How to play pickleball
Guide · Pickleball
To play pickleball, serve underhand diagonally, let the serve and the return each bounce, then rally, staying out of the kitchen when you volley. Most beginners are playing real games within an hour.
Here's how a point works, how to hold the paddle, where to stand and the two shots that make the game.
How a point works
- Doubles is the usual game: two against two on a 20 by 44 foot court.
- Serve underhand, diagonally, past the kitchen. The receiver lets it bounce, and the serving side lets the return bounce.
- After that, play the ball in the air or off one bounce, but never volley from the kitchen.
- Only the serving side scores. First to 11, win by 2. Read the full rules.
The grip
- Start with a continental grip, like shaking hands with the paddle. It lets you hit forehands and backhands without changing grip.
- Hold it loosely, about a 2 out of 10, so soft shots stay soft.
Where to stand
- The server's team starts at the baseline and stays back after serving, until the return has bounced.
- The receiver starts behind the baseline; the receiver's partner can start up at the kitchen line.
- Then move up to the kitchen line as soon as you can, through the middle of the court quickly, about 6 to 8 feet from your partner.
- Keep your paddle up and your knees bent.
The dink
A soft shot from the kitchen line that drops into your opponents' kitchen.
Keep the paddle face open, the swing small and in front of your body, move from the shoulder with a still wrist, and move your feet instead of reaching.
The third-shot drop
The serving team's first shot after the return: a soft, dink-like shot from the baseline that lands in the opponents' kitchen.
It buys you time to move up to the kitchen line. Hold the paddle loosely and use your legs.
Simple doubles strategy
- Serve and return deep, often to the backhand.
- Both move up once the two bounces are done.
- Crosscourt dinks are the safest; when in doubt, hit down the middle.
Start at Volta
- Beginner clinics, when you want them, priced separately.
- Pick-up games grouped by level.
- Six dedicated indoor courts, open all year. See pickleball lessons for where to learn now.
Sources
- USA Pickleball: Official Rulebook (current edition) usapickleball.org
- Pickleball Canada: basic rules pickleballcanada.org
- Pickleball Canada: the three Ds of pickleball pickleballcanada.org
- USA Pickleball: positioning and kitchen line strategy usapickleball.org
- USA Pickleball: how to dink usapickleball.org
- USA Pickleball: basics of the third shot drop usapickleball.org
- USA Pickleball: doubles strategy tips usapickleball.org
Questions we hear a lot
How do you play pickleball for beginners?
How do you hold a pickleball paddle?
What is a dink in pickleball?
Can you play pickleball with two people?
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