We have cultivated this list of Pickleball rules to help you crush your friends on the court, and ensure they don’t start making up new rules when you beat them.
Bookmark this webpage so you can refer to this guide whenever you have a dispute on the pickleball court, we will update it frequently.
Pickleball is a fun and fast-paced sport that is growing in popularity all over the world.
Celebrities like Lebron James, Gary Vee, Leonardo DiCaprio, and even The Kardashians have been playing this crazy new sport, and now a professional league has started.
In its simplest form, Pickleball is a paddle sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and ping pong. Two or four players use paddles to hit a ball back and forth over a net.
The game takes place on a court that is about half the size of a tennis court and it can be played indoors or outdoors.
If you are looking for a new way to get active, or just curious about what the hell pickleball is, this blog post is for you!
In this post, we will discuss the basic gameplay of pickleball - including how to play, the rules, pickleball strategies to crush your friends, and some tips on getting started.
A volley in pickleball is when a player hits the ball in the air without allowing it to bounce. No volleying is allowed if the player's feet in the no-volley zone (kitchen). The ball can only be volleyed in a game of pickleball once it has bounced on both sides (double bounce rule).
Okay now that you know what a volley is, you are going to need to understand the pickleball no-volley zone. The no-volley zone in pickleball is the area where a player can not hit the ball on the full from.
Always keep in mind that you must stay behind the no-volley zone and not enter it at any moment during a volley. If you have any part of your body in this area, your opponent receives one point. The no-volley zone prevents players from standing at the net the entire game and slamming the pickleball back to their opponents.
This zone is also called the kitchen. If you want to know why the no-volley zone is called the kitchen in pickleball, scroll to #7.
A key rule of pickleball to remember is that after a service, the ball is required to bounce twice. Once on the receiving side and once on the serving side. After the ball has bounced twice (double-bounce), each team can decide whether to volley or play a ground stoke.
The two-bounce rule in pickleball means the ball has to bounce on either side of the court before a volley.
This pickleball rule means rallies are extended and the serve-and-volley advantage, like in tennis, is removed because of the double bounce rule.
A dink in pickleball is a low, arcing shot hit from the neutral zone that is meant to fall in the neutral zone of the opponent's court, either directly across the court or on the diagonal.
Near-net dinks are notoriously tricky to return because of the extreme angle necessary to send the ball soaring back into play.
With a proper downward curve as it crosses the goal line, a dink is much more challenging to return than a straight power shot. Because the net is lower in the middle, forcing your opponent off the court where they have to return it over the higher edges of the net is a great pickleball strategy.
A light lifting (pushing) motion is used to make contact with the ball in front of the body while keeping the paddle face open. Overpowering the ball is avoided by using a delicate, controlled shoulder-based swing with no wrist break and very little backswing.
It pays to be patient when using a dink in pickleball. Maintain your dinking until your opponent makes a mistake.
In the event of a fault in pickleball, play is immediately halted because of an infraction of the rules.
It is a fault in pickleball when:
What happens when someone commits a fault in pickleball?
If you aren’t aware, Pickleball is the ultimate shit-talking sport.
So, if you can’t stand the heat, you should probably get out of the kitchen (or the pickleball court).
It is called the kitchen because you stand so close to one another and you give it your all - so you may as well be throwing the kitchen sink at your opponent. Still unsure what the kitchen is? Keep reading.
Dink responsibly, it's addictive!
Pickleball palooza, party on the court.
Dill with it, and play Pickleball.
When playing pickleball, there is a designated area known as "the kitchen" where certain rules apply. For those pickleball beginners out there, learning the rules of the pickleball kitchen can be a bit tricky. Luckily, gearD is here to help you learn the ropes.
Now, you probably need some help finding the kitchen.
The kitchen, or non-volley zone, of a pickleball court, is the area seven feet in length on either side of the net. The kitchen stretches from sideline to sideline. It is easiest to understand if you look at the image below.
Alt text: Why is it called the kitchen in Pickleball?
You've found the kitchen; now learn the rules for using it.
What makes pickleball stand apart from other racquet sports is the emphasis on not letting players hog the net.
Remember that you can't stand in the kitchen or touch the kitchen line at any time during a volley. One point is awarded to your opponent for each time any part of your body is touching one of these zones. This pickleball rule forbids players from standing at the net for the duration of the match and extends the rallies.
If a player loses an item of clothing or sunglasses in the kitchen, their opponent scores a point. You can not drop anything in the kitchen. This includes your paddle, car keys, or cap, pots, pans, or marbles...
One more thing to keep in mind: you can't ride your momentum all the way into the kitchen. No matter how well you volley the ball to your opponent, you still risk committing a fault if you enter the "kitchen." Even dead ball situations are fair game for a mistake.
You can still access the kitchen for dink shots. Only volley shots are illegal in the kitchen. Keep in mind that if you merely stand in the kitchen, your opponent can easily hit a volley at you. While some time in the kitchen may be required, it is essential that you leave as soon as possible.
Those unfamiliar with pickleball may be perplexed by the kitchen rules. However, after you've gotten the hang of things, you'll be ready to turn up the heat in your next pickleball match.
In pickleball, the ball is considered "in" if it lands anywhere on the court, including on the line. This includes each and every one of the lines that are on the pickleball court.
If you want to put it another way, the pickleball is considered to be "in" if it lands on the sideline, centerline, baseline, or the line denoting the Non-Volley Zone line (kitchen) on any shot other than the serve. The pickleball is considered to be "out" if it lands in an area that is completely outside of the lines that define the pickleball court.
When the pickleball is "in," the rally will continue. If the ball is deemed “out”, the player or team that hits the pickleball out of bounds has committed a fault, and as a result, they will lose the rally.
The winner of a game in Pickleball is the first to reach 11 points. The winner of the match is the first to win two games.
You need to win 11 points to win one game (and win by two points), most Pickleball matches are played to the best of three games.
An example score line of a 3-game Pickleball Match would be (11-6, 10-12, 11-5).
An example score line of a 2-game pickleball match would be (11-2, 11-4).
When an individual player or doubles team reaches 11 points and has a lead of at least two points, the game is over. If the score is 10-all (10-10), the game continues until one player or team wins by two points.
When the first game is over, players exchange sides.
In the event that a third game is required, once the first person or team reaches 6 points, the players will switch sides and play to the end.
Single games to 15 points are frequently played in consolation brackets and when time is of the essence. In this case, too, the victor needs a two-point lead. When one team reaches 8 points in a game with a 15-point maximum, the players on that team should exchange sides.
The typical duration of a single pickleball game ranges from 15 to 25 minutes. This is usually the same whether it is a singles or doubles match. This is the typical amount of time it takes for a single team to score 11 points.
If the match goes to three games, it can take between 45 minutes and 1 hour and twenty minutes.
Below are the pickleball serving rules for both doubles and singles matches:
When a new game begins, just one member of the serving team gets a chance to serve before passing the ball to the other team.
After one player from each team has served, both players on a doubles team will get to serve before the ball is passed to the other side.
When a service turn begins in doubles, the player on the right serves first and remains the server until his or her team loses a point. When that happens, his or her teammate will serve until he or she also loses a point. Then the other team will have a chance to serve.
When a point is scored by the team serving, the server switches sides. The team on the receiving end should never exchange sides.
When serving in singles, the server serves from the right-hand side of the court when he or she has an even number of points (0,2,4,6,8,10). When they have an odd number of points (1,3,5,7,9) they serve from the left. The receiver should always stand opposite the server and change sides when the server does so.
A simple game of paper, scissors, rock or a coin toss can help you decide who serves in Pickleball. But, if you want to get creative with how you decide on the first server, you are more than welcome to do so.
Yes, you can serve backhand in Pickleball! It is a tactic for more seasoned veterans of Pickleball, and a great way to catch your opponents off guard.
But, you must still make sure that it is an underhanded backhand serve and the ball is struck below your waist. Otherwise, it is a fault.
Okay, now that you are clued up on all the rules of Pickleball, you are ready to play!
Everything you need to get started is listed below:
1) A clear space that's at least 20x44 feet in size. Hard ground like a tennis court or a driveway.
2) Posts that are set or placed on the ground, at least 20 feet apart.
3) A portable pickleball net that can be hung between each post, at a height of 36 inches on the poles and 34 inches in the center.
4) One lightweight pickleball paddle for each player
5) A perforated plastic pickleball ball
6) A competitive mindset… For when it gets hot in the kitchen.
