Official rules of HitBall. Cast in metal, carved in stone - until we change them again.  
   
 

The short version for players:

1: Don't cross the line.
2: Don't get involved with the string (elastic).
3: Call your hits - when you are hit, say “hit”.
4: You may touch the ball twice your side of the line.
5: If any argument occurs, the point is played again.

The full elucidation follows:
(for those of you that managed to discover HitBall before you got punchy)
OBJECTIVE:

To hit your opponent's target area with the ball.

To protect your target area from being hit (with the ball).
TARGET AREA: The whole body and clothing, except the striking areas which are: hands to elbows and knees to feet.
THE RING:

Is a 3m radius circle, divided with a 30cm (±1 foot) wide line in the center. If the ring you are playing on is slightly non-standard as regards measurements, or there’s a wall or other object in the playing area, just let it be part of the game, and enjoy!


NB: Stay in the ring, on your side of the centerline. This is the most important rule for injury prevention.
WARM-UP, STARTING PLAY AND CHOICE OF SIDE:

Warming up traditionally involves playing without pause, confessing hits as they occur, and rule transgressions (line, three touches) with no judgment or concern over hits against you.

This provides an opportunity for experimentation, as well as developing the fighting discipline of not stopping fighting immediately whenever you're hit or a rule is transgressed!

When you have felt out the ring and how the ball moves, and you're ready to fight, one of you suggests you begin, the other agrees and then the battle for service is on. Rules suddenly matter. The next hit scored gives choice of side, and the first serve.
SERVICE:

Except for the first service of the game or match, the loser of the last point or game (if playing a series) serves.

Serve again in the case of string swinging (tangling with the elastic) or line infringement (crossing the centreline).

SCORING: From the service on, a hit scores a point. Play stops and counters are moved to indicate which player was hit. Players have 5 lives each, after which the game is over (singles) , the player leaves the ring (doubles), or the player is replaced (team play). The loser serves for the next point. The game is won by the "last wo/man standing" (sudden death, no advantage play). Sides change at the end of the game in a 3 game match and loser of the last game serves
THE LINE:

If your striking of the ball, or your follow through puts any part of your body within the line area, or past it, a resulting hit will not count. Crossing the line is cause to replay the point, If sente (control of the ball, initiative) changes to the "offended" party, play can continue.



If you infringe the line, leave the ball until it is played by your opponent, and returns to your side of the ring.

If you are hit when your opponent has crossed the line, you have the choice to continue play, or to insist on restarting from service,
AREA OF MOVEMENT: Stepping out of your half of the ring or over the line loses you the current point.
STRINGING / STRING SWINGING: The elastic attached to the ball is not to be held or swung in any way. If you become entangled, disengage from the string and leave the ball until it is played by your opponent, and returns to your side of the ring. A resulting hit will not count, even from your second strike.
THREE IMPACTS, TWO STRIKES:

Three impacts of the ball to your striking areas before it crosses the line towards your opponent is an offence, and is treated in the same way as line infringement or stringing.

In doubles and team play (which only allows 2 players a side at a time) each player may strike the ball twice while it's on their side of the line.

HOLDING THE BALL:

Catching the ball with two hands is regarded as being two touches. The ball must be released or thrown within 1 second of catching it. Likewise for a ball caught with one hand - it must be released, struck, or passed to the other hand within 1 second.

Holding the ball for longer than 1 second is cause for replaying the point from service.
HITS AND INTERRUPTIONS:

Announce your hits, when hit. Do not say “hit” as in “I hit you”, or “no hit” unless you are hit. Your reporting of hits is your expression of your personal honour and integrity and is the only accepted indication that a hit has occurred.

When play is interrupted for any reason, e.g. to discuss and determine an issue (such as a hit's validity, line or string issue etc.) the point is replayed from the service.

This rule is perhaps the most important to the character of HitBall. Only a clean hit is acknowledged. Playing the point over is after all a delight in any case!
CLOTHING: Reasonably close fitting - a hit on your clothing counts. Nothing that extends your striking areas and nothing that could puncture the ball.
DISCRIMINATION:

Hitball is virtual duelling. A combatant's individual mix of capabilities is what s'he competes with.

There can therefore be no discrimination in the game, or any organisation legitimately associated with it - on grounds of gender, race, species, planet of origin, language, sexual preference, physical or mental handicap, or even just general strangeness.
CHALLENGES:

A challenge for title or ladder position is a best–of–three–games match. The games are played with a five minute recovery time between them, and a line judge calls line, string and holding infringements.

Once the match begins, combatants do not leave the ring except in the breaks between games, or to concede the game.

In the case of exhaustion, injury, clothing or shoe failure or any other debilitating condition, your choice is to fight on, or concede the current game. If there is another game to play in the match, and you are still unable to continue after 5 minutes, you concede the match.

If the first game of a match is won by 5 points to 0 points, the match is won.
COMMON PRACTICE

If a player or the line judge is unhappy about a point's validity, it is replayed. As long as initiative, sente, passes to the "offended" side, play generally continues uninterrupted.

The latest trend is that players are more tolerant of stringing. As long as the elastic (bungee) is not tangled on a striking area and affect's the ball's movement significantly, play generally continues uninterrupted.

RATIONALE BEHIND THE RULES: The rules have more to do with the strategic realities of fighting, and traditional martial arts than with the western concept of sportmanship. More on the "about" page.