Relish

Rules of Pickleball

Learn enough to join your first game. We’ll walk through the court, a rally, and the score.

Get the ball over the net and into the court. Start each rally with a serve, and know when to let the ball bounce.

KitchenKitchenNetSidelineBaselineServing teamReceiving team

Meet the court

The baseline is the back edge. Sidelines mark the sides. The net divides the teams, and the kitchen is the strip beside it. Doubles means two players on each team.

Traditional doubles scoring

We’re learning traditional doubles scoring. Some games use rally scoring instead.

The most important skill: control

The single most important skill in pickleball is control. Control over your body, control of the ball, control of the game's flow. Control isn't the opposite of being aggressive: the more control you have, the more shots you can play, and the more safely you can attack. Everything you'll practice here is a way to get better control, and each lesson tells you which parts of control it builds.

A few things you might wonder

What ends a rally?

A ball landing out, not clearing the net, or bouncing twice before a return ends the rally. Breaking a rule is called a fault.

Is a ball on the line in?

Yes, except when a serve touches the kitchen line: that serve is a fault.

Can I step into the kitchen?

Yes. You can play a ball that bounced there. Before volleying again, establish both feet outside the kitchen. Your momentum from a volley must not carry you in.

Who serves next?

Win a point while serving: switch left/right positions with your partner and serve again. Lose a rally: your partner serves next, or the other team serves if you were server 2. The opening turn is the exception: only one player serves, announced as server 2.

How do I make a legal serve?

A drop serve is one option: release the ball without tossing it up or pushing it down, let it bounce, then hit it. Keep at least one foot grounded behind the baseline at contact, within the sideline and centerline extensions; neither foot may touch the baseline or court. We’ll practice this in Serves (1st Shot).