Pickleball Rules for Beginners — The Complete Quick-Start Guide
Pickleball has a reputation for being easy to learn and hard to master. The basic rules can be understood in about ten minutes, which is one reason the sport has grown so quickly. This guide covers everything a beginner needs to know to get on the court and play a real game — scoring, serving, the non-volley zone, and common faults explained in plain language.
The Objective
Pickleball is played on a court similar in layout to a badminton court, with a net similar to tennis. Two players (singles) or four players (doubles) use solid paddles to hit a perforated plastic ball over the net. The objective is to keep the ball in play and force your opponents to fault — hit the ball out of bounds, into the net, or volley from the non-volley zone. Games are typically played to 11 points, win by 2.
Serving Rules
The serve is always made underhand — the paddle must contact the ball below the server’s waist, and the arm must move in an upward arc at contact. The serve is made diagonally crosscourt and must land in the opposite service box. The server must keep both feet behind the baseline when serving. Only the serving side can score points. If the serve hits the net and lands in the correct service box, it is a let and the serve is replayed.
The Two-Bounce Rule
After the serve, each team must let the ball bounce once before returning. The receiving team lets the serve bounce before returning. The serving team then lets that return bounce before hitting it. After these two bounces, both teams can volley — hit the ball out of the air — or play it after a bounce. The two-bounce rule prevents serve-and-volley dominance and is one of the features that distinguishes pickleball from other racket sports.
The Non-Volley Zone (Kitchen)
The area within 7 feet of the net on both sides is the non-volley zone, commonly called the kitchen. You cannot volley — hit the ball out of the air — while standing in the kitchen or while stepping on the kitchen line. You can step into the kitchen after a ball has bounced there and play it. You must be completely outside the kitchen before you can legally volley. This rule is the source of more disputes among new players than any other.
Scoring
Only the serving team scores points. If the receiving team wins a rally, they win the serve — the right to serve — but do not score a point. In doubles, each player on the serving team gets a serve before the serve passes to the other team, with one exception: the starting team of each game gets only one serve to begin. Scores are called as three numbers in doubles: the serving team’s score, the receiving team’s score, and the server number (1 or 2).
Common Faults
A fault ends the rally and results in a point for the non-faulting side (if they were serving) or a side-out (change of serve). Common faults include: hitting the ball out of bounds, hitting the ball into the net, volleying from the kitchen, volleying before the two-bounce rule is satisfied, the serve landing in the wrong service box, and the serve hitting the net and landing out of bounds.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the kitchen in pickleball?
The kitchen is the informal name for the non-volley zone — the 7-foot area on each side of the net. You cannot volley (hit the ball in the air) while standing in the kitchen or on the kitchen line. You can enter the kitchen to play a ball that has bounced there.
How do you score in pickleball?
Only the serving team can score points. If the server’s team wins a rally, they score a point. If the receiving team wins the rally, they earn the serve but not a point. Games are typically played to 11 points, and you must win by 2.
Can the serve hit the net in pickleball?
If the serve hits the net and lands in the correct service box, it is a let — the serve is replayed with no penalty. If the serve hits the net and lands outside the service box or in the kitchen, it is a fault and the serve is lost.
How many bounces are allowed in pickleball?
After the serve, exactly two bounces are required — one for the receiving team on the serve, and one for the serving team on the return. After those two bounces, players can volley or let the ball bounce as many times as they choose, as long as each bounce is the first bounce (the ball must only bounce once per shot).