If you're new to the sport, Pickleball’s rules can seem quirky — especially the famous “kitchen.” But once you understand the basics, the game becomes incredibly fun and intuitive.
Here are the fundamentals:
The Serve
- Must be underhand
- Contact must occur below the waist
- Serve cross-court
- One attempt only (no let rule)
The Double Bounce Rule
Before volleys are allowed, each side must let the ball bounce once after the serve.
The Kitchen (Non-Volley Zone)
You can enter the kitchen, but you cannot volley (hit the ball in the air) while inside it. This rule stops players from smashing right at the net.
Scoring
- Only the serving team can score
- Games typically go to 11 points, win by 2
- Servers call the score as: server score – receiver score – server number
Once you play a few games, the rules become second nature — and you’ll quickly be strategising your dinks, drops, and drives.