How to Play Pickleball
New to pickleball? This page walks you through the basics like a friend would. No experience needed.
What You Need to Start
You need a paddle, a ball, a court, and comfy shoes. Paddles are solid and a little bigger than a ping-pong paddle. The ball is light with holes in it. Courts are 20 by 44 feet. Wear shoes with good grip, since you'll be stopping and starting a lot.
How a Game Works
The serve: Stand behind the baseline, hit the ball underhand with your paddle below your waist, and send it diagonally into the other team's service box. If you miss, there's no second try.
The two-bounce rule: After the serve, the ball has to bounce once on the receiving side and once on the serving side before anyone can hit it out of the air. After those two bounces, you're free to volley.
The Kitchen
The kitchen is the 7-foot zone on each side of the net. You can't hit the ball out of the air while standing in it, and that includes touching the line. You can step in to hit a ball after it has bounced there.
How Points Are Scored in Doubles
Only the serving team can score. If the serving team wins a rally, they get a point and the same server serves again from the other side. If the serving team loses the rally, the partner serves next. Once both partners have lost their serve, it's a side out and the other team serves. The exception is the very start of the game (0-0-2), when only one partner serves before the side out. Scores are called as three numbers: the serving team's score, the receiving team's score, and which server (1 or 2) is serving. Games are played to 11, and you have to win by 2.
Where to Stand in Doubles
Each team takes one side of the court. The serving team both start back at the baseline, because the return has to bounce before they can hit it. On the receiving team, the person returning the serve stands at the baseline and their partner waits up near the kitchen line. Stay on your side, and talk with your partner about who takes balls down the middle.
Tips for Your First Game
Keep the ball deep, aim for the middle, and don't rush to the net. Bend your knees, keep your paddle up, and have fun. Rallies get longer as you get comfortable.
Common Beginner Mistakes
Stepping into the kitchen to volley. Serving too hard. Forgetting the two-bounce rule. Standing too far back. Watching the ball instead of moving your feet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to be athletic? No. Pickleball is easy to pick up at any age. Can I use a ping-pong paddle? It's not ideal, since pickleball paddles are solid and a little bigger. Is it hard to learn? Most beginners can finish a rally within their first session.