Getting Started
Court Dimensions
A pickleball court is 20 feet wide × 44 feet long — the same size as a doubles badminton court, and roughly a quarter of a tennis court. The compact size is part of what makes the game accessible: less ground to cover, more action in a smaller space.
The Net
The net stretches the full width of the court. It's 36 inches tall at the sidelines and dips slightly to 34 inches at the center. Shots aimed down the middle have a fraction more clearance than shots hit near the edges — something you'll notice once you start playing.
The Three Zones
Each half of the court has three zones that govern how the game works:
Non-Volley Zone (Kitchen)
A 7-foot-deep zone on each side of the net, stretching the full width of the court. You can stand here anytime, but you may never hit the ball out of the air (volley) while touching this zone or its lines. The kitchen is the most strategically important area in pickleball.
Service Courts
Behind each kitchen are two service boxes, split by a centerline. Each box is 10 feet wide × 15 feet deep. When serving, you aim for the diagonally opposite box. The centerline, sideline, and baseline are all "in" on a serve — only the kitchen line is "out."
Lines
All boundary lines (baseline, sidelines, centerline) are in bounds — if any part of the ball touches the line, it's good. The one exception is the kitchen line on serves: a serve that lands on or inside the kitchen line is a fault. During regular play, all lines including the kitchen line are in bounds.
Paddle
A pickleball paddle is solid-faced (no strings) and larger than a ping-pong paddle but smaller than a tennis racquet. Paddles range from about $15 for a basic starter to $200+ for advanced composite models. For beginners, a mid-range paddle ($40–80) with a polypropylene core and fiberglass face is a great starting point — it'll give you control and forgiveness while you develop your touch.
Ball
Pickleballs are perforated plastic balls — think whiffle ball, but heavier and more uniform. There are two types:
Outdoor balls have 40 smaller holes, are heavier, and are designed to handle wind. They play faster and are used for most organized play. Indoor balls have 26 larger holes, are lighter and softer, and bounce higher. They're quieter and easier to control, making them forgiving for beginners.
A sleeve of balls costs about $8–12. They crack over time, so you'll go through them — bring extras.
Shoes
Court shoes with lateral support are ideal. Tennis shoes, volleyball shoes, or dedicated pickleball shoes all work. The key is a flat, non-marking sole that grips the court surface and supports side-to-side movement. Running shoes aren't great — they're designed for forward motion and can roll on quick lateral cuts.
Everything Else
Most public courts provide nets, so you likely just need a paddle, a couple of balls, and court shoes. Comfortable athletic clothing, sunscreen if you're outdoors, and water round out the kit. Many recreation centers and clubs will lend you a paddle for your first session if you don't have one yet.
Core Rules
Volley Serve (standard)
- Ball released and struck out of the air — no bounce
- Paddle must swing in an upward arc (underhand)
- Contact point must be below the navel
- Paddle head must be below the wrist at contact
- At least one foot behind the baseline at contact
- Ball may not be spun or manipulated on release
Drop Serve (alternative)
- Ball dropped from the hand or paddle and allowed to bounce before being struck
- Must fall by gravity — cannot be thrown or pushed downward
- Can be dropped from any natural height
- No restrictions on swing direction, contact height, or paddle angle after the bounce
- At least one foot behind the baseline at contact
Where the Serve Must Land
- Diagonally cross-court into the opponent's service box
- Must land past the NVZ and all NVZ lines — the ball can touch the net on the way over
- Centerline, baseline, and sideline of the service court are all in
- The NVZ line is the only line that counts as out on a serve
Server Foot Position
- At least one foot on the ground behind the baseline
- Neither foot may touch the baseline or court until after the ball is struck
- Feet must stay within the imaginary sideline and centerline extensions
Serve Faults
- Serve lands in the NVZ or on the NVZ line
- Serve lands outside the correct service court
- Serve hits the net and lands in the NVZ or out of bounds
- Foot touches the baseline or court before contact
- Ball struck above the navel or paddle head above wrist (volley serve only)
- Ball pushed downward instead of dropped by gravity (drop serve only)
- Ball spun or manipulated during the release
- Serve struck before the score is fully called
How Points Work
- Only the serving team can score. If the receiving team wins the rally, they earn the serve (called a "side out") but no point.
- Games go to 11, win by 2. Tournaments may use 15 or 21.
- Teams switch ends after each game. In a deciding game (game 3), switch when the first team reaches 6 points.
Three-Number Score
The third number tracks whether it's the team's first or second server. Every game starts at "0-0-2" — the first serving team only gets one server before a side out, to offset the advantage of serving first.
Serve Rotation
- After a side out, the serve always starts from the right side. Whoever is on the right becomes Server 1.
- Win the rally → score a point, both partners switch sides, same server serves again from the other side
- Lose the rally → no point, nobody moves — Server 2 takes over from wherever they are
- Server 2 loses → side out — the other team gets the serve
After a Side Out
This is where doubles gets tricky. When your team gets the ball back, nobody switches sides. You and your partner stay exactly where you are. The serve always starts from the right, so whoever is on the right side becomes Server 1. That might not be the same person who served first last time your team had the ball — and that's normal.
Here's the easy way to track it: the player who started the game on the right should always be on the right when your team's score is even, and on the left when it's odd. If that's not the case, someone switched when they shouldn't have.
Two-Number Score
No server number needed — there's only one player per side. Lose the rally, lose the serve immediately.
Serve Rotation
- Even score → serve from right. Odd → serve from left.
- Win the rally → score, switch sides, serve again
- Lose the rally → side out immediately. No second server.
Step by Step
- Bounce 1: The serve must bounce in the service box before the receiver returns it.
- Bounce 2: The return must bounce before the serving team hits it.
- After that: Either team can volley or play the ball off the bounce. Normal play begins.
"Two bounces" means one bounce on each side — not the ball bouncing twice on your side. If the ball bounces twice on one side, that's a fault.
The Core Rule
You may not volley — hit the ball out of the air — while any part of you is touching the Non-Volley Zone or its lines. You also may not let your momentum carry you into the zone after a volley, even if the ball is already dead.
Legal
- Stand in the kitchen at any time (just don't volley from there)
- Hit a ball that has already bounced while in the kitchen
- Step into the kitchen before, during, or after a groundstroke
- Let your paddle extend over the NVZ line during a volley, as long as your body stays outside
Faults
- Volleying while any body part touches the NVZ or its lines
- Momentum carrying you into the NVZ after a volley
- Anything you're wearing or carrying (hat, paddle, sunglasses) touching the NVZ during or after a volley
- Your partner being pulled into the NVZ while physically connected to you during a volley
Momentum Rule
If your momentum from a volley carries you into the kitchen — stumbling, stepping, or falling — it's a fault, even after the ball is dead. If you jump to volley, you must land outside the kitchen. You need to re-establish both feet outside before volleying again.
What Counts as "In the Kitchen"?
- Any body part: feet, knees, hands
- Anything you're wearing: hat, sunglasses, towel
- Anything you're carrying: paddle if dropped, spare ball from your pocket
- The kitchen line itself — the line is part of the NVZ
Ball is In
- Touches any part of a boundary line
- No visible daylight between the ball and line
- Any doubt at all → call it in
Ball is Out
- Lands entirely outside the line with clear space
- Hits a permanent fixture before bouncing in bounds
- On serves only: lands on the NVZ line
Who Makes the Call?
- Players call lines on their own side of the court
- Calls must be prompt — before the opponent hits the next shot or the ball goes dead
- If you call "out" then realize it was "in," you lose the rally
- Opponents can ask you to reconsider or appeal to a referee, but they can't overrule calls on your side
Disputed Calls
- Partners disagree → ball is in (benefit goes to the opponent)
- Can't determine in or out → ball is in
- Non-officiated play, teams can't agree → replay the rally
- Officiated play → referee makes the final call
Shots & Strategy
Drive
A hard, flat shot hit after the ball bounces — your main offensive weapon from mid-court and the baseline. Aim low over the net and target your opponent's feet or backhand. Drives put pressure on the other team but are risky if you hit them too high — you'll get punched back.
Return of Serve
Your first shot as the receiving team. Hit it deep — ideally past the service line toward the baseline — to give yourself time to move forward. A deep return pins the serving team back and makes their third shot harder. Don't try to be fancy; consistency beats power here.
Punch Volley
A short, compact swing hit out of the air from around the kitchen line. Think of it as blocking the ball back with a firm wrist rather than swinging through it. You use this when a drive comes at you and you don't have time for a full swing. Redirect the ball at your opponent's feet or into an open gap.
Dink
A soft, arcing shot that lands in the opponent's kitchen — the most important shot in pickleball. You hit it from your own kitchen line with a gentle, lifting motion. The goal is to keep the ball low enough that your opponent can't attack it. Dink rallies are chess matches: you're waiting for your opponent to pop one up so you can pounce.
Third Shot Drop
The serving team's signature shot. After the return of serve bounces (the second bounce in the two-bounce rule), the serving team hits a soft, arcing shot that drops into the opponent's kitchen. It neutralizes the receiving team's position at the net and lets the serving team advance forward. This is the hardest shot for beginners to learn — and the most rewarding to master.
Reset
A defensive soft shot played when you're under pressure. If you're caught at mid-court with a ball coming hard at you, a reset is a gentle block that drops the ball into the kitchen and slows the rally down. Think of it as an emergency third shot drop — you're buying time to get to the net rather than trying to win the point outright.
Lob
A high, deep shot sent over your opponent's head when they're camped at the kitchen line. An offensive lob that lands near the baseline forces your opponents to scramble backward and gives you control of the net. But a lob that's too short is the easiest ball in the game to smash — so use it sparingly and when your opponents aren't expecting it.
Erne
An advanced volley where you leap from outside the sideline — or run through the kitchen and establish position outside it — and intercept the ball right at the net. It's named after Erne Perry, who popularized it. The Erne is devastating because you're cutting off the angle and hitting from above net height. It's legal as long as you don't touch the NVZ or its lines during or after the volley.
Around-the-Post (ATP)
When a dink pulls you wide enough, you can hit the ball around the outside of the net post rather than over the net. The ball can travel below net height and still be legal as long as it lands in bounds. ATPs happen most often during cross-court dink rallies when a sharp angle takes the ball off the edge of the court.
Overhead / Smash
A powerful downward shot hit above your head — your answer to a short lob. Position yourself under the ball, reach up, and drive it down into the court. Aim at your opponent's feet or into an open space. Don't over-swing; controlled placement beats raw power.
The Most Important Spot on the Court
The kitchen line is where points are won. When both you and your partner are standing at the kitchen line, you control the net, cut off angles, and force your opponents to hit upward. Getting there — and staying there — is the single biggest thing you can do to improve your game.
Think of the court in three zones: the baseline, the transition zone (no-man's land between the baseline and the kitchen), and the kitchen line. The baseline is safe but passive. The transition zone is dangerous — you're vulnerable to shots at your feet. The kitchen line is where you want to live.
The Serving Team Disadvantage
The serving team starts at a disadvantage because of the two-bounce rule. After you serve, you must stay back and wait for the return to bounce before you can hit it. Meanwhile, the receiving team's partner is already at the kitchen line, and the receiver can sprint forward after returning the ball.
This means the serving team often faces two opponents at the net while they're stuck near the baseline. The third shot — usually a drop or drive — is your chance to start closing that gap. If you hit a good drop, follow it in. If you drive, be ready for the ball to come back fast before you advance.
Moving Forward Together
In doubles, advance as a unit. If one partner moves to the kitchen line while the other stays at the baseline, the gap between you becomes a target. Move forward together after your third shot, and if you hit a good enough ball, take two or three steps in. If the ball comes back hard, split-step (a small hop to a ready position) and hold. It might take two or three shots to work your way in — that's fine. Patience is the key.
The Receiving Team Advantage
You already have one player at the kitchen line — the receiver's partner starts there. As the receiver, your job is simple: hit a deep return, then get to the kitchen line as fast as you can. A deep return gives you time to move forward before the serving team's third shot arrives.
Covering the Court in Doubles
When both partners are at the kitchen line, imagine a line drawn down the middle of the court. Each player covers their half — roughly from the centerline to the sideline. Stay close enough to your partner that a ball down the middle is covered by whoever has the forehand (usually the player on the left if both are right-handed).
Shift as a team: if the ball goes to the left side, both players slide left. If it goes right, both slide right. Think of it like you're connected by a six-foot rope — if one moves, the other moves with them. This prevents gaps from opening up in your coverage.
The One-Sentence Strategy
Get to the kitchen line and keep the ball low. That's it. Every other decision flows from this. If a shot helps you get forward, it's probably the right shot. If a shot keeps you stuck at the baseline, rethink it.
Serving Team Playbook
Your serve is just the start — don't try to win the point with it. After serving, stay at the baseline and wait for the return to bounce (you must, per the two-bounce rule). Now you have a decision: drop or drive?
If your opponents are both at the kitchen line, hit a third shot drop — a soft arc into their kitchen. This neutralizes their advantage and lets you move forward. If one opponent is still hanging back, you can drive the ball at them to keep them pinned. Either way, after you hit your third shot, move forward. Don't camp at the baseline.
Receiving Team Playbook
Return the serve deep, then rush the kitchen line. Your partner is already there, so you want to join them as fast as possible. Once you're both at the net, your job switches to patience — dink back and forth, stay low, and wait for a ball that pops up high enough to attack. Don't force it.
The 80% Rule
If you can keep the ball in play and let your opponent make the mistake, you'll win the majority of recreational games. Beginners lose most points on unforced errors — balls hit into the net, out of bounds, or volleyed in the kitchen. Focus on consistency over power. An ugly shot that stays in play beats a beautiful shot that goes wide.
Camping at the Baseline
Staying back after the serve and never advancing. You're giving up the net and letting your opponents control the point. The fix: after every third shot, take at least two steps forward. Even if you don't reach the kitchen line immediately, getting to mid-court is better than staying back.
Hitting Everything Hard
Power feels good but it's rarely the right play — especially from mid-court. Hard shots from the transition zone tend to fly long or sail high enough to get smashed. The fix: if you're behind the kitchen line, default to soft shots. Save the drives for when you're set up and your opponent is out of position.
No-Man's Land Paralysis
Getting stuck in the middle of the court — too far from the baseline to have time, too far from the net to control it. Every ball at your feet is a nightmare. The fix: the transition zone is for traveling through, not for living in. Hit a shot, then move forward or hold. Never stand still in no-man's land.
Attacking the Unattackable Dink
Your opponent hits a low, clean dink and you try to slam it. The ball catches the net or pops up for an easy put-away. The fix: if the ball is below the net when you contact it, dink it back. Only attack dinks that bounce above net height — those are the ones that got "popped up."
Playing Hero Ball in Doubles
Reaching across your partner to take their shot, leaving your side wide open. The fix: trust your partner. Cover your half of the court. Communicate with calls like "mine" and "yours." The only ball you should take from your partner's side is one right down the middle — and whoever has the forehand usually takes that.
Forgetting the Two-Bounce Rule
Rushing the net after serving and volleying the return before it bounces — or the receiver's partner poaching the serve out of the air. Both are faults. The fix: after you serve, plant your feet and wait. Watch the ball bounce before you swing. Only the diagonal receiver plays the serve, and it must bounce first. Once both bounces are done, then push forward.
Common Questions
Yes. You can stand in the kitchen whenever you want. The only restriction is volleying — you can't hit the ball out of the air while any part of you is touching the zone or its lines. If the ball bounces first, you can hit it from inside the kitchen with no issue.
No replay. There are no let serves in pickleball. If the serve clips the net and still lands in the correct service court (past the NVZ and its lines), the ball is live. If it clips the net and lands in the NVZ or out of bounds, it's a fault.
Fault on the person who got hit. If a ball in flight strikes any player before bouncing — body, clothing, anything they're carrying — it's a fault against that player, regardless of where they're standing. One exception: the ball hitting your hand below the wrist while holding the paddle counts as a paddle hit, and play continues.
The ball is in. When you and your partner can't agree on a call, the benefit goes to the opponent. Same principle applies to any uncertainty: if you're not sure, it's in.
Legal. You can hit the ball around the outside of the net post rather than over the net. If it lands in bounds on the opponent's side, it counts — even if the ball travels below net height. This is called an ATP (around-the-post) shot.
Allowed. The NVZ only applies to the ground surface inside the zone. Your paddle, arms, and anything else can extend over the kitchen line through the air during a volley. The only thing that matters is whether your body is physically touching the zone or its lines.
In singles: even score → right side, odd score → left side. Your own score directly tells you where to stand. In doubles: after every side out, the serve always starts from the right. Nobody moves — whoever is on the right becomes Server 1. The even/odd rule tells you which player should be on which side: when your team's score is even, both players are on their starting sides; when it's odd, they've swapped. Use that as a check to make sure everyone is in the right spot.
Legal at any time. You can transfer the paddle from one hand to the other whenever you want. Two-handed shots are also fine. No restrictions on how you hold or handle the paddle.
Legal if unintentional. If the ball contacts the paddle twice during a single continuous swing and it wasn't deliberate, play continues. A deliberate double hit is a fault.
Stop play before the return of serve. Any player can halt the rally to correct the score, but only before the return of serve is struck. If the rally finishes first, the result stands and the score is corrected afterward.
Yes, between rallies. As of the 2025 rule changes, coaching from someone other than your partner is permitted when the ball is not in play. Coaching during a live rally is still a fault. In recreational play, there are no coaching restrictions.
Yes. The Erne is an advanced shot where you jump from outside the sideline, leap over or around the kitchen, and volley the ball near the net. It's legal as long as you don't touch the NVZ or its lines during or after the volley. You must land outside the kitchen.
Fault. If your momentum from a volley carries you into the kitchen — even after the ball is dead, even if you won the rally — it's a fault on you. You need to control your movement and stay out of the zone after any volley.
A legal doubles strategy. Both partners line up on the same side during the serve, then slide into their preferred positions once the ball is in play. Teams use it to keep a stronger forehand in the middle or to give a left-handed player the advantageous side. Nothing in the rules prohibits it.
Reference
| Fault | What Happened |
|---|---|
| Out of Bounds | Ball lands outside the court lines (lines are in) |
| Into the Net | Ball fails to clear the net |
| NVZ Volley | Volleying while touching the NVZ or its lines, or momentum carrying you in after a volley |
| Two-Bounce Violation | Volleying the serve or the return of serve before it bounces |
| Double Bounce | Ball bounces twice on one side before being returned |
| Serve Fault | Serve lands in NVZ or on its line, lands out, or violates serve motion rules |
| Ball Hits Player | Ball in flight hits a player's body, clothing, or anything they're carrying |
| Carry / Catch | Ball caught on the paddle face and slung rather than cleanly struck |
| Touching Net | Player, paddle, or clothing touches the net system while the ball is live |
| Crossing the Plane | Reaching over the net to hit the ball before it crosses to your side (follow-through after a legal hit is allowed) |
| Hitting the Net Post | Ball strikes the net post — dead ball, fault on the team that hit it |
| Hitting a Permanent Object | Ball hits the ceiling, wall, fence, or other permanent fixture |
| Distraction | Unusual physical actions that interfere with an opponent's ability to play the ball |
What Happens After a Fault
- Serving team faults (doubles): serve passes to the next server on their team, or it's a side out if Server 2 faulted
- Serving team faults (singles): side out — opponent serves
- Receiving team faults: serving team scores 1 point
- Each team gets 2 timeouts per game (in 11-point games)
- Each timeout lasts 1 minute
- Any player on a team with remaining timeouts may call one between rallies — not during a live ball
- Unused timeouts do not carry over between games
- Referee-called timeouts for injury, equipment failure, or court hazards do not count against either team
The 2026 rulebook includes rally scoring as an approved tournament format. In rally scoring, a point is awarded on every rally to whichever team wins it — the receiving team can score without having the serve.
Most recreational and sanctioned play still uses traditional side-out scoring (where only the serving team can score). Check with your tournament director to confirm which format is in use before play begins.
- Ball hits the ceiling (indoor): Fault on the player who hit it
- Wrong server discovered mid-rally: Any player can stop play to raise the issue. If the claim is correct, the rally is replayed. If incorrect, the player who stopped play commits a fault. If the rally completes before anyone stops it, the result stands.
- Player injured during a rally: The rally plays out to completion. The injured player's team can call a timeout afterward.
- Cracked or broken ball: Rally is replayed if all players agree the damage affected the outcome.
- Stray ball on court: Call "ball on!" immediately. The rally is replayed.
- Call the score out loud before every serve
- Make honest, prompt line calls — when in doubt, the ball is in
- Don't challenge opponents' line calls unless clearly incorrect; discuss politely and replay if needed
- Intentional distractions during an opponent's shot preparation are faults
- After the game, meet at the net for a paddle tap
- Talking to your partner during play is encouraged ("Mine!", "Yours!", "Bounce it!")
- Saying "out" before the ball bounces is partner communication, not a line call — it does not stop play
| Rule | Doubles | Singles |
|---|---|---|
| Court size | 20 × 44 ft | Same |
| Score format | Three numbers (4-7-2) | Two numbers (3-5) |
| Servers per side | Two (Server 1, then Server 2) | One |
| Game start | "0-0-2" (one server only) | "0-0" (standard serve) |
| Side out | After both servers lose a rally | After one lost rally |
| Even/odd sides | Based on team score | Based on server's score |
| Two-bounce rule | Same | Same |
| Kitchen rules | Same | Same |
Court Diagram
20 × 44 ft, same for singles and doubles. Each side: two 10 × 15 ft service boxes plus a 7-ft Non-Volley Zone.