Terminology
- Black Mail*: Once the ball is caught (usually from a long distance) any player may yell "Black Mail!" The player with the ball must now throw the ball to the wall without moving feet.
- Break the Ice: To start the game by making the first throw regardless of tennis ball ownership.
- Savies or Taxis: If a player feels he is too far from the wall to throw the ball and make wall contact, the thrower can throw the ball to another player and hope the receiver will wait until the thrower has run to the wall and touched it. However, savies can backfire if the catcher betrays the thrower by throwing the ball to the wall before the thrower has run and touched the wall. In some places, there is no betrayal as, if you save them they don't have to run.
- Chicken Drops: An alternative to Savies. If a player is too far from the wall to make a complete pass to hit the wall, he can drop the ball at his feet and head to the wall as quickly as he can to make contact. If another player picks up the ball that player can throw the runner out by getting the ball to the wall before the runner. This technique is frowned upon by Butts Up enthusiasts.
- Double Touch: The act of a player touching the ball twice, resulting in an automatic out. Typically this occurs when the ball is bobbled or tripped over.
- Handsies: (Some variations) The act of a player touching the ball with both hands at once, resulting in an obligation to "hit the wall".
- Hit the Wall: Alternative terminology for a player's obligation, upon committing "handsies," "chicken drops," "traveling," or other offense, failure to accomplish which before any other player has thrown the player out by causing it to hit the wall results in an out or the runner's butt being "up".
- Peg: A player throws the ball at another player, usually resulting in an out.
- Self-Out: A player throws the ball to the wall and then catches it before the ball hits the pavement. This rule is optional and can be determined by the players prior to the start of the game.
- Self-Peg: A thrower’s ball bounces off the wall and hits the thrower. In this case the thrower must run to the wall and touch the wall before an opponent picks up the ball and throws it to the wall.
- Stripping: In more physical iterations of the game, a player may attempt to strip the ball from the hand of another player. If successful, both players must run to the wall to avoid earning an out.
- Tie Goes to the Runner: If there is a dispute among the players about whether a runner is safe or out, and the decision for and against is a 50/50 tie among players, the runner stays in the game.
- Traveling: The act of a player moving both feet with ball in hand.
- Lockdown: Occurs when a player wins the game without having gotten out.
- Poison: When someone catches the ball without the ball hitting the ground. If they say "poison" the "poisoned" person must run to the wall before the person who caught the ball throws it to the wall.
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