Lone wolf

Setup

• Two players on one side, the lone wolf alone on the other.
• Normal doubles positions to start: the receiving side’s partner at the kitchen line, everyone else back.

The rules

1. Play normal doubles: serve diagonally, two bounces, kitchen rules, lobs and everything else allowed.
2. The lone wolf has two serves. Serving, they lose a rally and go on to their second serve, just as a doubles team does with its second server. Lose the second too, and it’s a side-out.
3. The pair hits into one half only: the half the lone wolf last served from. A ball into the other half loses the rally.
4. The lone wolf can hit anywhere on the pair’s side.
5. While the pair serve, normally (server 1, then server 2), the lone wolf keeps the half they last served from.

Score

Normal doubles scoring: only the serving side scores, to 11, win by 2. After each game, rotate who plays alone, so everyone gets a turn as the lone wolf.

Turn the dial

Easier for the lone wolf: the pair get one serve between them instead of two: lose a rally on their serve and it’s a side-out.

Harder for the lone wolf: one serve only, as in a normal game, and the half switches with every point they serve.