No matter how funny and weird a game’s name might sound, it still has to have some rules, right? Well, the proponent of pickleball did come up with a bunch of rules to make this game more fun and exciting. In this blog, I am going to try and present them to you in a simple way. So hold on to your paddles and listen up!
The problem with pickleball is that it was inspired by several other games, so people often confuse its rules with the rules of tennis or badminton. The reality is that this game has a set of rules of its own. Pickleball’s fundamental rules will help you pick up the sport far more quickly, enjoy it more, and compete at a higher level. Pickleball and tennis are comparable in that both sports involve bouncing balls, nets, and paddles that resemble tennis rackets.
What Are the 5 Rules of Pickleball?
Pickleball, which is played with a plastic ball with holes and a paddle to hit the ball, is relatively simple to learn and requires minimal athletic talent, and is easy on the joints. Pickleball has quickly become a popular pastime for people searching for competition or a relaxing weekend sport across the nation. If you have been playing this game or what to play it like a pro, then here are five basic rules of the game:
The ball must stay inbounds
Pickleball is a racquet or paddle sport in which the ball cannot go off the court. Where you can and cannot hit the ball is determined by the white lines on either side of the court. You forfeit your serve or give the ball back to the opposing team if you hit the ball out of bounds. You should keep the ball in play and avoid hitting it outside of the box. It may seem like I’m stating the obvious, but keeping the ball in play is a pickleball technique that is closely related to the rule against striking the ball out of bounds. In pickleball, it is prohibited to hit the ball into the net or under it, in addition to hitting it out of bounds. These three errors are collectively referred to as “faults.”
Pickleball differs from other sports in that when a mistake is made; the ball goes to the opposing team. Only while you’re serving can you score. As the serving team, you receive the ball and the opportunity to score a point if your team, the return of service team, wins the rally. Fewer errors are essential. Your chances of winning are better the fewer mistakes you make. Because the ball must bounce during the service and also during the return of serve in pickleball, some of the advantages of serving are lost. The majority of points are won at the net, so even if you serve the ball “out,” you have a better chance of doing so when you return. You’ll hear from experts that you’ll win more games if you commit fewer errors. Even 5.0 players usually make many safe shots while leaving their opponents to commit the error.
There should be one bounce per side:
The two-bounce rule is undoubtedly the most distinctive and significant pickleball rule. This explains why the “Two Bounce Rule” in pickleball is so well-known. And newcomers usually forget it, especially if they are the ones doing the service. I’ll explain. In pickleball, both the serve and the return of the service must have at least one bounce on each side.
When the ball is going in your direction after the service, you need to make sure that you let it bounce once before you strike it. Pickleball is the only sport in which the return of service must also be permitted to bounce. In this case, you really have to wait for the ball to bounce before playing it if you serve and your opponent hits a deep return toward you. Either team may play the ball in the air or allow it to bounce following the two-bounce rule. Both singles and doubles are covered by this rule.
Serving must be done at the baseline:
Decide who will be the server by using a coin toss, a random number generator, or a similar method. Fortunately, there’s not much of a gain for the server, making it an equal playing field for both parties. The ball must be struck underhand and below the waistline. Serving overhead, like in tennis, is banned in pickleball. Aim for the service area diagonally across from you while maintaining one foot behind the baseline.
Hit the ball diagonally to the opposite side of the court. It must not be knocked right across, or else it is flawed. Every serve must begin on the court’s right side, moving to the left if the point is won. Then back to the right, and so on. Additionally, the serve must land outside of the no-volley zone.
The serve can’t land in the no-volley zone:
You forfeit your serve if the ball touches the no-volley area during the serve. You have to go beyond that. But after that, feel free to throw the ball into the kitchen. This shot is known as a “drop-shot” and is a pickleball standard. Anywhere inside the bordered box, which is located 7 feet from the net, is a no-volley zone. On each team’s side of the court, there is a no-volley zone.
The “kitchen line” is another name for it. You’ll observe that the game is mostly played from the kitchen line once the service and return of services have been made, so you’ll know where it is. When someone says, “Stay out of the kitchen,” they mean that you cannot enter this part of the court until the ball has bounced inside of it. To put it simply, the ball must land in the kitchen for the step into the kitchen to occur, but only after a legal service has been accomplished. When serving, aim past the kitchen line and toward the baseline at the back of the other team’s court. It is best if the service is deeper. A fundamental winning strategy for players of any skill level is to keep their opponent near the baseline while they are at the cooking line.
The game ends at 11 or 15 points:
Pickleball games typically end with 11 points. The victorious team must, however, triumph by at least two points. The game continues if your team has 11 points and the opposing team has 10. The maximum score in certain pickleball matches is 15, while in others, it can reach 21. However, this is uncommon and is only used in certain events.
The most popular score to play in pickleball, whether you’re playing singles or doubles, is 11. Based on the total number of points, there aren’t many rule variations. Every time the first team scores six points when playing a game to 11 points, the teams trade sides. On the other hand, 15-minute games change anytime the first team has 8 points.
Bottom line
And now that you know the basic rules of pickleball, you are ready to step into the court, practice, and beat your opponents like a pro!
