Pro Tennis Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Equipment
• The Player Card
• How to Play Singles
  • 1. How to Read the Dice
  • 2. How to Serve
  • 3. Returning Serves
  • 4. Special Shots
  • 5. Volley
  • 6. Point Resolution
  • 7. The Red Die
  • 8. Example of a Point
  • 9. Random Event
    • Random Events Table
  • 10. Scoring a Tennis Match
• How to Play Doubles
• Women vs. Men
• Tournaments
  • 1. 16 or 32-Person Tournament
  • 2. Uneven Tournaments

Introduction

PRO TENNIS enables you to put the great tennis players of the eighties against one another in both singles and doubles, men and/or women. Each player is evaluated in terms of the level of skill he or she possesses in different areas of play. In addition, the game enables the participants to employ subtle strategies on the court in the battle to defeat their opponents.

Equipment

1. One Game Board
2. One Rules Folder
3. One set of Tennis Player Cards (50 men, 50 women in 1983 edition)
4. Two White Dice, One Red Die
5. One set of Point, Game, and Set Markers

The Player Card

All tennis players are evaluated in four different areas of play: SERVE (S), SERVE RETURN (SR), SPECIAL SHOTS (SP) and VOLLEY (V). In addition, each player is indicated as being right-handed or left-handed, is given a ranking, and possesses a CLUTCH SHOT RATING in parenthesis following his or her name at the top of the card.

How to Play Singles

Choose two player cards and place them on opposite sides of the tennis court on the playing board so that they can be readily examined by both players.

Determine serve order by rolling a die – the player with the higher number serving first in all of the POINTS of the first game. Thereafter, the other player serves in all of the POINTS of the second game. Service is alternated in this manner between players in all succeeding games, even in games separated by different sets.

1. How to Read the Dice

All points are resolved by a series of dice rolls and reference to player cards. Unless otherwise stated, a player required to roll the dice should always roll ONE RED and TWO WHITE dice together. The white dice are always read as a two-digit number in the following manner: read the SMALLEST NUMBER FIRST, FOLLOWED BY THE LARGER (OR EQUAL) NUMBER.

For example, if one die is 2 and the other 3, the result is 23. If one is 5 and the other 1, the result is 15. If both are 4, the result is 44. The red die has special meaning and is discussed in Section 7.

2. How to Serve

The serving player rolls the three dice and reads the white dice as a two-digit number. He consults his player card – cross-indexing the two-digit number with his SERVE (S) column. The possible results are:

• F: You have double-faulted. Point to the opponent.
• I: Your serve is in. Opponent must consult SERVE RETURN (SR) column.
• P: Your serve is in and not successfully returned. Point to you.
• A: Your serve is in and untouched by the opponent (ace). Point to you.

3. Returning Serves

If the opposing player obtained an "I" (IN) result on his serve, you must pick up the three dice, roll them, read the white dice as a two-digit number, and consult your player card – cross-indexing the two-digit number with your SERVE RETURN (SR) column. The possible results are:

• O: Your return is out. Point to the opponent.
• S: Your return is in, but you have set the opponent up; opponent must consult his SPECIAL (SP) column.
• V: Your return is in and a volley ensues. Opponent must consult VOLLEY (V) column of his card.
• P: Your return is good and cannot be returned by opponent. Point to you.

4. Special Shots

If the opposing player obtained an "S" (SPECIAL) result on his serve return or volley column, you must pick up the three dice, roll them, read the white dice as a two-digit number, and consult your player's card – cross-indexing the two-digit number with your player's SPECIAL SHOTS (SP) column. The possible results are:

• O: Your shot is out. Point to the opponent.
• V: Your shot is good and a volley ensues. Opponent must consult VOLLEY (V) column of his player.
• P: Your shot is good and the opponent cannot return it. Point for you.

5. Volley

If the opposing player obtains a "V" (VOLLEY) result on a serve return, special shot, or volley, you must pick up three dice, roll them, read the white dice as a two-digit number, and consult your player's card – cross-indexing the two-digit number with your player's VOLLEY (V) column. The possible results are:

• O: Your shot is out. Point to the opponent.
• S: Your shot is in, but you have set the opponent up; opponent must consult his SPECIAL (S) column (see #4 above).
• P: Your shot is in and cannot be returned by opponent. Point to you.
• V: Your shot is good and the volley continues. Opponent must consult VOLLEY (V) column of his player.

6. Point Resolution

Points are resolved in the aforementioned manner indefinitely – until one player obtains a "P" result (or an ace has been achieved on a serve). After a point has been resolved, start the point resolution process again, always keeping track of the score on the game board.

7. The Red Die

Every time the dice are rolled during the point resolution process, three dice must be rolled – two white and one red. The white dice are read as described above. The red die can have special meaning with regard to clutch shots and strategies. IF THE RED DIE SHOWS 1, 2, 3, OR 4, IGNORE IT – it has no effect on play. If it shows 5, there is a possibility that the opponent may make a clutch shot. If it shows 6, the opponent may employ a special strategy if he so desires.

a. Clutch Shots: If, on a given dice roll, your opponent obtains a "P" (Point) result on a serve, serve return, special shot, or volley, AND he also obtains a 5 on the red die, HE DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY RECEIVE THAT POINT. Instead, you may be allowed to continue the point resolution by making a CLUTCH shot. Consult your player card's Clutch Value (the number in parenthesis after his or her name) and roll two white dice only, reading them as a two-digit number normally. If the two-digit number is equal to or less than this Clutch Value, your player has made a clutch shot; consider the clutch shot result to be a "V" (Volley) result. Your opponent must attempt to return the shot by consulting his "V" column normally (see #5 above). However, if the two-digit number on the white dice is greater than your player's Clutch Value, his clutch attempt is unsuccessful and your opponent receives the point.

b. Strategies: If, on a given dice roll, your opponent obtains a "V" (Volley) result on a serve return, special shot or volley, AND he also obtains a 6 on the red die, you are permitted to employ a special strategy rather than consulting your "V" column normally (although this is voluntary). If a strategy is declared, you just choose one of three available: Rush Net, Smash, or Drop.

(1) Rush Net: If you declare that you are rushing the net, pick up the two white dice only, roll them, read the result as a two-digit number, and consult your player card's SERVE RETURN (SR) column – cross-indexing the two-digit number with this column: "O" (Out) and "P" (Point) results are unchanged in their meanings; however, all "S" results are converted to "O" (you have hit the ball out – point to your opponent) and "V" results are converted to "P" (you have won the point).

(2) Smash: If you elect to smash, pick up the white dice only, roll them, and read the result as a two-digit number – except this time, you may ADD ONE TO EITHER DIE (your choice; however no die may be increased above 6). Consult your player's card, cross-indexing this newly-modified number with your player's "V" (Volley) column, reading all results normally. Note that point resolution may continue in this circumstance indefinitely.

(3) Drop: If you elect to drop, your return shot is considered to AUTOMATICALLY be in without the necessity of dice rolling. Your opponent then picks up the two white dice, rolls them, reads the result as a two-digit number, and consults his player card – cross-indexing the two-digit number with his player's "SR" (Serve Return) column. As with Rushing the Net, all "O" and "P" results remain unchanged. However, all "S" results are converted to "O" (your opponent has hit the ball out – point to you) and "V" results are converted to "P" (your opponent has won the point). Note that with Rushing the Net and Drops, either you or your opponent will immediately win the point when resolving the strategy – it is impossible for a volley to continue.

8. Example of a Point

Player A serves and obtains an "I" (In) result on his Serve column. Player B consults his Serve Return column and obtains a "V" (Volley) result. Now Player A consults his Volley column and obtains an "S" (Special) result. Player B consults his Special Shots column and obtains a "P" (Point) result, but simultaneously rolls a 5 on the red die – enabling Player A (Clutch Rating: 33) to attempt a clutch shot. Player A rolls a 16 with two white dice, indicating that he has successfully made the clutch shot. Player B now consults his Volley column and obtains a "V" result, but also rolls a 6 on the red die – enabling Player A to employ a strategy. Player A decides to Rush the Net. He rolls two dice, consults his own Serve Return column and obtains a "V" result. This result is converted to "P" due to this strategy. Player A wins the point.

9. Random Event

If any player rolls triples with the three dice (e.g., 1, 1, and 1 or 5, 5, and 5), random events automatically occur. Play stops immediately – do not resolve the shot that was just being rolled for and do not consult the player cards. Instead, the player who just rolled the triples rolls the two white dice, reads the result as a two-digit number, and consults the Random Events Table. All events called for on the Random Events Table apply to this player!

Random Events Table

Dice	Result
11	Craps. Lose current point and subtract 1 from all future Serve and Serve Return rolls.
12-16	Racket breaks. Lose current point.
22	Sprained ankle. Lose current point and subtract 1 from all future Volley rolls.
23-26	Argument with umpire. Warning (see below). Lose current point.
33	Sprained wrist. Lose current point and subtract 1 from all future white dice rolls.
34-36	Argument with umpire. Warning (see below). Lose current point.
44	Sprained wrist. Lose current point and subtract 2 from all future white dice rolls.
45-46	Thunderstorm. Lose current point. Both players subtract 1 from all future dice rolls.
55	Sprained wrist. Lose current point and subtract 3 from all future white dice rolls.
56	Distracted by fans. Lose current point.

Notes: The first time a player receives a Warning, there is no effect. The second time, however, he loses the current point and the next point automatically. The third time he receives a Warning during the match, he immediately forfeits and loses. Any time a subtraction from a dice roll is called for, it is applied to the white dice only. Then, it is counted upwards on the dice roll column on the player's card (e.g., subtracting 1 from dice roll 34 would be 33; subtracting two from 34 would be 26). Subtractions due to multiple injuries are cumulative.

10. Scoring a Tennis Match

Markers and tracks for scoring the match are provided on the playing board. A tennis match is won by the first player to win 3 sets (for men) or 2 sets (for women). To win a set, a player must win 6 games and must have won at least two more games in that set than his opponent (e.g., 6-0, 6-1, 6-2, 6-3, or 6-4). A player may also win a set by 7 games to 5. If the winner of a set is still being resolved when BOTH players have achieved 6 games won, then a TIE-BREAKER is played, the winner of which wins the set, 7-6.

A Tie-Breaker is played as follows: The player who did not serve in the last game serves first. After a single serve his opponent serves twice, followed by two serves by the original server. An alternating pattern of two serves apiece by the players follows until the Tie-Breaker is won. The first player to achieve at least 7 points AND have at least 2 more points than his opponent (e.g., 7-5, 9-7, 17-15, 21-19) wins the Tie-Breaker.

To win an individual game, a player must win at least 4 points and must have at least 2 more points than his opponent. Points are scored in the following manner: the first point is called "15", the second point is called "30", the third point is called "40", and the fourth point, if it results in victory, is called "game." To have zero points is called "Love." If a game is ever tied at 40-40, "Deuce" is achieved. When Deuce occurs, the first player to win 2 consecutive points wins the game. During Deuce, if Player A wins 1 point, it is stated "Advantage, Player A." If he loses the next point, it is simply called "Deuce" again.

How to Play Doubles

Choose four players and divide them into two teams of two players apiece. Decide who will serve first. The two players on the team serving first are labeled "1A" and "1B". The two players on the other team are labeled "2A" and "2B". Points, games, and sets are scored exactly as in singles.

The order of serves is as follows: Player 1A serves throughout Game 1, alternating serves to 2A and 2B. In Game 2, Player 2B serves throughout, alternating serves to 1A and 1B. In Game 3, Player 1B serves throughout, alternating serves to 2B and 2A. And in Game 4, Player 2A serves throughout the game until the match is decided. In double Tie-Breakers, Player 1A serves once, followed by two serves by 2A. If additional serves are required, each player serves twice in the following order: 1A, 2B, 1B, 2A. In double Tie-Breaker serves, always serve to the opponent with the same letter as you first, followed by the opponent with the opposite letter.

In order to determine which player on a given team returns a Volley or Special shot in doubles, look at the dice roll just made by an opponent which resulted in a "V" or "S". If this dice roll (before any adjustments are made) is odd, then the "A" player on the team returns the shot. If the dice is even, then the "B" player on the team returns the shot.

Women vs. Men

When women compete against men in either singles or mixed doubles, make the following adjustments to all dice rolls made by the woman player (exception: a 66 is never adjusted): Serves: -5 (i.e., adjust result 5 lines upward); Serve Returns: -5; Special Shots: -3; Volleys: -3. These adjustments are only used when the woman is either serving to a man, or returning a serve or volley from a man. They never apply when serving to or returning shots from another woman.

Tournaments

If you wish to play tournaments with the players provided in the game, adhere to the following guidelines:

1. 16 or 32-Person Tournament

This is the most simple and common form of tennis tournament. Choose the players you wish to participate in the competition. On a piece of scrap paper, number 16 or 32 lines down the left-hand side of the page. Next, determine the "seeds" of the tournament (a "seed" is a high-quality player who is positioned in the tournament ladder so that he won't face another player of equal caliber until late in the competition). In a 16-person tournament, there are TWO seeds; in a 32-person tournament, there are FOUR seeds. No matter what the tournament, the seeds are always the players who are ranked the highest as shown on their player cards.

In a 16 and 32-person tournament, write the name of the First Seed on Line 1 and the name of the Second Seed on Line 16 or 32, respectively. In a 32-person tournament, write the name of the Third Seed on Line 9 and the name of the Fourth Seed on Line 24. Now, shuffle the remaining player cards and place them face down. Pick one player at random, write his or her name on Line 3. Continue this process until all slots are filled.

The rest of the tournament is simple. Each player occupying an odd-numbered line plays a match against the player occupying the even-numbered line directly below. The winners advance to the Second Round, where the winner of the Line 1 vs. Line 2 match plays the winner of the Line 3 vs. Line 4 match and so on. All the winners of the Second Round advance to Third. Losers are permanently eliminated. The Tournament would go from 32 players to 16 to 8 to 4 to 2 to a winner.

2. Uneven Tournaments

In Tournaments in which the competitors are not evenly divisible 16 or 32, a certain number of "Byes" (automatic victories against hypothetical opponents) are awarded in the First Round.

A. Between 33 and 50 Players: Number 64 lines down the left-hand side of a piece of scrap paper. Subtract the number of players competing from 64. The result is the number of Byes in the First Round. Write the word "Bye" on Line 2, then on Line 63 (if necessary), then on Line 4 (if necessary), then on Line 61 (if necessary), and so on until the proper number of Byes have been employed. Then, take the top eight-ranked player cards: these are your seeds. Place the highest-ranked player's name on Line 1; the second-ranked on Line 64; the third on Line 17; the fourth on Line 48; the fifth on Line 9; the sixth on Line 56; the seventh on Line 25; and the eighth on Line 40. Then, randomly fill in the names of the remaining competitors on the blank lines. Play the tournament normally, remembering that any player who is pitted against a Bye in the First Round automatically advances to the Second.

B. Between 17 and 31 Players: Number 32 lines down the left-hand side of a piece of scrap paper. Subtract the number of players competing from 32. The result is the number of Byes in the First Round. Write the word "Bye" on Line 2, then on Line 31 (if necessary), then on Lines 4, 29, etc., until the proper number of Byes have been employed. Take the top four-ranked player cards: these are your seeds. Fill the names of the seeds in as described in Section 1. Randomly fill in the names of the remaining competitors on the blank lines. Then, complete the tournament normally.