Games Pickleball Rules
how to playHow to Play Pickleball: Kitchen Rules, Scoring & Serving
Pickleball is the game everyone is suddenly obsessed with, and for good reason. It mashes up tennis, badminton, and ping pong into one addictive package you can play on a driveway. You serve underhand, keep the ball in a 20-by-44-foot court, respect a no-volley zone called the kitchen, and race to 11. Here is everything you need to play a real game, including the rules people argue about most.
- 2 (singles) or 4 (doubles) PLAYERS
- AGES 8+
- 10-15 min SETUP
- 20 x 44 ft court, about the size of a doubles badminton court
What you need
- A net set 36 in high at the sidelines and 34 in at the center
- Two or four pickleball paddles
- A perforated plastic pickleball (outdoor balls have smaller, harder holes)
- A flat 20 x 44 ft surface (driveway, sport court, or smooth patio)
- Optional: chalk or tape to mark the kitchen and baseline
Need the gear? See our pickleball picks before game day.
How to play pickleball
- Set up the court and netMark a 20 ft wide by 44 ft long court. The net is 36 in high at the sidelines and dips to 34 in at the center. A 7 ft non-volley zone (the kitchen) sits on each side of the net.
- Serve underhand and diagonalFrom behind the baseline, serve diagonally into the opposite service court beyond the kitchen line. On a volley serve, contact is below the waist with an upward arm motion. A legal drop serve is also allowed. You get one attempt.
- Honor the double-bounce ruleAfter the serve, the receiving side must let it bounce once before returning, and the serving side must let that return bounce once too. Only after those two bounces can players volley.
- Stay out of the kitchen on volleysDo not volley while touching the kitchen or its line, or let volley momentum carry you into it, even after the ball is dead. You may enter to play a bounced ball; reestablish both feet outside before a later volley.
- Rally until a faultKeep the ball in play over the net and inbounds. A fault happens when the ball goes out, lands in the net, bounces twice, or someone volleys from the kitchen.
- Score only on your serveThis format uses traditional side-out scoring: only the serving side scores. In doubles, losing a serving rally usually passes service to the partner, then to the opponents after the second server loses. The opening team has only one server.
Scoring
- Traditional side-out scoring: only the serving side scores a point. A receiving-side rally win makes the current server lose service.
- In doubles, both partners normally serve before a side-out. The first service sequence of the game has only one server.
- Play to 11, win by two; agree any 15- or 21-point alternative before play.
- Call three numbers in doubles: serving score, receiving score, server number. Singles uses only the two scores.
Keeping score on paper? Print the free pickleball score sheet. No signup needed.
Pickleball court size & dimensions
A regulation pickleball court is 20 feet wide by 44 feet long, with a 7 foot non-volley zone on each side of the net. Here is the full court to scale, including the net height.
| Court size | 20 ft wide by 44 ft long (same for singles and doubles) |
|---|---|
| Net height | 36 in at the sidelines (posts), 34 in at the center |
| Non-volley zone | 7 ft from the net on each side (the kitchen); no volleys inside it |
| Service area | Each side split into two service boxes behind the kitchen |
| Players | 2 (singles) or 4 (doubles) |
The court itself is 20 by 44 feet, but you want a total play area closer to 30 by 60 feet to leave room to chase balls. A driveway or two parking spaces can fit a casual court.
Fun variations
- Singles: one player per side, same court, more court to cover and a faster cardio workout.
- Doubles: the most common format, two players per side, more strategy at the kitchen line.
- Driveway pickleball: a portable net and chalk lines turn any flat driveway into a court.
- Skinny singles: play only the diagonal half of the court for a tighter, lower-running game.
Pickleball rules FAQ
What is the kitchen in pickleball?
The kitchen is the 7 ft non-volley zone on each side of the net, including its line. You may enter to play a bounced ball. You cannot volley while touching it or let your volley momentum carry you into it, even after the ball is dead.
What are the pickleball serving rules?
Serve diagonally from behind the baseline beyond the kitchen line. A volley serve uses an upward arm motion and contact below the waist; a legal drop serve is also allowed. There is one attempt. In doubles, both partners normally serve before service changes sides, except the opening sequence has one server.
What is the double-bounce rule?
After the serve, the ball must bounce once on the receiving side before they return it, and the serving side must let the return bounce once before hitting it. After those two bounces, either side may volley.
How do you score in pickleball?
In traditional side-out scoring, only the serving side scores; play to 11, win by two. A lost serving rally normally moves service to the partner in doubles, then to the opponents. The first team gets only one server at the start. Doubles score calls include both scores and the server number.
What are the dimensions of a pickleball court?
A pickleball court is 20 ft wide by 44 ft long. The net is 36 in high at the sidelines and 34 in at the center, and the kitchen extends 7 ft from the net on each side.
Can you play pickleball in your driveway?
Absolutely. A portable net and some chalk or tape to mark a 20 x 44 ft court turn most driveways into a playable pickleball court. Outdoor balls hold up better on rough surfaces than indoor ones.
Ready to play?
Grab a set and start your league this weekend. See the pickleball sets we picked and what comes in each box.