A step by step guide on how to play pickleball, 11 pickleball rules you need to know, and the basic equipment needed for pickleball. After reading this article you will be confident to start your pickleball journey.
A Step-By-Step Guide to a full pickleball point – How to play pickleball
Step 1: The game starts by deciding which team serves first. This can be decided by flip of a coin or any method the teams agree on.
Step 2: The starting server will be on the right side of the court, behind the baseline. The score to start the game is 0-0-2.
Step 3: The server must serve underhand and make contact below the waist
Step 4: The serve must land in the box diagonal from the server.
Step 5: The returner needs to let the ball bounce before hitting the ball
Step 6: The server must also let the ball bounce before hitting the ball
Step 7: Now that both teams have let the ball bounce once, either team may choose to let the ball bounce or hit the ball out of the air (known as a volley)
Step 8: Neither team can hit the ball out of the air while standing in the kitchen… it is also a fault if your momentum takes you into the kitchen after hitting the ball out of the air
Step 9: You win the point when the ball bounces twice on your opponent’s side, the ball hits your opponent, your opponent hits the ball into the net or your opponent hits the ball out of bounds
Step 10: The game is played until one team reaches 11. You must win by 2 points… If the score is 11-10, the game is not over.
I know you’re probably thinking, so what happens if we win the point… how does the scoring work in pickleball? This needs to have its own section because it’s one of the most complicated parts of learning how to play pickleball.
When I first started playing, it took me a month or so to learn how to keep score. Don’t be afraid to ask people what the score is before you serve. It’s 100% expected for beginners to not understand how to keep the score. So…
How does pickleball scoring work? – How To Play Pickleball
An example will be the easiest to explain pickleball serving…
Team 1: Server 1- Rich ; Server 2- Jude
Team 2: Server 1- Larry ; Server 2- Sarah
Rich serves.
If Rich and Jude win the point, Rich will move to the left side and serve again. If they win another point, Rich will move back to the right side and serve again. Rich will continue serving (right side then left side) until they lose a point.
When they lose a point, Jude will serve. Jude will also continue serving (alternating right and left side) until they lose a point.
At this point, it’s the other team’s turn to serve…
Larry serves.
If Larry and Sarah win the point, Larry will move to the left side and serve again.
Larry and Sarah, just like Rich and Jude, will both have a chance to serve until they both lose a point while serving.
Then the serve will go back to Rich and Jude.
Related: 3 Simple Tips To Skyrocket Your Pickleball Serve
What do the 3 numbers mean in pickleball scoring?
So now we know part of how pickleball serving works… but what do the 3 numbers mean in pickleball scoring?
Pickleball, unlike most sports, has 3 numbers in their scoring.
“3-1-1” Woa.. What the heck does that mean?
3 (serving team’s score) – 1 (returning team’s score) – 1 (number of server)
From our example above…
Let’s say Rich and Jude are winning 3-1 and Rich is serving.
3 (Rich and Jude) – 1 (Larry and Sarah) – 1 (Rich is server number 1)
If they lose the point and now Jude is serving:
3 (Rich and Jude) – 1 (Larry and Sarah) – 2 (Jude is server number 2)
Now, everyone knows if they lose the point on server number 2, the serve goes to the other team.
Larry will now be serving.
1 (Larry and Sarah) – 3 (Rich and Jude) – 1 (Larry is server number 1)
Whoever is on the right side of the court when you start serving will be server number 1… this can change throughout the game depending who is on the right side when it is your team’s turn to serve.
NOTE: YOU CAN ONLY SCORE POINTS WHEN YOU ARE SERVING
To make it a bit more confusing, there is one exception to the rule…
What does 0 0 2 mean in pickleball?
At the beginning of the article in the How to play pickleball for beginners – A Step-By-Step Guide section, we said the score to start the game is 0-0-2.
When I first started playing this made no sense… if server 1 is starting, why wouldn’t it be 0-0-1???
To start the game is the only time both players DON’T get a chance to serve.
The player on the right side starts serving 0-0-2 and can get as many points as possible (alternating from right and left side).
However, when they lose a point, the serve goes over to the opposing team.. NOT YOUR PARTNER.
This is the only time in the game when both teammates don’t get a chance to serve.
Why is it like this? I think to keep it fair for the team that is returning first. In pickleball it is easy to score a bunch of points in a row.
If the first server to start the game gets 4 points, then his partner gets to serve and gets 4 points… The opponent is now losing 0-8-1 to start their serve. In a game to 11, this is an unfair advantage to the serving team.
11 Pickleball Rules To Know For Beginners – How To Play Pickleball
Pickleball Serving Rules
Pickleball Rule #1
The pickleball serve must be underhand… the server must have an upward swinging motion. Not sidearm or overhand like other paddle sports.
Pickleball Rule #2
The server must be standing behind the baseline, in between the centerline and the sideline.
Pickleball Rule #3
The serve must go over the net and land in the box diagonal from the server
Pickleball Rule #4
The serve can not land in the kitchen or on the kitchen line (this would be a fault). It may, however, land on the sideline, centerline, or baseline.
Pickleball Rule #5
There are no second chances in pickleball serving. If the server hits an illegal serve, hits the net, or the ball lands out of bounce, they do not get a second attempt. The serve will then go to their partner or the opposing team
Two Bounce Rule in Pickleball
Pickleball Rule #6
Part one of the two bounce rule is that the returner must let the ball bounce before hitting the ball (one bounce)
Pickleball Rule #7
Part two of the two bounce rule is that the serving team must also let the ball bounce before hitting the ball (two bounce).
Pickleball Rule #8
After the two bounce rule, either team can hit the ball off the bounce or hit the ball out of the air (known as a volley)… with one exception: see Kitchen Rules Pickleball
The two bounce rule is sometimes referred to as the double bounce rule… but they are different. So what is the double bounce rule?
Pickleball Double Bounce Rule
Pickleball Rule #9
The double bounce rule states if the ball bounces twice on your side, you lose the point
Kitchen Rules Pickleball
Pickleball Rule #10
If you or your body touches any part of the kitchen (including the kitchen line) while hitting the ball out of the air, this is a fault.
Something a lot of people don’t realize is that this includes your momentum… If you hit the ball out of the air, then fall forward into the kitchen, this is also a fault.
Pickleball Rule #11
I know the kitchen seems like a scary place but it’s not… our last tip will confirm this.
- You can stand in the kitchen any time you like!
- You can hit the ball from the kitchen so long as there was a ball bounce first.
- You just aren’t able to volley (hit the ball out of the air) while standing in the kitchen.
Related: Want to dominate the pickleball kitchen? 3 easy tips
What is the basic equipment that is needed to play pickleball? – How To Play Pickleball
Now that you know how to play pickleball, you need to get the right equipment…
The great thing about pickleball is you don’t need much equipment… Assuming you have a court close by, all you will need is a paddle and balls.
We have a few articles breaking down the top pickleball paddles:
If you’re looking for a good beginner pickleball paddle:
Get The Best Beginner Pickleball Paddle (Our Top 5 Picks)
If you’re looking for a specific pickleball paddle style… power, control, spin:
The Best Pickleball Paddles (For Your Game Style)
If you’re curious about what pickleball paddles the top pros use:
What Pickleball Paddle Do The Best Players In The World Use?
There are a million different pickleball ball brands these days, but our top recommendation for beginners is the Franklin X-40 Optic Outdoor Pickleball. They are easier to learn the game with due to being a bit softer which slows the game down a bit. They are also very reliable and don’t crack as easily as some other brands.
