Pickleball 101: How to Play Pickleball

New to pickleball? You’re in good company. This fast-growing sport is the perfect blend of tennis, badminton, and ping pong. It’s easy to pick up and fun to play.

Played in singles or doubles, players use solid paddles (a little bigger than ping pong paddles) to hit a lightweight plastic ball across a compact court that looks like a mini tennis court.

The objective is simple: rally the ball over the net and be the first to score 11 points, with a two-point lead. There are just a few rules to keep things interesting. Serves must be underhand and diagonal, and the ball has to bounce once on each side before you can volley. One more thing to remember — stay out of the kitchen. We'll explain.

Serving and Scoring: The Basics

How to Serve

Pickleball serves are always underhand. You stand behind the baseline and serve the ball diagonally across the court, aiming for the opponent’s service area. The ball must clear the net and land in the correct box to count.

Scoring Points

Only the serving team can score. Games are played to 11 points, but you must win by 2. In doubles, each player on a team gets a turn to serve before the serve switches to the other side.

Before each serve, players call out three numbers: your team’s score, your opponents’ score, and whether it’s the first or second server. So if you hear “6-4-2,” that means your team has 6, your opponents have 4, and it's the second server’s turn.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Everyone makes mistakes. Here are a few to watch for:

• Double Bounce Violation: After the serve, the ball must bounce once on each side before you’re allowed to volley. Skip this, and you lose the rally.
• Foot Fault: During the serve, both feet must stay behind the baseline. No stepping on the line.
• Out of Bounds: If the ball lands outside the court, the rally goes to your opponent.
• Service Errors: If your serve doesn’t land in the correct box or hits the net, it’s a fault and your turn ends.

The Kitchen, Explained

The kitchen — officially called the Non-Volley Zone (NVZ) — is the seven-foot area on either side of the net. In this zone, players are not allowed to volley the ball. You can step into the kitchen only after the ball has bounced.

Why It Exists

The kitchen keeps the game fair and strategic. Without it, players could just stand at the net and smash every ball, which would make rallies short and boring. The kitchen forces players to think creatively, move with intention, and rely on touch and placement rather than brute strength.

Kitchen Rules, Simplified

What you can do:

• Step into the kitchen to return a ball that has bounced.
• Move freely in and out of the zone during rallies.
• Play soft, tactical shots and groundstrokes.

What you can't do:

• Volley the ball while standing in or touching the kitchen or its boundary line.
  
• Allow your momentum to carry you into the kitchen after a volley. Even if the shot is clean, it’s still a fault.

Final Serve

Pickleball is quick to learn, and with just a few rules and some practice, you’ll be rallying in no time. Whether you're just out for a good time or planning to dominate the leaderboard, knowing the basics gives you the edge.

Grab your paddle and get out there. See you Courtside!