Guide
Pickleball Rules for Beginners
The whole game explained in plain English — serving, the kitchen, the two-bounce rule, and scoring — so you (or your gift recipient) can play today.
By Stephen V. · Updated August 2026 · How we pick
The court and the gear
Pickleball is played on a court 20 feet wide and 44 feet long — about the size of a badminton court and roughly a third of a tennis court. The net stands 36 inches high at the sidelines and dips to 34 inches in the middle. To play, each person needs a solid paddle and you need a perforated plastic ball; most public courts already have nets. The easiest way to get everything at once is a paddle set, which bundles paddles, balls, and a bag in one box.
How to serve
The serve is deliberately simple, which is a big part of why pickleball is so easy to start. You serve underhand — the paddle must contact the ball below your waist — and you hit it diagonally across the court into the opposite service box. There is also a legal "drop serve," where you drop the ball and hit it after the bounce. The serve must clear the net and the non-volley zone (the kitchen). Only the serving side can score, so holding serve matters.
The two-bounce rule
This is the one rule new players forget most. After the serve, the ball must bounce once on the receiving side before it is returned, and then the serve's bounce and the return's bounce mean the ball has to bounce once on each side before anyone is allowed to hit it out of the air. In plain terms: serve bounces, return bounces, and only after those two bounces can players start volleying. This "two-bounce rule" keeps the serving team from rushing the net immediately and makes for longer, friendlier rallies.
The kitchen (non-volley zone)
The "kitchen" is the nickname for the non-volley zone: a 7-foot area on each side of the net (14 feet in total). The rule is simple — you cannot volley the ball (hit it out of the air) while standing in the kitchen or touching its line. You can step into the kitchen anytime to play a ball that has bounced; you just cannot volley from there. The kitchen is what prevents players from camping at the net and smashing everything, and learning to "dink" softly around it is where the game gets fun.
Scoring, simply
Most games are played to 11 points, and you must win by 2. Only the serving side can score a point, so if the receiving side wins the rally, they do not get a point — they get the serve. In doubles, the score is called as three numbers (your score, their score, and which server you are), but as a beginner you can start with the simple version: serve, rally, and the serving team scores if they win the point. That is genuinely enough to start playing and having fun.
Ready to play (or to gift)
That is the whole game: a low net, an underhand serve, two bounces to start the rally, a kitchen you cannot volley from, and games to 11. If you are buying for someone about to start, our starter-kit checklist lays out exactly what they need (and what to skip), and a complete paddle set is the simplest way to hand someone everything at once. For official specifics, USA Pickleball publishes the full rulebook.
Frequently asked questions
What is the two-bounce rule in pickleball?
After the serve, the ball must bounce once on the receiving side, and the return must also bounce, before either team can hit the ball out of the air. It keeps the serving team from rushing the net and makes rallies longer and more fun.
What is the kitchen in pickleball?
The 'kitchen' is the non-volley zone — a 7-foot area on each side of the net. You cannot volley the ball (hit it out of the air) while standing in it. You may step in to play a ball that has already bounced.
How do you score in pickleball?
Games are played to 11 points and you must win by 2. Only the serving side can score; if the receiving side wins a rally, they earn the serve rather than a point.
How do you serve in pickleball?
You serve underhand, contacting the ball below your waist, and hit it diagonally into the opposite service box. A 'drop serve,' where you drop the ball and hit it after the bounce, is also allowed.
How big is a pickleball court?
A pickleball court is 20 feet wide and 44 feet long, with a net 36 inches high at the sidelines and 34 inches at the center — about the size of a badminton court.
What equipment do I need to start playing pickleball?
A paddle for each player and a perforated plastic ball; most public courts supply the net. A complete paddle set bundles paddles, balls, and a bag, which is the easiest way to get everything at once.
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