New to the game? Don’t let the rules intimidate you. Pickleball is famous for being easy to learn but hard to master. Here is everything you need to know to play your first match today.
1. The Serve
Every point starts with a serve. In Pickleball, the serve must be underhand and contact must be made below the waist. You serve diagonally across the court, and it must land past the opponent's "Kitchen" line.
2. The Two-Bounce Rule
This is the most important rule for beginners! After the serve, the ball must bounce once on each side before anyone can hit a volley (hitting the ball out of the air).
- Step 1: The serve bounces once.
- Step 2: The return bounces once.
- Step 3: After those two bounces, you can either play it off the bounce or hit it in the air!
3. The Kitchen (Non-Volley Zone)
The 2.13m (7ft) area closest to the net is called "The Kitchen." The Rule: You cannot hit the ball out of the air while standing inside the Kitchen. This prevents players from standing right at the net and smashing every ball down. You can only enter the Kitchen if the ball bounces there first.
4. Scoring
In doubles, the score is called using three numbers (e.g., 4 - 3 - 2).
- First number: The serving team’s score.
- Second number: The receiving team’s score.
- Third number: Server number (1 or 2) of that team's possession.
Note: You can only score points when your team is serving!