Pickleball Rules 101
New to the sport? Here's the quick version before you step on court.
1. The Serve
Serves are hit underhand, below the waist, diagonally into the opponent's service court. Only the serving side can score a point.
2. Double Bounce Rule
After the serve, the ball must bounce once on the receiving side and once on the serving side before either team can volley (hit it in the air).
3. The Non-Volley Zone ("The Kitchen")
The 7-foot zone on each side of the net where players cannot hit the ball out of the air (volley). You may enter the kitchen, but only to play a ball that has bounced.
4. Scoring
Games are typically played to 11 points, win by 2. Only the serving team can score.
5. Faults
A fault ends the rally — hitting the ball out of bounds, into the net, or volleying while standing in the kitchen are all faults.
6. Line Calls
A ball touching any part of a boundary line is considered "in".
7. Equipment
Players use a solid paddle and a perforated plastic ball, similar to a wiffle ball.