The beauty of pickleball is that it’s easy to start but has enough depth to keep you learning for years. While the USA Pickleball official rulebook is updated annually, the core mechanics of the game remain consistent.
Whether you’re just starting out or preparing for your first local tournament, understanding these ten rules will help you play with confidence and avoid common “newbie” mistakes.
Important to Know: Pickleball Rules
- The Serve: Must be underhand, crosscourt, and clear the Kitchen line.
- Double Bounce: The ball must bounce once on each side before anyone can volley.
- The Kitchen: No volleying while standing in or touching the Non-Volley Zone (NVZ) line.
- Scoring: Points are only scored by the serving team; usually played to 11 (win by 2).
- Faults: Hitting out of bounds, hitting the net, or violating the Kitchen/Bounce rules ends the rally.
The Fundamentals of the Pickleball Serve
In pickleball, the serve isn’t meant to be a dominant weapon like it is in tennis. Instead, it’s a strategic way to start the point and get the ball into play.
1. The Underhand Requirement
Every serve must be made with an underhand motion.
- The Volley Serve: You must hit the ball below your waist. To keep it legal, ensure the highest point of your paddle head is below your wrist when you hit the ball.
- The Drop Serve: Many players find it easier to simply drop the ball and hit it after it bounces. If you choose this method, the height and wrist restrictions don’t apply, making it a reliable option for beginners.
2. Positioning and Direction
A legal serve must travel diagonally crosscourt and land within the lines of the opposite service court. As you serve, make sure both feet stay behind the baseline. If your foot touches the line or the court before you strike the ball, it’s a “foot fault.”
3. The Service Turn Sequence
In doubles, your team typically gets two chances to serve, one for each partner. However, there is a unique exception for the very first turn of the game: only one player on the starting team gets to serve. After that first “side out,” both players on each team will take their turn until their team commits a fault.
4. Navigating the Kitchen on a Serve
The “Kitchen” (or Non-Volley Zone) is off-limits during the serve. If your serve lands in the Kitchen or even brushes the Kitchen line, it is a fault. The ball must clear the line entirely to be considered “live.”
The Strategy Behind the Bounce
Pickleball has a unique pace specifically designed to prevent “serve and volley” dominance and encourage longer rallies.
5. The Double Bounce Rule
This is often the most confusing rule for new players, especially for tennis players playing pickleball for the first time. The ball must bounce once on each side of the net before anyone can hit a volley. 1. The receiving team must let the serve bounce before returning it. 2. The serving team must let that return bounce before hitting it back.
Once those two bounces happen, the “gloves are off” and you can either volley the ball out of the air or play it off the bounce.
Mastering the Non-Volley Zone (The Kitchen)
The Kitchen is the 7-foot area on both sides of the net. It exists to keep the game tactical and prevent players from standing at the net and simply smashing every ball.
6. No Volleys in the Kitchen
You cannot hit a volley (a shot hit out of the air) while any part of your body is inside the Kitchen or touching the Kitchen line. If you need to hit a volley, you must be established behind that line.
7. Momentum and the Line
This rule catches even experienced players off guard. If you hit a legal volley from behind the line, but your momentum causes you to step on the line or fall into the Kitchen afterward, it is a fault. Even if the rally is already over, your momentum must be controlled to stay out of the zone.
Note: You are always allowed to either step in-to, or stand in the Kitchen to play a ball that has already bounced.
Scoring and Common Faults
8. Scoring: Serving Team Only
In traditional pickleball, you only score points when your team is serving. Games are usually played to 11 points, and you must win by 2.
When you hear a score like “8-5-2,” remember this:
- 8: Serving team score.
- 5: Receiving team score.
- 2: Which server on the team is currently serving
9. Line Calls: In vs. Out
Pickleball is a game of inches. In general play, if the ball touches any part of the line, it is in. The only time this changes is on the serve, where touching the Kitchen line counts as “out.”
10. Summary of Common Faults
A fault ends the rally and results in a loss of serve or a point for the opponent. The most common mistakes to watch for are:
- Hitting the ball into the net or out of bounds.
- Violating the Double Bounce Rule.
- Stepping into the Kitchen during a volley (a Kitchen violation).
Final Thoughts
Having a solid grasp of these rules does more than just keep the game fair, it gives you a competitive edge. When you aren’t worried about where your feet are or how to call the score, you can focus on the fun and the strategy of the game.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)
Can you stand in the kitchen in pickleball?
Yes, you can stand in the kitchen at any time. However, you cannot volley (hit the ball out of the air) while standing there. You must let the ball bounce first if you are positioned inside the kitchen lines.
What is the Double Bounce Rule?
The double bounce rule requires that the ball must bounce once on the receiver’s side (the serve) and once on the server’s side (the return) before any player can hit a volley.
Is the line “in” or “out” in pickleball?
In general play, any ball that touches a line is considered in. The only exception is the serve, which is considered out if it touches the kitchen (Non-Volley Zone) line.
How does the 2-point rule work?
Pickleball games are played to a set score (usually 11), but play continues past that score until one team leads by at least two points (e.g., 12-10 or 15-13).
