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Pickleball is a welcoming sport with simple rules that make it easy for anyone to pick up. Here’s a beginner-friendly breakdown of the core rules, so you can start playing with confidence.
Court Layout
The court is 6.1 metres wide by 13.4 metres long, divided into right and left service areas. Each side has a Non-Volley Zone, often called "the kitchen", which extends 2.1 metres from the net on both sides.
Serving Rules
- The serve must be underhand, with contact below waist height.
- The server must hit diagonally into the opponent’s service court.
- Only one serve attempt is allowed (unless there's a let).
- The serve must clear the net and land beyond the kitchen line.
Scoring Basics
- Only the serving team can score.
- A standard game is played to 11 points, win by 2.
- Points are scored when the opposing team commits a fault (e.g. hits the ball out, into the net, or fails to return it).
Double Bounce Rule
This rule is simple but essential:
- After the serve, the receiving team must let the ball bounce once.
- The serving team must also let the return bounce once.
- After those two bounces, the ball can be volleyed or played off the bounce.
The Kitchen Rule
- You can’t volley while standing in the kitchen (Non-Volley Zone).
- You can step into the kitchen — but only if you’re hitting a shot that has bounced first.