The foursquare player location in the highest numbered square begins the game by serving the ball from the outside corner of the square. The ball must bounce once in the servers own square before entering another players square. Players must let the ball bounce once in their own square, and then return the ball in the same method as the server. Balls are similar to kickballs and dodgeballs, being light rubber and with good bounce. The play must only use their hands to hit, serve, or return the ball. Carrying or holding or catching the ball are all penalties and forfeits.

Once the ball touches the play surface in another players square, that player must continue by hitting it into any other square. The ball continues to be hit back and forth between squares until a player makes a forfeit or penalty, and gets eliminated by leaving the square.

The rest of players move up to their next highest squares number, and another (or the recently eliminated) player joins the game in the lowest square (one). If there are more than four players foor a square, the eliminated players just wait in line for their turn to re-enter the game.

Hold the ends of the ropes tightly, shoulder width apart, about waist high, but do not wrap the rope around your hands. Rope turners should always start turning the rope closest to the jumper first, to enable the jumper to enter the ropes easier. Turn the ropes inward in small circles by turning the right forearm counter clockwise and left forearm clockwise like an eggbeater, while avoiding crossing the midline of your body with your hands as they rotate the jump ropes. You can count one-two’s to help establish a rhythm for both turners, and jumper.

The person jumping in, aka the jumper, stands next to one of the jumprope turners and faces the other rope turner. The jumper-in’s legs should be in position with their leg closest to the rope turner facing away from the rope and the other leg closer to the rope. Jumping In starts when the jumper-in enters the ropes as the rope closest to the jumper passes their eye level. Take one large step and a single jump, and leap into the middle of the rope with the leg closest to the rope turner hitting the floor first. The jumper begins jumping using a two-foot basic marching jump. If your just learning, use the single bounce jump in, and then slowly work your way up to two ropes.

UPDATE: a great recent story on NPR highlights the increasing use of physical jumprope and double dutch games in particular in nationwide schools as tournament play:

The interest may be increased by calling the race an international one the teacher providing small flags of different nations or the children may cut and paint these of paper. The first child in each row chooses the country he will represent by the selection of a flag at the beginning of the game. This he places on the rear desk and it is held aloft by the last player when he regains his seat indicating that his country has come in first second etc. in the automobile race.