim of propelling the pawn in a chosen direction and over a chosen distance. You may use any finger, but one finger only. Any prolonged contact with the BALL cannot be considered a flick.
Set-Up
Set the board up on a flat, smooth surface: the join in the middle (on the net) must be aligned so that the ball slides from one side to the other.
Place the pawns on the board as shown in figure A.
See FIGURE A.
Components
| Quantity | Component |
|---|---|
| x2 | BALL PAWNS |
| x6 | GAME SCORER PAWNS |
| x1 | IN-RALLY MARKER PAWN (in-rally scorer pawn) |
| x1 | BOARD |
BALL PAWNS — A coloured disc with a central bearing dot. Stick the supplied self-adhesive felt disc on the unprinted face of the ball to slow the BALL down slightly. (No felt on the MAXI version.)
GAME SCORER PAWNS — To be used on the game scorer; they permanently show the number of POINTS / GAMES / SETS won by each player. (These pawns are triangular in the MAXI version.)
IN-RALLY MARKER PAWN — Shared by both players, to be used on the in-rally scorer to follow the differential of "stroke points" within the rally. Each player pushes it towards the opponent's side after each stroke, according to the stroke points awarded to each flick, in order to reach the "POINT" space in the opponent's side.
BOARD — The board represents a tennis court. The net is materialised by the net line. The wider lines are the tennis court lines; the finer lines are the zone lines, specific to SET&MATCH.
See FIGURE B.
Simplified rules note (printed on the set-up page): "I don't know tennis, I don't know how to count points like in tennis... and it all seems a bit complex to me... See the simplified rules at the end of these rules, on page 4!"
Playing a Rally
As in tennis, you serve to start the rally, and you play by flicking within the rally, recording the stroke points (noted "PC" in these rules; the VISUAL AID plates call them "PTS") on the in-rally scorer. The rally ends either with a winning shot or with a fault. Once the rally is over, the winner records the point on the game scorer.
The Serve
See FIGURE C.
The rally begins with a serve, and ends with a winning shot or a fault. As in tennis, players serve for a whole GAME (or alternate 2 serves in the simplified rules), and serve once into the right service box, then into the left one. As for any stroke, stroke points are awarded to the serve, according to the zone in which the stroke landed inside the box.
Beginner Level (Niveau Découverte)
The player has two attempts. If on the second serve the ball still does not land in the service box, place the ball on the "0" figure in the service box concerned: the rally may start.
Confirmed Level (Niveau Confirmé)
The player has two serves. If at the end of the second serve the ball still does not land in the service box: double fault, the rally is lost.
Advanced Rule — First Serve
In real tennis, the first serve is always hit harder. The server is therefore given a +1PT bonus on the number of point(s) won by the STROKE on the first serve. NB: If the ball lands in the 2PTS zone on the first serve, the player advances the pawn directly into the "POINT!" space of the in-rally marker, but the rally continues, with increased pressure on the opposing player's return (if the return lands in the "0" zone: rally won by the server).
Ace
See FIGURE C.
The serve counts as an ACE (a winning serve) if the BALL touches any part of the ACE ZONE (see figure B). The point is immediate: record the score on the game scorer, then start the next rally.
Note that the outer contour of the ball pawn is used to determine whether the serve is an ace, and not the central dot (see diagram below).
The publisher's own English wording of this rule: "A serve is considered an ACE (a winning serve) when any part of the ball pawn is on one of the ace triangles in the service box the player was aiming at. We use the outer envelope of the ball to define this. Note that the service box lines around the ACE are also part of the ACE zones."
Advanced Rule — Ace on a Second Serve
Scoring an ACE on a second serve does not give the point directly, since second serves in tennis are hit less hard. The player places the pawn in the "POINT!" space of the in-rally marker, but the rally continues, with increased pressure on the opposing player's return (if the return lands in the "0" zone: rally won by the server).
The In-Rally Scorer
After each flick, the players identify the value of the stroke thanks to the bearing mark (black dot) at the centre of the ball. The stroke points are recorded on the in-rally scorer by the player who has just played. That player then pushes the scorer pawn towards the opponent by the number of points collected by their stroke.
When one of the players manages to place the pawn on the "POINT" space, it is a winning shot (see opposite).
The Game Scorer
See FIGURE F.
This is the diagram that offers the "POINTS", "GAMES" and "SETS". Each player has their own scorer. When a rally is concluded, the player who won the rally adds one unit on the game scorer by moving the pawn from "0" to "15" (or from "15" to "30", etc.).
As in tennis, the first of the players to go past "40" wins the game (except in the case of a tie at 40-40, see the "ADVANTAGE" rule).
The first of the two players to win 3 games wins a SET.
The counter on the right, graduated from 1 to 12, is to be used with the simplified rules.
Advanced Rule — Advantage (AD)
When the players find themselves at 40-40 in the scoring of a GAME, the next rally won gives the ADVANTAGE to that player. Two situations then follow:
- they win the rally again and they win the GAME,
- or they lose the rally and they go back down to 40-40 (tie).
In the Rally... (Basic Rules)
See FIGURE D.
Every stroke considered good (within the limits of the court, and beyond the net) earns a number of stroke points determined by the ball's landing position in the point zones. As in tennis, the place where the ball "lands" is crucial in SET&MATCH; here are the rules that allow every stroke to be refereed.
The publisher's own English wording: "Just like at tennis, the zone of the court where the ball 'lands' after each stroke is crucial at SET&MATCH. Here are the rules that help establishing each stroke's value or consequences. These rules are shaped around the shape of the ball (its actual shape contour), and the black dot in its centre. Note that refereeing the ball's landing position will sometimes require for players to get a birds-eye, elevated view of the board."
IMPORTANT: WE MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE SHAPE OF THE BALL PAWN (its outer envelope) AND THE CENTRAL BLACK DOT ON THE BALL PAWN.
- 1 — Centre black dot bearing (point / central bearing mark of the ball pawn).
- 2 — External envelope / shape of the ball pawn.
WITHIN THE RALLY, AFTER THE SERVE, THE BALL IS PLAYED FROM WHERE THE LAST OPPONENT STROKE PLACED IT.
Is the Ball Good or a Fault? (In or Out?)
See FIGURE D1.
It is good if the bearing mark of the ball pawn (the central black dot) has passed the net. The outer envelope of the ball pawn is in the court or in contact with one of the lines that limit the court. (See the FAULT section below.)
In the example: my opponent's stroke has passed the net and has landed within the limits of the court: the ball is good.
The publisher's own English wording: "A stroke is considered 'IN' if it lands inside the playing area. If any part of the shape of the ball is on top of a bounds line, in any proportion, we consider the stroke 'IN' and the rally can carry on. This also applies to how one assesses the position of the ball on a serve attempt, using the lines of the service box."
How Many Stroke Points?
See FIGURE D2.
The central bearing mark on the ball indicates in which point zone the ball has landed, and how many points are recorded on the in-rally scorer. In case of doubt, always give the higher number of stroke points. On every stroke (even on the serve) the in-rally scorer must therefore be updated, and returned to its neutral position at the end of each rally. If the central mark is outside the court, but the ball is 'good', extend the nearest zone lines to determine the number of points.
In the example: the stroke is worth 2 points, as the top-down view of the board shows, where the central mark is clearly in a "2" zone.
The publisher's own English wording: "The value of a stroke is defined by the area where the ball stops after a stroke from a player. We attribute PTS to a stroke by looking at which zone the black dot in the middle of the ball is on top of, using a birds eye view. When in doubt between two zones if the black dot is right in the middle of two zones, we will always give the higher value of PTS of the two zones."
Interesting cases (from the VISUAL AID):
- If the ball is good, but lands in a place where the black dot is outside the court, we count the stroke points from the nearest point zone.
- When aiming for the serve box, the serve can be good, even if the black dot is outside of the serve box. We count the stroke points from the nearest point zone.
Counting the Stroke Points on the In-Rally Scorer
See FIGURE D3.
After each flick, the players identify the number of stroke points thanks to the bearing mark (black dot) at the centre of the ball. The stroke points are recorded on the in-rally scorer by the player who has just played: they push the scorer pawn towards the opponent by the number of points collected.
If a player manages to push the pawn onto the "POINT!" space in the opponent's side: it is a winning shot, which ends this rally and gives them the point.
In the example: my opponent pushes the pawn two points towards me on the scale of the in-rally scorer.
End of the Rally
A rally can end in two ways: by a winning shot or a direct fault. Any ball which does not pass the net line, lands completely outside the limits, or is badly flicked constitutes a direct fault and gives the point to the opponent. As in tennis, any ball (the outer envelope of the ball) which touches the line, even very slightly, is good.
Winning Shot...
See FIGURE E.
During the rally, on a return of the ball, if one of the players wins enough stroke points to reach the "POINT" zone on the marker, then they conclude the rally with a WINNING SHOT.
Figure E example: in this example, player A gets 2 stroke points thanks to their stroke, increasing his advantage in the rally from +1 to "POINT!" (+3) in the rally scorer. It's a winning shot.
Direct Fault!
See FIGURE H.
One of the players commits a direct fault (OUT OF BOUNDS or NET). Record the points on the game scorer.
Net Faults ("Let")
See FIGURE H.
When any part of the ball is in contact with the net, apply the logic below:
CASE 1 — The ball, and its central dot, does not cross the net line: FAULT!
CASE 2 — The ball does not cross the net line, the central dot is on the line... FAULT!
CASE 3 — The ball does not cross the net line entirely, but the central dot has passed the line... LET!
The publisher's own English wording of this section ("LET OR FAULT?"):
"Anytime the ball is in contact with the net (the central line in the middle of the court), players must consider the following:
-
If the ball shape is in contact with the net and the black point has not crossed the line, the ball is in the net, it's a FAULT.
-
If the ball shape is in contact with the net and the black point is on the net line, the ball is in the net, it's a FAULT.
-
If the ball shape is in contact with the net and the black point has passed the net line, then the ball has touched the net, but landed in the opponent's side. The stroke is good, the rally continues, and points are attributed as per normal, with a 'NET' bonus as explained on page 4. Note that old versions of the board still feature a gap between the point zones and the net line: do extend the point zones to the net lines to attribute points in this instance.
3B) If — ON THE SERVE — the ball shape is in contact with the net and the black point has passed the net line, then we imagine the ball has touched the net, but landed in the opponent's side. As per tennis rules, this is a NET and the Serve must be repeated without losing an attempt."
Tie Break
The Tie Break is optional in SET&MATCH, in the case of a tie at two games all.
Players who have decided to play the Tie break at 2 games all will play that Tie Break according to the rules of tennis, but to 5 POINTS instead of 7.
Playing Doubles
See FIGURE I.
In doubles, you play within the limits of the court below, extending the point zones to the doubles alleys.
Extending the Point Zones
To play doubles, as in tennis you will use the doubles alleys, and you will extend the point zones to the doubles alleys.
Order of Turns (Serve Orders)
You will play in alternation as shown in figure I. When playing seated around a table, you can add the constraint of not leaving your seat.
Serve order shown on figure I: A1 > B1, B1 > A2, A2 > B2, B2 > A1, etc.
The Bonuses
See FIGURE G.
SET&MATCH offers two types of bonus strokes to add to any stroke: the "CROSS-COURT" bonus and the "DROPSHOT BONUS". The bonuses can be cumulated, as in the 4PTS stroke example on the right.
Board zones involved (labelled on the board and on figure G):
- CROSS-COURT BONUS ZONES (zones de coup croisé) — the two opposite corner zones.
- BACKCOURT BONUS ZONE (zone de fond de court) — the strip at the back of each side.
- DROPSHOT BONUS ZONE (zone d'amorti) — the strip nearest the net on each side.
Cross-Court Bonus
When a ball leaves the CROSS-COURT zone and reaches the opposite CROSS-COURT zone, that stroke earns one extra stroke point on the in-rally marker.
Dropshot Bonus
In the same way, a stroke that leaves the BACKCOURT ZONE and lands in the DROPSHOT ZONE earns its author one extra stroke point: that is a DROPSHOT (AMORTI).
WARNING: a "NET" on this DROPSHOT stroke brings its author an additional +1pt. Apologising is still fair play...
Cumulating Bonuses
The bonuses can be cumulated. In the example the stroke earns its author 4PTS: the stroke lands in a 2PTS zone, to which you must add "+1PT" of CROSS-COURT bonus, and "+1PT" of DROPSHOT bonus.
Simplified Rules
For the youngest players, or to make games faster, here is a simplified version of SET&MATCH...
It uses the same components, and lets everyone enjoy the game, whether they are familiar with tennis or not.
THE OBJECTIVE IS TO REACH THE VERY TOP OF THE SCORE SCALE. THAT CORRESPONDS TO A GAME TO 12PTS (WITHOUT GOING THROUGH THE COMPLEX PTS/GM/SET ACCOUNTING OF TENNIS).
What Does Not Change
- You set up in the same way.
- You play within the limits of the court.
- You play singles or doubles.
- You count the points within the rally.
What Changes
- The objective is to reach the very top of the score scale: 12pts.
- You count the points from 1 to 12pts (Ping Pong style) using the game scorer with its simplified scale.
- The players serve two rallies in a row (with two attempts per serve), before changing server. You change at every even result on the scorer (e.g. 2-0, 1-1, 5-3, etc.).
- Serving into the service boxes is optional.
- Counting ACEs is optional.
- The bonuses are optional.
For Children
- Serving into the service boxes is optional.
- Counting ACEs is optional.
- The bonuses are optional.
Simplified Scorer
1 score pawn per player. In the example on the board, the player has 7pts.
Visual Aid — Figures A to J
The centre of the booklet holds the diagram plates, in English, to be unstapled from the booklet ("UNSTAPLE THIS VISUAL AID").
| Figure | Content |
|---|---|
| A | SET-UP |
| B | Board anatomy: POINT ZONES, ZONE LINES, COURT LINES, NET, ACE ZONES, SERVE BOX, BOUNDS (SINGLES), DROPSHOT BONUS ZONE, BACKCOURT BONUS ZONE, CROSS-COURT BONUS ZONES, BALL PAWN, IN-RALLY SCORER + IN-RALLY SCORER PAWN, GAME SCORER + GAME SCORER PAWNS |
| C | SERVE — CENTRAL LINE, ACE ZONES |
| D | IN THE RALLY — with D1 "IS THE BALL GOOD OR FAULT?", D2 "HOW MANY POINTS FOR THIS STROKE?", D3 "PUT THE POINTS IN THE RALLY SCORER" |
| E | WINNING SHOT |
| F | GAME SCORER (POINTS 0/15/30/40/AD, GAMES 0-3, SETS, and the simplified 0-12 scale) |
| G | BONUSES |
| H | FAULTS — DIRECT FAULT and NET FAULT (cases 01, 02, 03: FAULT! / FAULT! / NET!), COURT LINE and NET LINE detail |
| I | DOUBLES — EXTENDING THE POINT ZONES, SERVE ORDERS, DOUBLES BOUNDS |
| J | RALLY EXAMPLE |
Figure D — In the Rally (plate text)
In the example on the right, a typical stroke is played. The three steps described below help you judge how many points to attribute to a particular stroke within the rally.
- D1 — IS THE BALL GOOD OR FAULT? The opponent stroke has landed the ball beyond the net, and within the limits of the court: It is good.
- D2 — HOW MANY POINTS FOR THIS STROKE? This stroke is worth 2 stroke points, an eagle-eye view of the board clearly shows it, using the black dot to judge.
- D3 — PUT THE POINTS IN THE RALLY SCORER. The 2 stroke points are added on the rally scorer, always pushed towards the opponent's side, towards the "POINT!" position.
Figure F — Game Scorer (plate example)
Player A leads 2 sets to 0, and in the third set player B leads 2 games to 1, and the score is 30 to 15 for player A.
Figure G — Bonuses (plate text)
Bonuses can be cumulated on a single stroke. Here the stroke is worth 4 stroke points. It landed into a 2PTS zone, to which we add "+1PT" of CROSSCOURT BONUS, and "+1PT" of DROPSHOT bonus.
Figure J — Rally Example (plate text)
- Player A serves in a 1pt zone in the service box (adding 1 stroke point on the RALLY SCORER).
- Player B answers with a stroke in a 2pt zone (adding 2 stroke points on the RALLY SCORER).
- Player A strikes back hitting a 1pt zone, with an extra 1 stroke point CROSSCOURT bonus.
- Player B strikes back hitting a 0 pt zone: no stroke points added.
- Player A makes the winning shot, striking back in a 2pt zone; he adds 2 stroke points to the rally scorer, and onto the "POINT" circle. He wins the rally, and he can add a point to the game scorer.
- A new rally is about to start. Player A is about to serve.
Credits
Created by Philippe Latarse and Vincent Chatel. SET&MATCH is the property of Prétexte SAS. Registered since 2017. © 2020 Prétexte SAS. All rights reserved.
Thanks — among others — to Fréderic Jouhert, Olivia Cohade, Nicolas Séverin, Isabelle Bellet, Laurent Sigonneau and Denis Fornet for their help in developing this game, as well as Nicolas Bigué for his collaboration and his spirit. Without forgetting all those we have forgotten.