What is play pickleball?
Pickleball is fun, social and friendly! The rules are simple and the game is easy for beginners to learn, but can develop into a fast-paced, competitive game.
How to play pickleball
Pickleball is played on a badminton-sized court (20' x 44'):
The pickleball net height is 36" at the sideline and 34" at the center. Pickleball is most often played as doubles with four players, two on each team (though singles is possible as well). Each player stands to the right and left of the centerline. You can hit two types of shots:
Pickle Ball Rules
Pickleball Rules
Rule #1: Each rally begins with a serve
The pickleball game—and each rally—starts with the serve. The player on the right side of the court, facing their opponents, starts the serve. You serve diagonally to your opponent, into the right or left service area. The serve must clear the kitchen (including the line) to count.
Rule #2: Your serve must be underhand
A pickleball serve must be hit with an underhand stroke or backhand with contact below the waist. Your arm must move in an upward arc when you strike the ball. You can either hit the ball out of the air or drop the ball on the ground and hit it.
Rule #3: Each point continues until a fault
After the serve, gameplay continues until a “fault” is committed. A fault ends the rally. In pickleball, there are three basic types of faults: 1) The serve does not clear the kitchen (including the line). 2) A shot is hit out of bounds—landing behind the baseline or outside the sideline. 3) A shot is hit into the net.
Rule #4: You can't volley in the kitchen
The 7 ft zone on each side marks the non-volley zone, or 'kitchen'. This means you can never hit a volley—a shot hit out of the air—while having any part of your body in the kitchen. Or even on the kitchen line. And you can’t let your momentum carry you into the kitchen after a volley either.
Rule #5: You can hit groundstrokes in the kitchen
If your opponent hits a short shot landing in the kitchen, you can enter and hit from the kitchen. Dinks are a defensive shot and one of the most important parts of pickleball strategy. Often your best move after moving into the kitchen to field a dink is to dink right back to your opponent’s kitchen.
Rule #6: The ball must bounce on both sides before either team can volley
Before any player can hit a shot out of the air (a volley), the ball must bounce once on each side (known as the 'double bounce rule'). This rule keeps the serving team back on the baseline to start. Without it, the serving team could easily rush the net and gain an unfair edge every time. The return team would struggle to ever regain the serve and get points, as we’ll cover in our next rule.
Rule #7: You only win points on your serve
In pickleball, you only win points on your serve, and you continue serving until you lose a rally. After winning each point on your serve, you switch sides with your partner and serve to the other opponent.
Rule #8: Both partners serve in a turn
In each turn, both players (in doubles) get the opportunity to serve. And in pickleball scoring, you’ll hear players announce three numbers, "Zero, zero… two". This tracks which of the two players on a team has the serve.
Rule #9: First team to 11 points wins—but you must win by 2
Following all the rules above, the game continues until one team gets 11 points. The catch? You have to win by 2. So if a game’s tied 10-10, the next score doesn’t win. The game continues past 11-10. This rule can have games on for a long time. You can have ending scores of 12-10, 15-13, or even 21-19. But these are often the most fun games!
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Rule #1: Each rally begins with a serve
The pickleball game—and each rally—starts with the serve. The player on the right side of the court, facing their opponents, starts the serve. You serve diagonally to your opponent, into the right or left service area. The serve must clear the kitchen (including the line) to count.
Rule #2: Your serve must be underhand
A pickleball serve must be hit with an underhand stroke or backhand with contact below the waist. Your arm must move in an upward arc when you strike the ball. You can either hit the ball out of the air or drop the ball on the ground and hit it.
Rule #3: Each point continues until a fault
After the serve, gameplay continues until a “fault” is committed. A fault ends the rally. In pickleball, there are three basic types of faults: 1) The serve does not clear the kitchen (including the line). 2) A shot is hit out of bounds—landing behind the baseline or outside the sideline. 3) A shot is hit into the net.
Rule #4: You can't volley in the kitchen
The 7 ft zone on each side marks the non-volley zone, or 'kitchen'. This means you can never hit a volley—a shot hit out of the air—while having any part of your body in the kitchen. Or even on the kitchen line. And you can’t let your momentum carry you into the kitchen after a volley either.
Rule #5: You can hit groundstrokes in the kitchen
If your opponent hits a short shot landing in the kitchen, you can enter and hit from the kitchen. Dinks are a defensive shot and one of the most important parts of pickleball strategy. Often your best move after moving into the kitchen to field a dink is to dink right back to your opponent’s kitchen.
Rule #6: The ball must bounce on both sides before either team can volley
Before any player can hit a shot out of the air (a volley), the ball must bounce once on each side (known as the 'double bounce rule'). This rule keeps the serving team back on the baseline to start. Without it, the serving team could easily rush the net and gain an unfair edge every time. The return team would struggle to ever regain the serve and get points, as we’ll cover in our next rule.
Rule #7: You only win points on your serve
In pickleball, you only win points on your serve, and you continue serving until you lose a rally. After winning each point on your serve, you switch sides with your partner and serve to the other opponent.
Rule #8: Both partners serve in a turn
In each turn, both players (in doubles) get the opportunity to serve. And in pickleball scoring, you’ll hear players announce three numbers, "Zero, zero… two". This tracks which of the two players on a team has the serve.
Rule #9: First team to 11 points wins—but you must win by 2
Following all the rules above, the game continues until one team gets 11 points. The catch? You have to win by 2. So if a game’s tied 10-10, the next score doesn’t win. The game continues past 11-10. This rule can have games on for a long time. You can have ending scores of 12-10, 15-13, or even 21-19. But these are often the most fun games!
Educators
Share your passion with others.
Official Rules
Learn the rules and test your knowledge.
Strategies
Get the upper hand at any level.
Places to Play
Join the community from anywhere.
- Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh.