This blog post is the author’s summary of pickleball gameplay, scoring and some important rules and terminology. It is not meant to be exhaustive and official pickleball rules can be found at the USA Pickleball web site.
Keep in mind that reading these summarized rules will be helpful but the best approach to learning pickleball is to start playing at Open Play venues where you can learn firsthand by playing and talking to other more experienced players.
Court Size:
The pickleball court is 20 feet wide and 44 feet long, similar in dimensions to a badminton court but designed specifically for pickleball.
Net Height:
The net divides the court into two equal halves and stands 36 inches high at the sidelines and 34 inches in the center.
Non-Volley Zone (NVZ):
The NVZ, also called “the kitchen,” extends 7 feet from the net on both sides, totaling 14 feet in length across the court and matching the 20-foot width of the court. This zone is crucial for certain rules regarding volleys.
Service Areas:
The court is divided into right and left service areas on each side of the net. Each service area measures 10 feet wide by 15 feet long. The service lines are 7 feet from the NVZ, marking the beginning of each service area.
Keeping Score
Only the serving side can score points. Games are typically played to 11 points, and a team must win by at least 2 points.
The server calls the score before serving, stating their team’s score first, then the opponent’s, followed by the server number (e.g., “4-2-1” for server one).
For example, if the serving team has 4 points, the receiving team has 2 points, and it is the first server on the serving team, the score is called “4-2-1.” If it is the second server on the serving team, the score is called “4-2-2.”
Note: Rally scoring is a game format where either side can score regardless of who is serving, this type of play and scoring is not covered in this section.
Serve Rotation in Doubles
The player on the right side of the court always serves first.
At the start of a game only one player from the starting team serves. The score is called “0-0-2,” indicating the start of the game with the second server in the initial rotation.
After the initial fault by the first serving team, service goes to the opposing team. After this, for each subsequent point, both players on each team will serve before the serve switches to the opponent. After winning a point, the same server continues to serve, but they switch sides with their partner.
After losing the serve, the second player serves. When both players lose their serves, this is called a “side out” and the serve passes to the opposing team.
Trick to know if the score is correct:
Remember who served first. Whoever served first in the game is always serving from the right side when their team’s score is even and from the left side when their team’s score is odd.
Serving Rules
Traditional Serve:
The serve must be made underhand with the paddle contact below the waist. The server hits the ball diagonally across the court to the opponent’s service zone. The ball must be hit in the air without bouncing.
The paddle must be moving in an upward arc, and the highest point of the paddle head cannot be above the highest part of the wrist when it strikes the ball. This ensures the serve is made with an underhand stroke.
The contact with the ball must be made below waist level; the waist is defined as the navel.
The serve must land in the diagonally opposite service court. It must clear the non-volley zone, including the line, and land within the boundaries of the service box.
Drop Serve:
This alternative serving method allows the server to drop the ball, letting it fall to the court without force. After the bounce, the server can hit the ball in any manner and from any position, without restrictions on the paddle contact height, wrist position or contact point as described in the traditional serve.
Net Serves:
If the serve hits the net but still lands in the proper service area, it is considered a live ball and play continues. This rule helps to maintain the flow of the game without the need for replays, even if the ball touches the net during the serve.
Service Rotation:
Players continue serving until they commit a fault. After losing a point, the second player on the team gets a chance to serve and score points until they commit a fault, except at the beginning of the game where the first serving team starts with only one player serving.
Foot Faults:
During the serve, the server’s feet must remain behind the baseline until after the ball is struck. This rule applies to both traditional and drop serves.
Gameplay Rules
Two-Bounce Rule:
After the serve, the ball must bounce once before the receiving team can hit it. The serving team must then let the return shot bounce again before they can hit the 3rd shot.
Play Volleys:
A volley is hitting the ball before it bounces. Players must execute volleys while standing behind the non-volley zone line.
Non-Volly Zone (NVZ):
Players cannot volley the ball while standing in this zone.
Bounced Balls in the NVZ:
Players are allowed to enter the NVZ to hit a shot that has bounced within this zone. This rule allows for strategic positioning and shot making after the ball has bounced, including within the NVZ itself.
Double Hits:
Double hits are allowed if they occur during a single stroke motion.
Line Calls:
Balls are considered in if any part of the ball touches the line.
Faults (loss of point):
These occur for various reasons, including: The ball being hit out of bounds. The ball not clearing the net. The ball being volleyed from the non-volley zone (also known as the kitchen). The ball landing in the NVZ or on the NVZ line during a serve, which is considered a fault. And of course, violating the two-bounce rule.
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