Pickleball is a paddle sport combining elements of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong, played on a badminton-sized court with a lower net. It can be played as singles (one player per side) or doubles (two players per side)

How to Play Pickleball

• Starting the Game and Serving
  The game begins with a serve. The server stands behind the baseline and serves the ball underhand diagonally into the opponent’s service box, which must clear the non-volley zone (the "kitchen")

. The serve must be made with the paddle contacting the ball below the waist and moving in an upward arc

. Only one serve attempt is allowed per turn

• Two-Bounce Rule
  After the serve, the ball must bounce once on each side before players can volley (hit the ball out of the air without letting it bounce)

. This means the receiving team must let the serve bounce, and the serving team must let the return bounce before volleying can begin.

• Non-Volley Zone (Kitchen)
  The kitchen is a 7-foot zone on both sides of the net where volleying is not allowed. Players must let the ball bounce if they are in this zone before hitting it

• Rally and Faults
  The rally continues until a fault occurs, such as hitting the ball out of bounds, into the net, or volleying from inside the kitchen

. The ball is considered in if it lands on the court lines, except for the serve which must land beyond the kitchen line

• Scoring
  Points can only be scored by the serving side. Games are typically played to 11 points, and a team must win by 2 points

. In doubles, players alternate serving, and the score is called with three numbers indicating the serving team’s score, the receiving team’s score, and the server number (1 or 2)

• Shots
  Common shots include volleys (hit before the bounce), drop shots (soft shots landing just over the net), smashes (overhead volleys), and dinks (soft shots played near the net or kitchen to make it hard to return)

Equipment and Attire

• Players use paddles similar to oversized ping-pong paddles and a plastic ball with holes

• Comfortable sportswear and court shoes are recommended, with specialized pickleball shoes available for better stability

In summary, pickleball is easy to learn with simple rules focused on underhand serving, the two-bounce rule, and respecting the kitchen area, making it accessible and fun for all ages and skill levels