A volleyball court is a rectangle, 18 meters long and 9 meters wide, split into two equal halves by a net. Each team defends its 9x9 meter square. The height of the net is crucial. For men, it's 2.43 meters high; for women, it's 2.24 meters.

Several lines mark the court. The boundary lines define the playing area. A ball landing on the line is in. Three meters back from the net on each side is the attack line, also known as the 10-foot line. This line separates the front row players from the back row players. Players in the back row cannot jump and attack the ball in front of this line.

In a standard game, each team has six players on the court at a time, in two rows of three. While players rotate positions after winning a serve, they often specialize in specific roles.

Setters are the playmakers. Their main job is to take the second touch and set the ball for an attacker to hit over the net. They need precision and good court awareness.

Hitters, or attackers, are the primary point scorers. Outside hitters attack from the left side, while middle blockers (or middle hitters) are versatile attackers and key defensive players at the net. Opposite hitters attack from the right side and are also crucial for blocking.

Liberos are defensive specialists. They wear a different colored jersey and can substitute freely for any back-row player. They are experts at passing and digging, but they aren't allowed to serve, block, or attack the ball from above the height of the net.

A point in volleyball, called a rally, begins with a serve. The server stands behind the back line and hits the ball over the net into the opponent's court.

The receiving team's goal is to return the ball, using up to three touches. The typical sequence is a pass, a set, and an attack.

1. Pass: Usually a forearm pass, also known as a "bump," used to receive the serve and direct the ball to the setter.
2. Set: An overhead pass by the setter to position the ball for a hitter.
3. Attack: A powerful hit, often a "spike," aimed to send the ball to the floor of the opponent's court.

The other team tries to stop the attack. Their first line of defense is the block, where front-row players jump at the net to intercept the spiked ball. If the ball gets past the block, back-row players must "dig" it up to keep the rally going. The rally continues until one team fails to return the ball legally.

Volleyball uses rally scoring, which means a point is awarded on every single rally, regardless of which team served. If the serving team wins the rally, they get a point and serve again. If the receiving team wins, they get a point and the right to serve. This is when their players rotate one position clockwise.

A match is typically played as the best of five sets. The first four sets are played to 25 points, but a team must win by at least two points. If a fifth set is needed, it's played to 15 points, again with a two-point margin required for victory.

There are a few basic faults to avoid. Players cannot catch, hold, or throw the ball—this is called a lift or carry. They also can't touch the net during play. A player cannot hit the ball twice in a row, unless their first touch was a block.

Now that you know the basics, let's review some key terms.

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Understanding these fundamentals is the first step to enjoying the game, whether you're playing at a picnic or in a league.