How to Play Pickleball: A Beginner’s Guide
Pickleball 101 · Detroit
New to pickleball? Start here. We’ll walk through the serve, the two-bounce rule, the kitchen, scoring, and the handful of rules you actually need to know before stepping onto the court.
How do you play pickleball?
Pickleball is a paddle sport that combines a few familiar elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis, but the basic game is surprisingly easy to learn. It can be played as singles or doubles on the same 20-by-44-foot court.
The goal is simple: serve the ball across the net, keep it in play, and win the rally by forcing your opponent to hit the ball into the net, out of bounds, or commit another fault.
If this is your first game, you do not need to memorize the entire pickleball rulebook. Learn the five ideas below and you’ll understand enough to get a real game started.
Start with the serve
Every rally begins with a serve from behind the baseline. Serve underhand and send the ball diagonally across the court into your opponent’s service box.
The serve needs to clear the net and land beyond the kitchen in the diagonally opposite service court. The kitchen line itself counts as part of the kitchen on a serve, so a serve that lands on that line is a fault.
The beginner version: Stand behind the baseline, use an underhand motion, and aim diagonally across the court. Your first goal is consistency, not power.
Let the ball bounce once on each side
This is one of the most important pickleball rules for beginners: after the serve, each team has to let the ball bounce once before either side can begin hitting volleys.
Here’s how the two-bounce rule works: the receiving team lets the serve bounce before returning it. Then the serving team lets that return bounce before hitting its next shot.
Once those two required bounces have happened, either team can hit the ball after a bounce or hit it out of the air with a volley, as long as the kitchen rule is followed.
Easy way to remember it: Serve → bounce → return → bounce → now the point is fully open.
Understand the kitchen
The area extending seven feet from the net on both sides is officially called the non-volley zone. Everyone else calls it the kitchen.
You cannot stand in the kitchen, touch the kitchen line, or let your momentum carry you into the kitchen while hitting a ball out of the air.
But there is an important distinction: the kitchen itself is not off-limits. You can step into it to play a ball that has already bounced. You can also stand there when you are not volleying.
The kitchen rule is about volleys. If the ball bounces first, you are allowed to step into the kitchen and hit it. Just make sure you reset before trying to volley the next ball.
Keep the rally going
After the two-bounce rule has been satisfied, the game becomes straightforward: keep returning the ball over the net until someone commits a fault.
You can hit a groundstroke after the ball bounces or a volley before it bounces. A rally ends when someone hits the ball into the net, sends it out of bounds, lets it bounce twice, violates the kitchen rule, or commits another fault.
Most experienced players eventually move toward the kitchen line because it puts them in a stronger position to control the point. For a beginner, though, the priority should simply be getting the ball back over the net consistently.
Pickleball scoring
How does scoring work in pickleball?
In traditional pickleball scoring, only the serving team can score a point. Most recreational games are played to 11 points, and you generally need to win by two.
In doubles, you will usually hear three numbers called before the serve: the serving team’s score, the receiving team’s score, and whether the first or second server on that team is serving.
7 = serving team’s score
4 = receiving team’s score
2 = second server
Some leagues and events use alternative or rally-scoring formats, so always check the house rules when you play somewhere new.
Your cheat sheet
The five pickleball rules to remember
Forget everything else for your first game. If you remember these five things, you can get on the court and start playing.
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01
Serve diagonally. Start behind the baseline and send the ball into the opposite service court.
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02
Let the serve bounce. The receiving team cannot volley the serve.
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03
Let the return bounce too. Each team needs one groundstroke before volleys are allowed.
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04
Do not volley from the kitchen. You can enter the kitchen, but not to hit a ball out of the air.
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05
Keep the ball in play. Clear the net, stay inside the lines, and make your opponent hit one more shot.
Play smarter
Six pickleball tips for your first game
Once you understand the rules, a few small adjustments can make pickleball much easier.
Get the serve in
A safe serve that starts the point is more valuable than a hard serve that misses.
Do not rush the second bounce
New players often forget that the serving team must let the return bounce.
Move toward the kitchen
Once the required bounces are over, working toward the kitchen line usually improves your position.
Keep your paddle ready
Hold your paddle in front of you instead of letting it drop between shots.
Aim before you overpower
Pickleball rewards placement and consistency more than simply swinging harder.
Make them hit another ball
Especially as a beginner, keeping the rally alive is often the simplest way to win points.
Beginner questions
Pickleball rules FAQ
Can you step into the kitchen in pickleball?
Yes. You can enter the kitchen at any time, but you cannot volley the ball while touching the kitchen or its boundary line. You can step into the kitchen to hit a ball after it bounces.
Does a pickleball serve have to bounce?
Yes. The receiving team must let the serve bounce before returning it. The serving team must then let that return bounce before volleying. This is the two-bounce rule.
Where does the serve go in pickleball?
The serve travels diagonally across the net into the opponent’s service court and must land beyond the kitchen.
How many points do you play to in pickleball?
A typical recreational pickleball game is played to 11 points, with the winner leading by at least two points.
Can pickleball be played with two people?
Yes. Pickleball can be played as singles with two players or as doubles with four players. The court dimensions stay the same.
What do you need to play pickleball?
At minimum, you need a pickleball paddle, a pickleball, a net, and a marked pickleball court. From there, all you really need is someone to play against.
Where can beginners learn pickleball in Detroit?
Detroit Pickleball Club is built around making pickleball part of the city’s sports and social scene. Explore the club for Detroit pickleball courts, programming, events, and opportunities to get on the court.
Detroit Pickleball Club
The best way to learn pickleball is to play.
You know the serve. You know the two-bounce rule. You know what the kitchen is. Now put it together on the court and start playing pickleball in Detroit.
Explore Detroit Pickleball Club →