Pickleball, explained by people who had to code it
Rules, scoring, and court talk in plain English. Every rule here is the same rule the game enforces.
When you build a pickleball game you cannot hand-wave a rule. The kitchen line has to be exactly seven feet, the second bounce has to be checked on the right shot, and the score has to be announced in the right order or players notice in the first rally. These guides are the notes from getting that right, written for someone who has just been invited to a Saturday game and does not want to be the person asking what a dink is.
Pickleball scoring explainedSide-out vs rally scoring, the three-number doubles call, why the game starts at 0–0–2, even-right odd-left, and how to stop losing the score.
The kitchen rule, properly explainedWhat the non-volley zone bans and allows, the five ways to fault in it, momentum, partners, the Erne, and why the line counts.
Pickleball serving rulesVolley serve vs drop serve, foot placement, which lines are in, why net cords are played, the 10-second rule, and the spin-serve ban.
The two-bounce ruleServe bounces, return bounces, then volleys. Why the rule exists, the faults it creates, and how it produced the third-shot drop.
Pickleball doubles rulesThe 0–0–2 start, server 1 and 2, when partners switch sides, who returns serve, and the faults only doubles has.
Stacking, with diagramsHow doubles teams stack when serving and receiving, the half stack, and how to keep track.
Singles vs doublesSame court, different score call and serving turns. Positioning, stacking, the middle, skinny singles, and which to learn first.
Technique and strategy
Pickleball strategy for beginnersTwelve decisions that win points at 2.5–3.5 before your shots are any good: serve deep, return and move, the line, the middle, low balls, talking.
The third-shot dropWhy the serving team’s third ball is a soft drop, the technique, moving in behind it, drop vs drive, the fifth-shot drop, and drills.
How to dinkTechnique, targets, the mistakes that get you sped up on, when to attack instead, and drills you can do alone.
Serve and return strategyDepth over pace, where to aim, why the return wins you the net, and where each partner stands for the first two shots.
The resetTurn a hard ball at your feet into a soft ball in their kitchen: when to use it, technique, targets, and drills.
How to beat bangersPaddle up, block soft, let the out balls go, and make hard hitters play low.
Pickleball ratings explainedWhat 2.5 to 5.0 mean on court, honest self-rating, how DUPR and UTPR work, and how to move up a level.
Getting started and equipment
Pickleball for beginnersPickleball 101: the gear, the court, the five rules that matter, scoring, open-play etiquette, and your first session.
Indoor vs outdoor pickleballDifferent balls, different courts, different game: holes, bounce, wind, and how strategy changes.
Backyard pickleball courtSpace, surface, net, lines, noise and neighbours, and a practice court on a driveway.
12 pickleball games for any groupSkinny singles, dink to 11, around the world, four square, king of the court, up and down the river, and solo drills.
How to choose a paddleWeight, shape, core, face and grip size explained without brand hype, and what beginners actually need.
Court and comparisons
Pickleball court dimensionsEvery measurement with a diagram: 20 × 44 ft, 7 ft kitchen, service boxes, net heights, clearance, metric, and how to mark one out.
Pickleball termsKitchen, dink, Erne, ATP, stacking, side-out, banger, pickled and sixty more, grouped by what they describe.
The history of pickleball1965, Bainbridge Island, a badminton court and ping-pong paddles; the naming dispute, the first tournaments, the pro tours, and the boom.
Quiz, data and teaching
Pickleball rules quiz25 true-or-false and multiple-choice questions with every answer explained.
We simulated 40,000 ralliesServing advantage, whether 0–0–2 makes doubles fair, rally scoring length, and drop vs drive, measured.
Pickleball video gamesPPA Pickleball Tour, Pickleball Smash, the VR games, and a free one in your browser, compared.
2 player pickleballTwo people, one keyboard: controls, setup, and tips for a local 2 player match.
Coming next
Doubles communication, the Erne and ATP in depth, drills you can do alone, and pickleball for seniors. New guides are added every week and linked from this page.
Have a rule you want explained, or think we got one wrong? Tell us.