The Rules of Pickleball, Explained in 5 Minutes
It’s easy to learn the rules of pickleball! We outlined some of the main rules and included a video at the bottom of this article to explain them. Within five minutes, you’ll be ready to get out there and give it a try!
How to serve in pickleball.
The serve must be hit underhand below the waist. Hit the ball diagonal to your opponent's court. The opponent can have one bounce to hit the ball back.
As a consequence of an incorrect serve or fault, either your teammate or your opponent receives the next serve if you are playing doubles.
The two bounce rule in pickleball.
The two bounce rule is in effect after the serve. The pickleball must bounce before the serve is returned. Then, the serving team must let the serve return bounce before hitting it back. So, serve-bounce-return-bounce-return.
Then, either team can volley the pickleball out of the air.
Volleying in pickleball.
The term volley refers to hitting the ball out of the air without allowing it to bounce first. A player can only do this in pickleball when they're not in the no-volley zone, often referred to as the kitchen.
What is the kitchen in pickleball?
The kitchen is the 7-foot area outlined on both sides of the court. The kitchen line shows players where it begins. You cannot volley the pickleball out of the air in the kitchen.
Pickleball paddles.
Pickleball paddles come in all shapes, sizes, and weights. Read our guide to finding the right paddle.
Scoring in pickleball.
There are mostly 11-point games, with a few 15 or 21-point games. Win by two. The first team to win two games usually wins the match. The server announces the score and includes at the end if they are the first or second server. This is not observed in singles. A point is awarded if your competitor hits the ball out of bounds, into the net, or violates the Non-Volley Zone rules (NVZ) AKA the kitchen.
Curious about the other rules of pickleball and how to get started?
Watch the video and learn the rules of pickleball in 5 minutes:
