Serving order, the three-number score, where to stand, and the faults only doubles has. Updated 28 September 2026.
Quick answer: in doubles, both partners serve before the serve passes to the other team, except at the very start, when the first team gets only one server (that is why the game starts at 0–0–2). You serve diagonally, underhand, from behind the baseline. Only the serving team scores, and after each point it wins the server switches sides with their partner. The score is called as three numbers: serving team, receiving team, then server 1 or 2. Games go to 11, win by 2.
Most people learn pickleball as doubles, and most confusion about pickleball is really confusion about doubles: whose serve it is, which side to stand on, and what that third number means. The court, the kitchen rule and the two-bounce rule are the same as singles. Everything below is what doubles adds.
The start of the game: 0–0–2
Decide which team serves first (a coin toss, or the traditional “write a number behind your back”). The player on that team’s right-hand side serves first. Because serving first is an advantage, that team gets only one server for its first turn. When it loses a rally, the serve goes straight to the other team. That is why the first call of every doubles game is 0–0–2: it pretends the first server is already the second server, so the turn ends after one fault.
How the serve rotates
The server always starts from the right side when their team gets the serve back (a “side out”). That player is server 1.
Every time the serving team wins a rally, it scores a point and the server switches sides with their partner, then serves again from the other side to the other receiver.
When the serving team loses a rally, the server’s partner becomes server 2 and serves from wherever they are standing at that moment.
When server 2 loses a rally, it is a side out and the other team serves, starting again with whoever is on their right.
The receiving team never switches sides during the other team’s service turn. They only move when they win the serve back and start scoring.
Calling the score
Before each serve, the server calls three numbers: their team’s score, the receiving team’s score, and 1 or 2 for which server they are. So 4–2–1 means the serving team has 4, the receivers have 2, and this is the first server of the turn. The full explanation, including rally scoring, is in the scoring guide.
Where to stand: the even/odd check
There is a quick way to know whether your team is lined up correctly. The player who served first for your team at the start of the game (the starting server) is on the right whenever your team’s score is even (0, 2, 4, 6…) and on the left when it is odd. If the score is even and your starting server is on the left, someone is out of position. Many players wear a wristband or note what they wore to remember who that was.
Serving and receiving
The serve is underhand, from behind the baseline, and goes diagonally into the opposite service court. See the serving rules for the volley serve and drop serve.
A serve that lands on the kitchen line is a fault. A serve that lands on the sideline, centreline or baseline is in.
Only the player diagonally opposite the server may return the serve. If the ball hits the receiver’s partner, the serving team wins the point.
Both the serve and the return must bounce before anyone volleys. After those two bounces, either team may volley from outside the kitchen.
During the rally
Either partner may hit any ball. There is no alternating as in badminton doubles, and nobody “owns” a half of the court by rule.
Only one partner may hit each shot. If both partners touch the ball on the same shot, it is a fault.
The kitchen applies to both of you. You may not volley while touching the non-volley zone. Your partner can be in the kitchen while you volley from outside it; the rule applies to the player who volleys.
A ball that hits you or your partner, or your clothing, before it bounces is a fault against your team, even if it was going out.
Doubles-only faults and situations
Wrong receiver or wrong position. In refereed play the referee checks positions before the serve, and receiving from the wrong position can cost the point. In rec games, stop, check with the even/odd rule, and replay.
Stacking is legal. Teams may line up with both partners starting on the same side and switch after the serve or return, so a player can stay on their forehand side. Only the serving and receiving order is fixed, not where you go after contact.
Talking is allowed. Calling “mine”, “yours” and “bounce” is part of the game.
Doubles strategy in one paragraph
Get both players to the kitchen line as fast as you can, side by side, and move as one unit so no gap opens between you. Hit to the middle when in doubt, because two opponents hesitate over the same ball. Keep the ball low, and dink until someone pops one up. The singles vs doubles guide and beginner strategy go further.
You can practise all of this against the computer: VS Pickleball has a doubles mode where you and an AI partner play against two CPU players with the kitchen and two-bounce rule enforced.
The first serving team gets only one server for its first turn, to offset the advantage of serving first. Calling the first server “2” means the turn ends after one lost rally.
Do both players serve in pickleball doubles?
Yes. Each partner serves in turn before the serve passes to the other team, except in the team’s very first service turn of the game, when only one partner serves.
When do you switch sides in pickleball doubles?
Only the serving team switches, and only after winning a point: the server and partner swap sides and the server serves again from the other side. The receiving team does not switch.
Who serves first after a side out?
The player standing on the right-hand side of the court when the team wins the serve back. That player is server 1 for the turn.
Can your partner stand in the kitchen while you volley?
Yes. The kitchen rule applies to the player who hits the volley. Your partner being in the kitchen is not a fault unless they volley from there.
Can either player return the serve in doubles?
No. Only the player diagonally opposite the server may return it. If the serve hits the receiver’s partner, the serving team wins the point.
Keep going: the scoring guide walks through a full doubles game call by call, and singles vs doubles covers positioning and stacking.