How To Play Pickleball? 8 Simple Rules To Get Started 2024

Pickleball is a rapidly growing sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis.

If you’re new to the game and wondering about the basic pickle ball rules, you’ve come to the right place.

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The basic pickleball rules are quite simple and easy to understand.

Rule #1: The Pickleball Court

The game is played on a court that resembles a smaller version of a tennis court, with a net placed in the middle. Players use paddles to hit a perforated plastic ball over the net.

Rule #2: The Players

You may have two or four players. Single pickle ball has two players and Double has four players.

Rule #3: The Serve

The server must stand behind the baseline and serve underhand, making contact with the ball below their waist. You can either hit the ball out of the air or drop the ball on the ground and hit it.

Player who serves must hit the ball diagonally across the net and land within the court square opposite them.

NOTE: If the ball hits the kitchen or the kitchen line (all white line around the kitchen) it is out when serving.

Rule #4: The Double Bounce (not what you think:)

On the first serve, each side must let the ball bounce once on their side before hitting it back over the net.

This means that players cannot hit the ball out of air, you must bounce it before hitting it.

The serve also needs to let the ball bounce once back in their court.

The ball must bounce once on each side (known as the ‘double bounce rule’).

Two-Bounce Rule:
Both the serve and return must bounce.

Rule #5: The Kitchen

You CANNOT volley* in the kitchen, but You CAN hit in the kitchen. (see photo).

If your opponent hits a short shot landing in the kitchen, you can enter the kitchen area and hit it.

*a shot hit out of the air

Rule #6: How to Lose Points

The rally will continue until someone makes a fault, for instance:

a double bounce
someone hits the ball out of bounds out
someone hits the ball into the net
all shots that are in the court or on the lines of the court are in

Rule #7: How to Win Points

You only win points on your serve.

You continue serving until you lose a rally*. Server 1 will continue to serve if a point has won.

Each time you win a point you change serving positions (right to left and left to right).

Once the Server 1 loses a point then the ball goes to her partner (Server 2) and serves.

You can only win points if you or your partner are the one serving.

*the continuous back and forth that occurs after the service of the ball but before a fault.

Rule #8: Scoring

First team to 11 points wins—but you must win by 2.

To start, both players (in doubles) get the opportunity to serve.

And in pickleball scoring, you’ll might hear a player say 3 numbers. “3,2,1 “.

What the heck is that third number? It tracks which of the two players on a team has the serve. If the 2nd player serves then it would be 3,2,2.

These are just some of the basic rules of pickle ball that every player should be aware of when starting out.

Here’s a short video of “How to Play Pickleball” – Easy & Simple Instructions

As you gain more experience and confidence in your game play, you can explore advanced techniques and strategies to further enhance your skills on this exciting court-based sport.