Pickleball Rules for Beginners in Five Minutes
3 October 2026
Pickleball rules are simple. Learn these few and you can play a full game today.
The court
The court is 20 feet wide and 44 feet long, the same size as a doubles badminton court. A net runs across the middle. Seven feet from the net on each side is the kitchen, the non-volley zone.
Serving
- Serve underhand, with the paddle below your waist.
- Serve diagonally, into the opposite service area.
- The serve must clear the kitchen and land beyond it.
- Stand behind the baseline when you serve.
The two-bounce rule
After the serve, the ball must bounce once on the receiving side. The serving team then lets the return bounce once on their side. After those two bounces, you may hit the ball out of the air.
The kitchen rule
You cannot hit the ball out of the air while standing in the kitchen or on its line. You can step in to hit a ball that has already bounced.
Scoring
- Only the serving team can score a point.
- Games are played to 11 points. You must win by 2.
- If the serving team loses the rally, the serve passes on. In doubles, each partner usually gets a turn to serve first. The first serve of a game only gets one turn.
Faults
You lose the rally if you hit the ball out, hit it into the net, volley from the kitchen, break the two-bounce rule or serve into the wrong area. A ball that touches a line is in.
Not sure what some of the words mean? See our pickleball words explained guide. Ready to try? Book a court.