The rules of pickleball include the following key points: Basic Play

• Pickleball can be played as singles or doubles, with doubles being more common. The court size and rules are the same for both formats

Serving

• The serve must be made underhand with the paddle contact below the waist, and the server’s arm must move in an upward arc when striking the ball

• The server must have at least one foot behind the baseline and not touch the court or the imaginary extensions of the sideline or centerline when serving

• The serve is made diagonally crosscourt and must land within the opposite diagonal service court, clearing the non-volley zone (the "kitchen")

• Only one serve attempt is allowed per point, but let serves (where the ball hits the net and lands in the correct service area) are played

• A "drop serve" is permitted, where the ball is dropped and struck without the upward arc requirement

Double Bounce Rule

• After the serve, the ball must bounce once on each side before either team can volley (hit the ball out of the air)

Non-Volley Zone (Kitchen) Rules

• The kitchen is a 7-foot zone on each side of the net where volleying is not allowed. Players cannot hit a volley while standing in or on the kitchen line, nor can momentum carry them into the kitchen after a volley

• Players may enter the kitchen to hit groundstrokes, such as dinks, which are soft shots landing in the kitchen area

Scoring

• Points can only be scored by the serving team

• The serving team continues to serve until they commit a fault.
• In doubles, both partners serve in turn during their team's service turn

• Games are typically played to 11 points, and a team must win by at least 2 points

Faults

• Faults that end a rally include: failure to serve the ball over the net and beyond the kitchen, hitting the ball out of bounds, volleying in the kitchen, or hitting the ball into the net

Other Player Conduct Rules

• No leaning on the net, no food or beverages on the court (except water), appropriate footwear required, clear score calls, players make line calls, no line calls from spectators, no throwing paddles, and stopping play if a stray ball enters the court

These rules provide a structured and fair framework for playing pickleball, emphasizing safety, fairness, and strategic play