Pickleball is a fun and fast-paced sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis. Here’s a simple guide on how to play
Basic Rules of Pickleball
Objective
The goal is to score points by hitting a ball over the net and into the opposing team's side of the court, ensuring the ball bounces in bounds or is not returned.
The court
The court is 20 feet wide by 44 feet long (the same size for both singles and doubles).
The net is set at 36 inches high at the sidelines and 34 inches at the center.
The court is divided into two sides by a net, with a 7-foot "non-volley zone" near the net (often referred to as the "kitchen").
Serving
The game starts with a serve. The server must stand behind the baseline and serve the ball diagonally to the opposite side of the court.
The serve must be underhand and the ball must land in the diagonal service box.
The server must hit the ball so that it bounces once on the opponent’s side before being returned.
The server gets one attempt to make a successful serve. If the ball hits the net or goes out of bounds, it’s a fault.
In doubles, players switch sides after each point is scored, with each team member serving once per round.
Serving Rotation
In singles, the server alternates sides after every point.
In doubles, the server alternates sides with their partner after each point, but only the first server of the game serves from the right side.
The Double Bounce Rule
After the serve, the ball must bounce once on each side of the court before players can hit volleys (hitting the ball before it bounces).
Volleys
A volley is when the ball is hit in the air without letting it bounce.
You cannot volley the ball when standing in the kitchen (non-volley zone).
Scoring
Pickleball uses rally scoring or side-out scoring depending on the variation. In traditional scoring, you can only score a point when you are serving.
Points are awarded when the opponent fails to return the ball correctly, hits the ball out of bounds, or hits the ball into the net.
Games are typically played to 11 points, but you must win by at least 2 points.
If playing doubles, the first team to reach 11 points wins.
Basic gameplays
The serve begins from the right side of the court and must be hit underhand.
The ball must bounce once on each side before players can hit it in the air.
Players should aim to return the ball inbounds, keeping it away from the opposing team.
Once both sides have exchanged their serves and the ball bounces, players can volley the ball (hit it before it bounces) but must avoid stepping into the non-volley zone (the kitchen).
The first team to reach 11 points (or another agreed score) wins the game, provided they lead by 2 points.
Tips for beginners
Positioning Stay near the baseline in the beginning, and as you get better, move toward the net to intercept volleys.
Focus on placement Instead of always hitting hard, try to place the ball in open spaces or areas where your opponent is not.
Use the kitchen The non-volley zone can be used strategically to intercept the ball and hit easy volleys without worrying about an opponent hitting it back.
