How To Play Pickleball: All You Need To Know About Rules & Basics

Getting the FOMO watching your friends playing pickleball? Maybe you’ve been planning to start but not sure how to go about it. Or curiosity has gotten the best of you; why is pickleball so popular in Malaysia? Well, you’re at the right place! To get you started on your journey of learning how to play pickleball, we’ll go through the essentials including rules, scoring system, serves, and more.

Is It Hard To Play Pickleball?

Let’s get this commonly asked question out of the way. Pickleball isn’t hard to pick up and play. Despite blending elements from tennis, badminton, and ping-pong, the basics are surprisingly easy to grasp. The smaller court size requires less running, making the game less physically demanding and more accessible, especially for beginners. Besides, the lightweight paddle and wiffle-like ball slow down the game, providing better control, even for those new to racket sports.

The sport’s strong social aspect, often played in doubles, fosters a fun and supportive learning environment. The paddle sport is also highly adaptable, catering to various skill levels and age groups.

How To Play Pickleball: Basic Rules

Remember them!

The Two-Bounce Rule

A key point in learning how to play pickleball, the two-bounce rule ensures a rally develops in a controlled manner. Here's how it works:

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First Bounce: After the serve, the receiving team must let the ball bounce once on their side before returning it.Second Bounce: After the receiving team returns the ball, the serving team must also let it bounce once on their side before hitting it.

After these two bounces (one on each side), players are allowed to hit the ball either out of the air (volley) or after it bounces. This rule prevents overly aggressive play right from the serve and promotes longer rallies instead.

Serving

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If you’re serious about learning how to play pickleball, mastering the serves is crucial (as with most racquet sports). There are specific key movements to remember when serving, helping to ensure fair play, and are essential for maintaining the flow of the game. Here are the essentials:

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Underhand Serve: The ball must be served with an underhand stroke, contacting the paddle below the waist.Foot Placement: Both feet must be behind the baseline during the serve. No stepping over the line until the ball is struck.Serve Direction: The serve must be diagonal, landing within the opposite service box and clearing the non-volley zone.Single Attempt: Only one serve attempt is allowed unless the ball touches the net and lands in the correct service box (a "let").Serving Sequence: In doubles, both players serve before the turn switches, with the server alternating sides after each point.Faults: A serve is a fault if it lands out of bounds, hits the net, or lands in the non-volley zone.

Non-Volley Zone aka "The Kitchen"

Often referred to as “the kitchen” (no cooking done here though), is a critical area of the court located on both sides of the net. It extends about 2m from the net toward the baseline on each side. Here’s what you need to know about the non-volley zone:

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No Volleying: Players are not allowed to hit the ball in the air (volley) while standing inside the non-volley zone. The ball must bounce first before it can be played in this area.Entering the Zone: Players can step into the non-volley zone to hit a ball that has bounced. However, they must exit the zone before volleying another shot.Line Consideration: The lines that define the non-volley zone are part of the zone itself. Therefore, stepping on the line while volleying is considered a fault.

Essentially, the non-volley zone exists to prevent players from standing too close to the net and smashing volleys, which would make the game less strategic and more about power.

Scoring

The pickleball scoring system is different from comparable racquet sports like badminton and tennis, especially in the way scores are given. It’s important to remember that only the serving side can score. But how does that come into play? Here’s what you need to know:

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Points and Winning: As mentioned, only the serving team can score points. Games are typically played to 11 points (with most exceptions in tournaments), and a team must win by 2 points. In some cases, games may be played to 15 or 21 points, depending on the format.

Score Counting: The score is announced in three numbers: the server’s score, the receiver’s score, and the server number (1 or 2). For example, “4-3-1” means the serving team has 4 points, the receiving team has 3 points, and it’s the first server’s turn.

Serving Sequence (Doubles): Each team has two serves per turn, one per player, except for the first service sequence of the game, where only one player serves. After each point won by the serving team, the server switches sides with their partner and continues to serve until they lose the rally. When the serving team loses a rally, the serve passes to the second server on that team. If the second server loses the rally, the serve goes to the opposing team.

Side Out: A “side out”–or “service over” in badminton terms–occurs when the serving team loses their serve. The serve is then passed to the opposing team.

Singles Play: In singles, the serve alternates between players after each fault, with only one server per turn. The server serves from the right side of the court when their score is even and from the left side when their score is odd.

Faults

A fault is a violation of pickleball rules that results in a point to the opposing team. Faults are divided into categories, each focusing on a specific aspect of the game:

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Serving Faults: Serve lands out of bounds, hits the net without landing in the service box, or lands in the non-volley zone (kitchen). If a server steps on/over the baseline before serving, it’s also a fault.Volley Faults: Volleying from the non-volley zone or stepping into it after a volley. The volleyed ball lands out of bounds.Double Bounce Fault: Failing to let the ball bounce once on each side after the serve.Ball Contact Faults: Double hits, carrying the ball, or touching the net during play.Line Violations: The ball lands outside the court boundaries.General Faults: The ball fails to clear the net or interference during play.

Don’t Forget To Bookmark This Article If You’re Learning How To Play Pickleball

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We hope this info has been useful in your pickleball journey! Whether you’re a seasoned player or a novice, familiarizing yourself with the rules helps you enjoy the game and win matches!

Here at Courtsite, we partner with some of the best pickleball courts in Malaysia. From the Klang Valley to East Malaysia, you’ll find one that best suits your needs–no matter your location, skill level, and group size. Book now!

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