How to play Pickleball

Pickleball has arrived and who’s to say it will not be an Olympic sport soon? Having said that, get ready to learn how to play pickleball.

This guide on how to play pickleball covers all the rules of pickleball that are followed in professional tournaments, so as a total beginner, this is the stepping stone that will get you ready to hop onto the pickleball court, and for a pro pickleball player, this guide is a good read to know about the latest rule changes of the most entertaining sport out there.

First things first, the essentials, what you need is a set of pickleball balls, a good pickleball paddle (this is absolutely important as it will play a major role in convincing you if pickleball is the sport for you or not), and lastly finding a pickleball court near you.

The best way to start playing pickleball, in my opinion, is to play a doubles match with people of similar level as you, if you do not have that, you can always join a beginners pickleball clinic to learn the basics, where you can also try of equipment on rental basis if you’re not ready to invest in gear yet.

Imagine a tennis court net on a badminton court and you have a Pickleball court ready. The official measurements of a Pickleball court is (20′ x 44′) with a net height of 36″ at the sidelines and 34″ at the center. From the net, there is a non-volley zone at each end of the court (better known as the kitchen) where players cannot hit volleys (a shot hit out of the air), if a played does so, its considered a foul and the opponent team is rewarded a point. The non-volley zone measures at 7’ on each side.

Now lets learn about the 7 major rules of pickleball that are followed in official tournaments, but before I begin, let me tell you that these rules are more doubles game focussed (2 players each side) so for all you singles enthusiast check out my detailed article on how to play singles pickleball, and gain some bragging rights in your local tournaments when you step on court as a singles player, with that being said lets take a look at the rules:

Rule #1: each rally begins with a serve

The player standing on the right side of the court starts a pickleball game by serving. A serve is always done in toward the opponent standing in the diagonal court. A serve is how each point or rally is started.

There are two ways to do a legal serve , 1. Hit an underhand forehand or backhand after the ball bounces, or 2. Hit an underhand volley serve by hitting the ball right after you release it. In both instances you have to make contact with the ball below the waist.

You also have to keep in mind certain aspects while releasing the ball to avoid a foul serve, read my guide on how to do a legal serve in pickleball to know more.

Rule #2: the ball must bounce once on each side before either team can volley

A volley in pickleball is when a player decides to hit a shot before the ball bounces. In a rally, all players need to let the call bounce once of each side of the court before deciding to start vollying. This rule is famous called the “two bounce rule” By professional pickleball organizations.

So, always remember to stay behind the baseline when your partner is serving, a lot of beginners including myself have been caught reacting with a volley to the opponents return of serve.

This rule is specifically designed to avoid a “serve and volley” Scenario, as it would give an unfair advantage to the service team who can easily rush the net as a pickleball court is small in comparison to a tennis court

If you are looking to learn new vollying techniques, then check out my guide on how and when to volley in pickleball

Rule #3: each point continues until a fault

A play begins with a legal serve and continues until a rally is won by either a ‘fault’ being committed or if a player hits a winning shot. There are four faults that end a point in pickleball:

An illegal serve: If a service is done with the paddle tap upwards and above the waist, or the serve lands in the kitchen (including the line) or beyond the baseline and sideline.

The ball lands out of the playing area (outside the sideline or behind the baseline).

The ball crashes in the net and falls on your side of the court.

The ball bounces twice on one side before the player can return it.

Rule #4: Volley shots are not allowed in the kitchen area

Kitchen or non-volley zone in pickleball measures 7’ zone on each side of the net. A player cannot hit a volley if any part of their body enters the kitchen (stepping on the kitchen line is also considered a foul). For a player to hit a successful volley, they must also ensure that they do not let their momentum carry them into the kitchen after smashing a volley.

The only time you can step into the kitchen to play a shot is if the ball bounces in the kitchen. For eg: You can hit a shot in the kitchen if your opponent hits a short shot that touches the white tape of the net and lands in the kitchen area of your court.

Rule #5: you only win points on your serve

This scoring method is used in official Pickleball tournaments, as per this rule only the team that serves can win ponts and if the other team wins the rally they do not get a point but are awarded a break of serve. In doubles format, a non serving team has to achieve a break of service twice, as both opponents are required to serve.

A team that is serving has to switch sides (left and right) between their partners and serve to the opponent standing in the diagonal court at the start of every rally.

The referee calls “point” if the rally is won by the serving team or calls “side out” if the rally is won by the non serving team.

Note: Since the beginning of 2025 , talks of rally points ( points regardless of which team serves) have been discussed citing reviews that it makes the game shorter and more exciting. If this rule is is made official, I will have it updated here.

Rule #6: the correct score must be called before serving

In pickleball you’ll often hear referees of players calling out three numbers before serving, which goes like “1-4-1”. Here’s what each number means:

First Number

serving team’s score

Second Number

Receiving team’s score

Third Number

Serving order of servers team, first server (1) and second server (2)

ChatGPT said:

Let’s say the score is 3–3. If you’re serving first, you’ll call out “3–3–1” — the last number shows you’re the first server on your team.

If you lose the rally, the serve doesn’t switch sides yet. Your teammate now serves and says “3–3–2.”

If your partner also loses the rally, that’s called a side out — meaning your team has lost both serves, and now your opponents get to serve. They’ll start their turn by calling “3–3–1.”

There’s one special case: at the very start of a game, the first server calls “0–0–2.” This is because the serving team only gets one serve at the beginning, since they already have the first chance to score points.

Rule #7: first team to 11 points wins—but you must win by 2

By applying the above 6 rules, a game continues till one team reached 11 points. A total of 2 games of 11 points are to be won by one team in order for them to be declared the winner of the match.

If both teams reach 10 points each, the winner is declared by a difference of two points (popularly known as deuce). So the next time you see a 17-15 score line or a 23-21 scoreline know that, that was a quite exhilarating game.

What you need to play pickleball

What equipment and gear is required to play pickleball

First things first what you need is a partner or 3 others if you wish to start playing doubles.

Now comes the question of clothing, what do you wear?

While a basic non marking shoes paired which a sweat restantant tshirt and track pants/shorts is all you need to step on to the courts, I would recommend that you do invest into pickleball specific clothing, doing so would give you an additional confidence and sense of enjoyment on the courts.

Pickleball gear: while optional, I wou still recommend you get your own pickleball paddle and balls. However, most pickleball courts do offer paddles and balls on rental basis.

Last but no the least a pickleball court with accurate markings.

Pro Tip: Choosing a paddle that suits your game is one of the most difficult things to do given the number of paddle options available in the market. You may see the pro’s applying tapes, using different grips, and even speed caps to know more about paddle modifications you can check out this ‘how to upgrade my paddle guide,’ now coming back to investing in a paddle, it is not cheap so to get a better idea on which paddle is best for you simply take this 15 second paddle buying quiz.

How to set up a pickleball court

If it is just an empty space, then you can check out this guide to learn the accurate measurement of a pickleball court, but in most instances, a court is already prepared with lines.

With the growing buzz around pickleball, courts with permanent lines have become way more accessible, but you’ll still need a net as most courts do not install them. For such instances, I would recommend investing in a portable net which are easy to install.

Types of shots in pickleball

Knowing the names of shots in pickleball gives you a mental advantage over your opponents, as you would look well versed with the knowhow’s of the game.

Drives: The shot that you hit with power after the ball bounces is called a drive, as the goal is to drive the ball with power. A drive is mostly hit on the forehand side but having a backhand drive would help you tremendously in tournaments.

Drop Shots: A drop shot is your get-out-of-jail card when you are stationed at the baseline and want to make your way to the kitchen. A good drop shot execution is when the ball lands in the opponents kitchen and forces them to play a shot of the bounce.

Dinks: Dinks and drops are often looked upon as a same shot, however there is a main differentiator. The purpose of hitting a dink is to land the ball extremely close to the net in the opponents kitchen area. This shot is used to invite the opponent into the kitchen and hit a similar dink return for which you will be ready and can charge to hit a speed up.

Volleys: A volley shot is when you hit a ball out of the air before it bounces. You cannot hit these shots when you step inside the Kitchen.

Lobs: A lob shot is when you hit the ball high in the air, normally it is played when the opponent is in the kitchen and to catch them off balance, but it is also used to defend heavy smashes coming your way.

Overheads: An overhead shot is similar to badminton smashes, as the goal is to contact the ball at its highest point and smash it at your opponents feet or away from their strike zone.

How to serve in pickleball

A serve is the first shot of every Pickleball rally. As per the USA Pickleball Official Rules, you need to follow these pointers to execute a legal serve:

To execute a volley serve correctly you need to swing with an underhand stroke and make contact with the ball below the waist before the ball bounces.
You have to move your arm in an upward arc while making contact with the ball.
You cannot hold the paddle in a straight position while serving, meaning the paddle head will always have to face side ways or downward while serving. As long as the paddle head is not upwards you can use a backhand or forehand stroke in your serve.

Update: Since 2021 both “volley serves” and “drop serves” are deemed legal as per USA Pickleball guidelines. Meaning you can execute a serve after dropping the ball and letting it bounce, (Multiple bounces are so far considered legal)

Where to serve in pickleball

In doubles pickleball, you always serve to the court diagonal from you. The ball must go completely past the kitchen line and land inside the area between the sideline and baseline. It’s okay if your serve lands on the baseline or sideline, but it can’t touch the kitchen line.

Where to stand when serving

When serving in pickleball, you must stay behind the baseline — your feet can’t touch the baseline or sideline while you serve.

As the serving team, stay behind the baseline until after the third shot has been hit. If you rush toward the kitchen too soon, you might break the two-bounce rule.

Tip: The returning team can use a “one-up, one-back” position. Since the serve has to bounce on their side first, this setup helps them move in quickly and start volleying after their return.

Serving strategies

Serving is the way to start a Pickleball rally which puts the server in a good position to command and possibly win the point on a serve itself (Called an Ace). Master these three key strategies to upgrade your pickleball serve from beginner to pro level.

Push it deep: By serving deep you can push your opponents behind the baseline which gives you time to come towards the kitchen line which will allow you to hit easier volleys and dictate the point.
Find your opponents weakness: Once you analyse which is your opponent’s weaker side (Forehand or backhand) you can target that side with your serve which will bring about more errors or a lofty return from your opponent.
Spin it to win it (advanced): This is the most effective way to gain some easy points. Once you are comfortable with your serving routine, start practicing the art of applying spin to your serves. A spinny serve lets you catch your opponent off balance which will result in more unforced errors.

Learn more about pickleball serving rules

What is an illegal serve in pickleball?

If any of these below mentioned serving rules are not meet then the serve is considered illegal:

A serve is always supposed to bounce in the diagonal box, it can touch the baseline or sideline but must cross the kitchen line.
The server must stand behind the baseline while serving
Only underhand serves are allowed in Pickleball
The first serve is always done by the played standing in the even point side of the court and once their serve is broken the other player has to take over for the second serve.

Types of serving mistakes

While serving you need to be aware of these mistakes as they will lead to a faul and as a result award your opponents a very easy break of serve.

Foot Faults

The server’s foot touches the baseline or sideline while making contact with the ball on a serve.

A Pre Spun Serve

The server rotates the ball with his hand and then hits the spinning ball for the serve.

Hitting The Net

The ball hits into the net and falls back to your side of the court or lands in the opponents kitchen area which includes the kitchen line. If it hits the net but still lands in the correct service area, then it is considered a ‘let’ (earlier was considered a legal serve).

Missing The Serve

The server hits the serve outside the baseline, or not to the correct side.

How to start a game & keep score

The Game of Pickleball starts with a serve — but who serves first? According to the USA Pickleball rulebook, any fair method can decide it. You can flip a coin, or follow local rules (some courts always have the north side serve first). Just agree on a method before starting.

Once the serving side is chosen, the player on the right side of the court serves first. They’ll call out the score as “0–0–2.” Both teams start with zero points, and the “2” means the starting team only gets one serve to begin the game.

After that first “side out,” each team gets two serves — one per player — before the serve switches sides again.

Remember: a side out happens when the serving team loses both serves. Then it’s the other team’s turn to serve.

There’s a lot to take in here, so let’s recap how to start a pickleball game:

Decide the starting team based on local rules or a coin toss.
The player on the right side of the court serves first.
The first server announces “0-0-2” as the starting score.
Players serve (out of the air or off the bounce) to the diagonal side
If the service is “good”, play continues.
After the first point is over (if won by the serving team), the next serve is hit from the left side of the server’s court. Points then alternate from left to right until the serve “sides out”.

Learn more about how pickleball scoring works

What is the two-bounce rule in pickleball?

The “two-bounce rule” means that the ball must bounce once on each side after a serve before any player can volley the ball out of the air.

Let’s use doubles as an example. When a player serves the ball, and it lands in their opponent’s court, that counts as the first bounce. After the opponent returns the ball, the serving team must wait for the ball to bounce again before hitting it.

This means players can only “volley” the ball once the two-bounce rule has been fulfilled. If a player is standing close to the net before fulfilling this rule, they cannot legally hit it out of the air.

So, it wouldn’t make any sense for the serving team to start at the kitchen. You should only start at the kitchen if you’re on the receiving team but not currently receiving the serve. This is because the ball will always have bounced twice before ever being hit to you.

Once the two-bounce rule is fulfilled, all players are free to move to the kitchen area and begin volleying. This is often the most strategic place to be in pickleball.

How to play pickleball doubles

Pickleball doubles involves two players on each team and is by far the most popular way to play pickleball. Here’s a quick guide on where to stand:

Since doubles is the most common variation, all the rules I’ve discussed so far apply here unless otherwise mentioned. This goes for things like serving, scoring, volleying, and the two-bounce rule.

Learn even more about pickleball doubles rules

How to play pickleball singles

Doubles is the most popular format to play pickleball, but you can also play singles — one player on each side instead of two. The game works almost the same, with just a few key differences.

Main Differences in Singles

The serving side after a side out depends on the player’s score.
The score call has only two numbers: your score first, then your opponent’s.

Key Scoring Rules for Singles

Each game starts with the serve from the right side.
If the server wins the rally, they move to the left side to serve next.
If the receiver wins the rally, no one switches sides.
The server keeps serving (alternating sides) until they lose a rally.
There’s only one serve per turn — once the server loses a rally, it’s a side out, and the opponent serves next.

Which Side to Serve From

Serve from the right side when your score is even (0, 2, 4, etc.).
Serve from the left side when your score is odd (1, 3, 5, etc.).

Other than these small changes, all the usual pickleball rules — serving, faults, lines, and the kitchen — stay exactly the same as in doubles.

Can you play pickleball by yourself?

While it goes against the whole essence of Pickleball, you can indeed play Pickleball alone, the advantages of doing so include fast hands, improved hand-eue co-ordination, more confidence in approaching the kitchen, and turning your weaknesses into your strengths. Don’t know where or how to start solo? Then check out our guide on the Best solo pickleball drills that you could even do in your bedroom giving a whole new meaning to Tyson McGuffin’s “Bedroom Cardio” quote.

Here are the top three ways to get maximum value from solo pickleball sessions:

Practice Wall:
You don’t need fancy equipment — any solid, upright surface such as a garage door or a sturdy wall works perfectly. Repeatedly hitting the ball against it is an excellent way to sharpen your precision, control, and reaction time.
Many players like to place a temporary net or tape line to ensure their shots stay at the right height. You can also draw or tape on specific targets, or hang a dedicated dink pad to simulate real play.
Rebound Net:
A rebound net is another great option for practicing alone. It returns the ball to you, helping simulate a rally with an opponent. These nets can be easily set up in your driveway, backyard, or even indoors. By adjusting the angle, you can change how the ball rebounds, giving you a variety of shot types to practice. Plus, they’re much quieter than hitting against a wall — ideal if you want to keep the peace with your neighbors.
Some players like to place a temporary net or draw a line across the wall to check that their shots stay at the right height. Others add taped targets to aim for, or hang a specialized dink pad to create a more realistic practice setup.
A pickleball machine: This is a cheat code that almost all the pro’s use, be it any match situation on any angle of the court you can practice a shot for every situation multiple times until it becomes first nature to you. So while investing in a pickleball machine is the most efficient way of getting better quickly, it can also be an expensive investment and not to mention take up real estate space at your home or garage so only go for it if you are fully committed to mastering the game

One of the best pickleball machine’s to exist is The Erne that is able to hold more than 150 balls and can be programmed and operated via through its app which you can download on your phone. The app has in-built drill routines along with the option to add customized routines

Tips for pickleball beginners

As a beginner who’s just started playing pickleball, you could rapidly improve your game by following these tips:

Take control of the kitchen: Once you hit a deep serve return, you are at an advantage as you have enough time to make your way near the kitchen line. A lot of beginners including the Tennis pros tend to stick to the baseline, which gives the opponent the advantage of taking control of the nets.
Pickleball is all about fast hands, once you’ve stationed yourself at the kitchen line, hold your paddle near your chest height with your arms stretched out, this is called a ready position which will help you take more balls out of the air and force your opponents into hitting an easy return.
Tight is not always right! Well atleast in pickleball, a lot of beginners tend to squeeze onto the handle while hitting a touch shot which is completely wrong as you will end up hitting one too many pop ups. What you want to be doing is loosen your grip, this will give you that smooth touch shot which will force your opponents to hit a dink reset.
Its all in the shoulder: With the aim to hit an over ambitious dink Beginners tend to flick their wrist on all touch shots—especially dinks, but doing so just generates extra pace on the bal which results in a pop up or the ball going out of play. To hit a precise dink you need to keep your wrist completely still and only let your shoulder rotate your arm. Don’t be shy to follow through after making contact with the ball which will help you place your dink where you want it to go.
Drop it low: If you wish to hit a deep return or a drive with pace what you need to be doing is slightly bending your knees. This slight squat position combined with a spilt step routine will provide a stable base and keep you ready to hit all your shots with an added zit to them. Split stepping is honestly a cheat code which is a foundation of every pros game, so ive curated a detailed guide on what is a split step to help you inculcate this routine to your game
Lobs are for bob: Bob loves to lob his way while transitioning to the kitchen area, only to get smashed 9/ out of 10 times, bob will remain a beginner if he continues to do so, dont be bob. While pro’s are not completely against lobbing, it is a low-percentage shot, by simply deciding to replace your lob shots by dinks you will start winning more points and over a period of time dinks will come naturally to you.
Patience is key: Regardless of the level of your opponent you do not want to use extra power on all your shots, instead construct the point find the right opportunity and hit a power shot when your opponent offers a pop up.
Be a master of the drop: While the Thirrd shot drop shot is not as popular as it used to be, it is still the greatest weapon to have in your array of shots in pickleball. A drop shot is easy to hit but difficult to execute to perfection , hence to master it you need to practice it daily either with a coach, drilling partner or a pickleball machine.
Deeper is always better: You can push your opponents behind the baseline by simply returning deep or serving deep, this will let you take control of the kitchen area and set you up to hit a winning volley.
Practice makes you perfect: Like any other sport, you need to practise to get better. Beginners often end up skipping drilling sessions and directly playing matches. In drilling sessions you can specifically work on your weak areas which will give you the confidence to apply those shots the next time you play a match.
Paddle does make a difference: One could not emphasize enough on the wonders a good paddle would do to your gameplay. You do not need to buy the super expensive paddles, but find the one that suits your game the best, to simplify this we have curated a paddle quiz, take it to get a better idea of which is the best paddle for you

Bottom line

All in all, if you have made it till here, you are already in love with Pickleball and are looking to play it as its meant to be played with the correct rules. So to summarise all that we have learned from this guide, here are the main rules that you need to keep in mind. You can screenshot this paragraph if you wish to access it quickly while on the courts:

An underhand serve is the first shot of every Pickleball rally (forehand or backhand).
The two-bounce rule must be followed before either team starts engaging in volley shots.
A point is continued to be played until an error is made by either team
The kitchen area including the kitchen line is a no volley zone, Period!

Now without further adieu, Let’s play Pickleball!