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Ultimate guide to pickleball rules
Paul from Pickleball Daily
February 24, 2026
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Tip of the day
Kyle Koszuta, known as ThatPickleballGuy, provides a comprehensive walkthrough of pickleball rules and gameplay to help beginners get started with confidence.
Pickleball combines elements of tennis, table tennis, and badminton, played on a court that is significantly smaller than a tennis court.
The kitchen, or non-volley zone, is a seven-foot area on both sides of the net where players are prohibited from hitting the ball out of the air.
Serves must be performed underhand with contact made below the waist, and the ball must land diagonally beyond the opponent's kitchen line.
The two-bounce rule requires that both the serve and the return of serve must bounce before any player is allowed to hit a volley.
Players can enter the kitchen at any time as long as the ball has bounced there first, but they must re-establish both feet outside the zone to volley again.
Scoring in doubles involves three numbers: your team's score, the opponent's score, and the server number, which indicates if you are the first or second server of the possession.
Points can only be scored by the serving team, and the game is typically played to eleven points with a requirement to win by two.
A side out occurs when both players on a serving team lose a rally, resulting in the serve being turned over to the opposing team.
Learning the flow of the game, including when to switch sides and how to call the score, is essential for a smooth experience on the court.
Key Points:
Master the underhand serve and ensure the ball clears the kitchen line to avoid a fault.
Follow the two-bounce rule by letting the serve and the return bounce before volleying.
Stay out of the kitchen unless the ball bounces inside the zone to avoid a non-volley violation.
Remember that points are only earned when your team is the one serving.
Use the three-number scoring system to keep track of points and server rotation during the match.
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That’s it for today! As always, thank you for reading. 🙏
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Happy pickling,
Paul