Fan Guide

What is Jai-Alai?

The world's fastest ball sport: a guide for fans, newcomers, and anyone looking to understand the game

Introduction to Jai-Alai

Jai-Alai (pronounced HI-lie) is a fast-paced court sport originating from the Basque Country of Spain and France in the 17th century. The name literally means "merry festival" in Basque.

Players use a curved wicker basket called a cesta to catch and hurl a small rubber ball, the pelota, against the walls of a three-walled court called a cancha, housed inside a building known as the frontón. The pelota can travel at speeds exceeding 150 mph, making it one of the fastest ball sports in the world.

Matches are played in either Singles (1v1) or Doubles (2v2) format. Players compete in rally-based sets. The objective is to make the opposing player or team unable to return the ball cleanly before it bounces twice.

Jai-Alai experienced its peak popularity in the United States through the 20th century, with major frontons in Miami, Connecticut, and beyond. Today, the World Jai-Alai League (WJAL) continues to grow the sport globally, bringing together elite players and a modern statistical framework to elevate the fan experience.

Player Roles

In Doubles each side has two court positions, Frontcourt and Backcourt. Switchcourt is not a third position. It is a player type, able to hold either seat, and a Switchcourt player is graded as the position they actually take in a match.

Frontcourt

The Frontcourt player lines up closer to the front wall. They are responsible for quick, sharp exchanges near the front of the court, specializing in fast reflexes and short-angle shots.

Fast reflexesShort-angle shotsRisk/reward specialist

Backcourt

The Backcourt player positions deeper in the court, focusing on power, long-range accuracy, and setting up plays for their partner. They handle the majority of high-velocity returns.

Power shotsMiss preventionRally control

Switchcourt

A player type rather than a position. A Switchcourter can hold either court seat and is graded as whichever one they take in a match. Switchcourt players provide tactical flexibility and can adapt to any pairing.

VersatilityTactical adaptabilityDual-role capable

Glossary

The Game

FrontónThe building that houses the cancha, typically featuring other amenities and entertainment options alongside the court.

CanchaThe three-walled court where Jai-Alai is played.

CestaThe curved wicker basket strapped to a player's arm, used to catch and hurl the ball.

PelotaThe hard rubber ball used in Jai-Alai, one of the fastest moving balls in any sport.

SinglesA one-on-one match format between two individual players.

DoublesA two-on-two match format where partners play as a team.

FrontcourtA court position specializing in play near the front wall.

BackcourtA court position specializing in deep, powerful returns from the back of the court.

SwitchcourtA versatile player type, not a position played. A Switchcourter can hold either court seat and is graded as the one they take in a match.

The League

GameDayA full night of competition between two franchises. The franchise that wins more of the night's matches takes the GameDay.

DivisionThe competitive tier a player is assigned to, indicating their skill level and ensuring balanced competition (1 = highest tier).

SetA run of rallies won by the first side to reach six points. A match is made up of several sets.

The Numbers

Attempts / Points / MissesThe three counted actions behind every grade. Points are clean scores when the opposing team does not touch the ball; Misses are actions that award a point to the opposing team; Attempts track a player's total involvement.

Grade PointThe unit a Match Grade, Team Match Grade, Set Grade, or Season Grade is expressed in. Grades on the 1 to 6 scale are measured in grade points, so a 0.60 difference between two grades is a gap of 0.60 grade points.

Match Grade (MG)A proprietary 1–6 performance rating measuring a player's consistency and quality in a given match. Higher is better.

Avg MGA player's average MG score across all recorded matches, the primary measure of overall skill level.

Season GradeA player's cumulative performance rating across the entire season, accounting for total attempts, points, and misses. Position-adjusted to ensure fair comparison across Frontcourt, Backcourt, and Switchcourt roles.

Team Match Grade (TMG)A specific doubles PAIRING's combined Match Grade (the average of the two partners' MGs). Shown on pairing cards and match/team detail pages.

Doubles Season GradeA specific doubles pairing's cumulative Season Grade, measuring the pair's combined consistency over the season.

True Doubles Grade (TDG)A career measure of what a player individually brings to Doubles play, independent of who they're paired with. Built from every recorded match, and shown on the career side of Battle Cards. Switchcourters carry separate Frontcourt and Backcourt values.

Career Avg MGA player's career Match Grade Average, kept separately for Singles and Doubles play.

Projected TDGThe average of two partners' individual True Doubles Grades: an expectation for a pairing before they've played together.

Franchise Match Grade (FMG)A franchise-level rollup: the average Match Grade across ALL of a franchise's matches (blending Singles and Doubles). Used on the Season Standings page as the macro franchise view.

Team Season GradeA franchise's cumulative Season Grade rolled up across all matches (Singles + Doubles), the macro franchise-level season view.