Pickleball Basics
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What Is Pickleball?
The Most Addictive Sport You’ve Ever Played
Pickleball is one of the most exciting and fastest-growing sports around—and it’s easy to see why! Combining elements of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong, it’s played on a compact court with a low net, using solid paddles and a lightweight, perforated ball.
The game is typically played in doubles, making it incredibly social and fun. The objective is simple: rally the ball over the net and score points by outplaying your opponents. But don’t be fooled—there’s plenty of strategy involved, especially with the “kitchen” (a non-volley zone near the net) that keeps the game dynamic and engaging.
Whether you’re brand new or a seasoned player, pickleball delivers the perfect mix of energy, competition, and connection every time you step on the court!
Its a Unique Mash-Up of Familiar Sports:
THE COURT SIZE OF Badminton
Key Aspects of Pickleball:
Key Aspects of Pickleball:
Here are some uniquely important things to know:
The court measures 20 ft x 44 ft, similar in size to a badminton court, but with unique zones that shape gameplay.
The net stands at just 34 inches high, slightly lower than a traditional tennis net.
Games are typically played to 11 points, and teams must win by 2 points.
Only the serving team can score points, earning them when the opposing team commits a fault.
The 7-foot zone on both sides of the net, known as the kitchen, is a non-volley zone, adding a strategic element to play.
Why Does Everyone Love Pickleball?
Don’t take our word for it – hear it from the Pickleplex family. No matter what we can say, its hard to describe the energy, the excitement and the way people come together at Pickleplex. See it for yourself!
The 5 Most Basic Rules & Principles
There’s a lot to learn, but without getting your head spinning – here’s the most important rules or principles to wrap your head around.
Rule #1 - Begin With a Serve
The game begins with one team serving the ball. The player on the right side of the court starts the serve, hitting the ball across the net so it lands diagonally in the opposing team’s service area.
If the receiving team returns the ball correctly, the rally begins.
Rule #2 - The “Two-Bounce” Rule
The ball must bounce once on each side of the court before either team can hit it in the air (volley). After the serve, the receiving team returns the ball, and the serving team must let it bounce on their side before playing it.
Known as the “two-bounce” rule, this keeps the serving team from rushing the net too quickly and helps create longer rallies, more strategy, and fairer gameplay.
Rule #3 - Faults
A fault on a serve occurs if the ball lands short (including the non-volley line), goes into the wrong service court, or lands out of bounds.
During play, faults include volleying while in the non-volley zone (or touching the line), hitting the ball into the net or any permanent object, or sending the ball out of bounds. A fault also occurs if the ball hits a player or if a player lets the ball bounce twice before returning it.
Players should not catch balls—even if they appear to be going out—as this results in a fault. Always let the ball bounce first and clearly call “out” if needed.
Rule #4 - Points
A point is earned when the receiving team fails to return the ball properly—such as hitting it out of bounds, into the net, or committing a fault. If the receiving team makes a mistake, the serving team wins the rally and scores a point.
If the serving team makes a fault instead, no point is awarded and the serve passes to the other team (or to the partner in doubles).
Rule # 5 - Scoring
Scoring in pickleball can be confusing for beginners. Only the server announces the score. In doubles, the player on the right side starts as server #1 for that service turn, and the second partner becomes server #1 the next time they serve from the right side.
The score is always called in this order: serving team score, receiving team score, server number. For example, “3–4–1” means the serving team has 3 points, the opponents have 4, and server #1 is serving.
If the serving team wins the rally, they score a point and switch sides, while the receiving team stays in place. If the server loses the rally, the serve switches to their partner or the other team.
Unlike tennis, there is only one serve attempt per player—if you fault, you lose the serve.
Rule # 5 - Winning The Game
Traditionally, a pickleball game is played to 11 points, but a team must win by 2 points.
This means that if the score is tied near the end (for example, 10–10), a team cannot win on the next point alone. They must continue playing until one team builds a 2-point lead (such as 12–10 or 13–11).
Because of this rule, games can extend into the double digits and often become some of the most exciting and competitive moments in pickleball.
Explore More Pickleball
Pickleplex is more than just pickleball; we’re a community and a culture of supporting players who gather and enjoy each other’s success, improvement and enthusiasm. See what makes this sport unique. Or read some of the questions people often have about it.
“Dink” A Little Deeper
Pickle-Curious Questions
You’re Not Having Enough Fun Until You Try Pickleball.
There’s Nothing Else Like It.
Pickleball is an addictive sport that’s easy to learn but hard to master.
The fast-paced action, strategic play, and social atmosphere make it
incredibly fun for players of all ages and skill levels.