Mastering the rules of pickleball doubles is essential to enjoying a thrill-filled and strategic game of pickleball. Players need to understand the complexities of pickleball doubles, including serving, scoring, and positioning, to excel in this competitive sport. This is a complete guide to pickleball game rules, focusing on how they apply in doubles play, to help beginners and advanced players.
Summary of Pickleball Rules
The basic pickleball game rules are easy and simple, making this sport fun for all ages and skill levels. As the name suggests, pickleball doubles is played by two players per team on a court with specific dimensions, often smaller than a tennis court.
Below are some basic rules of pickleball doubles:
- The serve must be underhand. The receiving team must let the serve bounce, and the serving team must let the return bounce before playing it (the two-bounce rule).
After the ball bounces on each side, the teams can volley it in the air or bounce it off.
To volley the ball implies hitting in the air without allowing the ball to bounce.
Volleying (hitting the ball out of the air) is prohibited while standing in the non-volley zone (also called the ‘kitchen’), an area extending 7 feet from the net on each side.
The game is played up to 11 points & teams must win with a lead of 2 points.
A fault occurs (resulting in loss of serve for the serving team or loss of the rally/point for the receiving team) if the ball is hit out of bounds; the ball hits the net on the return and doesn’t go over; a player volleys from within the non-volley zone; the two-bounce rule is violated; or other rule infractions occur.” (Specific NVZ violation clarified later).
The Serve
The game of pickleball begins with a serve to get the ball in play and starts each point. According to the pickleball doubles serving rules, players typically toss a coin or rally briefly to determine the first serving team to determine which team serves first.
6 Key Rules for Pickleball Serve:
- The serve must be made with an underhand stroke.
- The serve must be made with an underhand stroke where the arm moves in an upward arc, and contact with the ball must be made below the waist.
- At the moment of contact, the highest point of the paddle head must be below the highest part of the wrist.
- The serve must land cross-court diagonally and on the opposite diagonal court.
- The feet must be placed correctly with at least one foot touching the playing surface behind the baseline when coming in contact with the ball.
- Generally, only one serve attempt is allowed. However, if the served ball touches the net but still lands in the correct service box (a ‘let’), the serve is typically replayed in recreational games.
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Service Sequence
The serving sequence in pickleball has a specific order. The server announces the score before the serve takes place so the opposite team can hear it. This allows the opposite team to know that you are ready to serve. The player on the right side always serves first
- According to the official pickleball doubles serving rules, both players on the serving team get the opportunity to serve until they commit a fault (the only exception is the first service sequence of every new game).
- The first serve of each side is from the right-hand side of the court.
- If a point is scored, the server changes sides and initiates the next serve from the left-hand side of the court.
- Each time points are scored, the server will continue to switch back & forth until a fault is committed.
- When the first server loses the serve, the partner serves next, starting from the side of the court they are currently positioned on.
- When the serve passes to the opposing team (after the first service rotation of the game), their first serve starts from the right court. Both players on that team get a turn to serve. The first server serves, switching sides after scoring points until they commit a fault. Then, their partner serves, starting from the side they are currently on until they also commit a fault. After the second fault, the serve reverts to the other team (a ‘side-out’).
It’s crucial to note that the rules for pickleball serve require that, at the start of each game, only one player from the serving team gets an opportunity to serve before they commit a fault. After that, the service goes to the opposite team.
Scoring in Pickleball
Points in pickleball can be scored only on the serving side. You can score a point if the opponent’s team does not manage to return the ball, strikes the ball out, does not allow the serve to bounce, or volleys on the non-volley zone. The game ends when one team scores 11 points with a 2-point lead.
Traditional Side-out Scoring
Traditional Side-out Scoring” is the standard for most tournament and official play.
- Only the serving team scores points.
- Matches are played to 11 points and won by 2 points.
- Tournament games can be played to 15 or 21 and won by 2.
- If the serving team’s score is even, viz 0,2, 4,6,8, 10, the player of the team who served first will be on the right side of the court when serving or receiving.
- In case the score is odd, viz 1,3,5,7, 9, that player will be on the left-hand side of the court when serving or receiving.
Rally Scoring
Rally scoring in pickleball is a point scored after every rally, irrespective of which team is serving. Under this scoring format, your success gets rewarded after every point. If your team wins the rally, you win the fact regardless of whether you were serving or receiving. While traditional side-out scoring is standard, rally scoring (where a point is scored on every rally, regardless of who served) is sometimes used in recreational play or specific event formats for faster games.
Read also: Pickleball singles guide
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Understand The Two Bounce Rule in Pickleball
The two-bounce rule in pickleball says that:
- After the ball is served, the receiving team must allow it to bounce before returning it to the serving team, and the serving team must let the ball bounce before returning, hence two bounces.
- After the ball is bounced on each side of the court, both teams can choose to volley it or play it off a bounce.
- The pickleball two-bounce rule eliminates the serve and volley benefit & prolongs rallies.
Pickleball Kitchen Rules (Non-Volley Zone)
The non-volley zone, or the ‘kitchen,’ is an essential element of pickleball doubles, stretching out 7 feet on each side of the net. In a combined area of 14 feet, there are specific kitchen rules in pickleball that players must be aware of:
Volley Restrictions
Regarding the pickleball kitchen rules line, players are not allowed to volley the ball, which means they are not allowed to hit the ball while standing in the non-volley zone or come in contact with the Non-volley zone. It should be done outside this area to volley the ball within the pickleball rules.
Avoid contact
During the act of volleying, a player’s feet (or anything they are wearing/carrying, including the paddle) cannot touch the non-volley zone line or the area inside the zone. Momentum from the volley also cannot cause the player or their items to enter the zone.
Reestablishing Feet
If a player enters the non-volley zone for any reason (e.g., to hit a ball that bounced), they must get both feet completely back outside the zone before hitting a volley.
Erne Shot
A player can move from outside the non-volley zone, volley the ball, and jump outside the zone without touching the non-volley zone, known as the ‘Erne Shot’.
Pickleball Deuce Rules
Meaning of Pickleball Deuce Rules
A pickleball deuce is when the scores reach 10-10 in traditional pickleball scoring. This is a critical moment in the pickleball point rules as both teams focus on taking a 2-point lead to win the game.
Benefits of Deuce Scoring
In a deuce, players can have an edge by winning back-to-back points. At 10-10 (deuce), a team must win two consecutive points to win the game. Scoring the first point after the deuce gives that team the ‘Advantage.’ If the team with Advantage wins the next point, they win the game. If they lose it, the score returns to deuce.
Pickleball Rules Double Hit
A double hit in pickleball occurs when the ball is hit twice in a single attempt. The rules reflect the distinctions between the two types of double hits:
- Intentional Double Hit: It is considered a fault when the player purposely hits the ball twice.
- Unintentional Double Hit: This occurs naturally when hitting the ball; for instance, a fast-moving ball hits the pickleball paddle twice but is counted as a single shot.
As per the official USA pickleball rules, the shot is legal if the ball is hit twice unintentionally when striking with the paddle in a smooth motion. But it is considered a fault if you purposely hit the ball twice, trying to control its direction.
Pickleball Rules Dropping Paddle
According to current rules, accidentally dropping your paddle on your side of the court is generally not a fault unless it interferes with play or touches the net system during a rally. However, it is a fault if the paddle touches the non-volley zone while volleying (even if dropped).
Pickleball Faults
A pickleball fault is any violation of the rules that can forfeit the game. There are many official rules for professionals and non-official rules for recreational pickleball games.
Consequences of Pickleball Faults
- If the receiving team commits a fault, the serving team will get a point.
- If the serving team commits a fault, it will lead to a loss of service or a ‘side-out.’
Comprehensive list of pickleball faults:
A fault takes place:
- A serve does not land within the cross-court area from where the serve was done.
- The ball hits the net while serving or returning and does not cross over the opponent’s side.
- The ball is volleyed before a bounce on each side.
- The ball is volleyed from the ‘non-volley’ zone.
- The ball is hit out of bounds.
- The ball is allowed to bounce twice before being hit by the receiver.
- The player’s clothing or paddle touches the net or net post during play.
- A player, their paddle, or their clothing touches the non-volley zone or its line while volleying or as part of the follow-through momentum.
- Violation of pickleball doubles serving rules.
- If the ball in play hits the player or anything on the player.
- If the ball in play hits any permanent object before bouncing on the court.
Line Calls Rules
Understanding the pickleball line calls rules can make a huge difference in your strategy.
The Lines of Pickleball Court
Non-volley Line: The non-volley zone at the front of the court is marked as a ‘non-volley line.’
Centreline: The line down the center of the court that divides the right service zone from the left service zone is the centreline.
Baseline: The line where you stand behind to serve is known as the baseline.
Sideline: The lines on each side of the court are known as ‘sidelines’.
Rules for Line Calls
- When the ball touches any part of the line apart from the ‘non-volley’ zone during the serve, it is considered ‘in.’
- But if the serve hits the ‘non-volley’ zone, it is known as ‘short’ and considered a fault.
Master the Pickleball Rules & Hit the Courts!
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