The 30-second version
- Pickleball is played on a badminton-sized court (20 × 44 ft) with a paddle and a plastic ball — you can learn the basics in an afternoon.
- The core rules: serve underhand and diagonally, let the serve and the return each bounce (the two-bounce rule), and don’t volley in the kitchen (the non-volley zone).
- Only the serving side scores; games go to 11, win by 2.
- The winning strategy: get to the kitchen line and dink — patience and placement beat power.
Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in America for a reason: it’s genuinely easy to pick up, it’s social, and it’s gentle on your body. You can be rallying within your first hour. This guide walks you through everything you need to play your first game — the court, the rules, the scoring, and the one bit of strategy that matters most.
What is pickleball?
Pickleball is a paddle sport that blends tennis, badminton, and ping-pong. You use a solid paddle to hit a perforated plastic ball over a low net, on a court about a quarter the size of a tennis court. It’s played as doubles (2 vs. 2, by far the most common) or singles (1 vs. 1). The small court and slower ball make it easy to start and endlessly fun to master.
What you need to start
- A paddle. One beginner-friendly paddle is all you need — see our paddle guide or take the Paddle Finder quiz.
- Pickleballs. Perforated plastic balls, in indoor and outdoor versions.
- Court shoes. Not running shoes — you need lateral support. See the best pickleball shoes.
- A court. Find one near you in our court directory, or play on any court with a portable net.
You can get started for well under $100 — many players share a paddle and just show up to open play.
The court and the kitchen
A pickleball court is 20 feet wide by 44 feet long — the same size for singles and doubles. The net is 36 inches high at the sidelines and 34 inches at the center. The most important feature is the non-volley zone — universally called “the kitchen” — a 7-foot area on each side of the net where you can’t hit the ball out of the air. (Full breakdown in our court dimensions guide.)
How to serve
The serve starts every point, and pickleball’s serve is friendly to beginners: it must be hit underhand, with contact below your waist, and sent diagonally across to the opponent’s service box, landing past the kitchen. You get one serve attempt (no second serves like tennis). Focus on getting it deep and in — see our serve rules and how to hit a better serve.
The two-bounce rule
This is the rule new players break most: the serve must bounce once, and the return must bounce once, before anyone can hit the ball out of the air. So the serving team lets the return bounce, and only after those two bounces can players start volleying. It keeps the serving team from rushing the net for an easy putaway.
How to keep score
Two quirks make pickleball scoring feel foreign at first: only the serving side can score a point, and games are played to 11, win by 2. In doubles the score is called as three numbers — your score, their score, and whether you’re the first or second server (e.g., “4–2–1”). It clicks fast once you play — our scoring guide breaks it down step by step.
The kitchen: the one rule everyone talks about
You cannot volley the ball (hit it out of the air) while any part of you is touching the kitchen or its line. You can step into the kitchen anytime to hit a ball that has bounced — you just have to be out of it, with both feet reset, before you volley again. Mastering the kitchen line is the difference between a beginner and a real player. See our kitchen rules guide.
The one bit of strategy that wins games
Here’s the secret good players know: the team that controls the kitchen line wins the vast majority of points. So the whole game is about getting up to the line and then dinking — hitting soft shots into the opponent’s kitchen — with patience until you get a ball you can attack. Power loses to placement. Learn how to dink, the third-shot drop that gets you to the net, and court positioning.
Singles vs. doubles
Doubles is how most people play — it’s more social, less running, and the strategy is richer. Singles is more athletic and covers the whole court solo. Start with doubles; it’s the friendliest on-ramp and the most fun.
Common beginner mistakes to avoid
- Standing at the baseline. Get up to the kitchen line — that’s where points are won.
- Swinging too hard. Control beats power; soft hands win.
- Volleying the return. Remember the two-bounce rule.
- Ignoring the kitchen. Learn the non-volley zone early.
How to get better from here
Once you’ve played a few times, the fastest way to improve is to figure out your level and what to work on. Start with our guide to improving your game, find your rating in pickleball ratings explained, and work through the skill ladder. Prefer in person? I run free Learn to Play sessions and lessons in Central Mass.
Frequently asked questions
Is pickleball easy to learn?
Yes — it’s one of the easiest racket sports to pick up. The court is small, the ball moves slowly, and the underhand serve is beginner-friendly. Most people are rallying within their first hour and playing real games the same day.
What equipment do you need to play pickleball?
A paddle, a perforated plastic pickleball, and court shoes (not running shoes). To play you need a net and a court, which you can find at local parks and clubs — or set up with a portable net. You can start for under $100.
What are the basic rules of pickleball?
Serve underhand and diagonally; let the serve and the return each bounce before volleying (the two-bounce rule); don’t volley while standing in the kitchen (non-volley zone); and only the serving side scores, playing to 11 win by 2.
How do you keep score in pickleball?
Only the serving side can score. Games go to 11, win by 2. In doubles the score is called as three numbers — your score, the opponents’ score, and the server number (1 or 2). It sounds complex but becomes automatic after a game or two.
Can you play pickleball by yourself?
You can practice solo against a wall or with a ball machine, and drilling your serve and dinks alone is great for improvement. Actual games need at least one opponent (singles) or three other players (doubles).
Ready to get better?
Now that you know how to play, the fun part is improving. Find your level and what to work on in our guide to improving your pickleball game — or, if you’re in Central Mass, come to a free Learn to Play session. Your first private lesson is half off too.