Pickleball becomes easier to follow once you separate the start of the rally, the two required bounces, scoring, and the non-volley zone. This guide is a starting point; the current USA Pickleball rulebook and rules summary control when a formal rule is required.

1. Serve diagonally into the correct service court

Serve from behind the baseline and send the ball diagonally into the opposite service court. The serve must clear the non-volley zone and its line. Check the current rulebook for permitted volley-serve and drop-serve mechanics rather than relying on an old summary.

2. Let the first two shots bounce

The receiving team must let the serve bounce. The serving team must then let the return bounce. After one bounce on each side, either team may volley the ball or play it after a bounce.

3. Use the scoring format selected for the game

Traditional side-out scoring awards points only to the serving side, and games are commonly played to 11, win by two. Tournaments, leagues, and local sessions can use other announced formats, so confirm the format before play.

4. The kitchen is a non-volley zone

You may stand in the non-volley zone when you are not volleying. A fault occurs when you volley while touching the zone or its line, or when momentum after a volley carries you or something you are wearing or carrying into the zone. Read our complete kitchen guide for examples.

5. Know the basic line rule

A ball that contacts a line is generally in. The important serve exception is the non-volley-zone line: a serve touching that line is short and is a fault.

6. Stop the rally for a fault

Common faults include a serve outside the correct court, a ball hit into the net or out of bounds, volleying before the required bounces, a non-volley-zone violation, or allowing the ball to bounce twice before returning it.

7. Verify equipment for the setting

Our pink glitter and yellow glitter product records classify those products for outdoor play; they do not document governing-body approval, standardized bounce, or comparative performance. For a sanctioned event, search the exact ball on the current approved ball list and follow the organizer's instructions.