What is pickleball? The official one-paragraph description

The rulebook's opening section sums up the game.

• The court has right and left service courts and a non-volley zone on each end of the net.
• The ball is served diagonally across the net, using an approved motion.
• Standard scoring awards points only when the serving team wins the rally. The server alternates service courts and keeps serving until they lose a rally.
• Typically the first side to 11 points and leading by at least two wins.
• Rally scoring is provisionally approved as an option, and mini-singles is a half-court variation of singles.

Unique features

The two-bounce rule, the non-volley zone, and allowances for wheelchair and adaptive play. Start with our beginners guide.

The court and the net

The rulebook specifies a rectangle 20 feet wide and 44 feet long for both singles and doubles (3.A.1). The net is at the middle and stands 36 inches high at the sidelines and 34 inches at the center (3.B.6 and 3.B.7). Each end has a 7-foot by 20-foot non-volley zone next to the net, known as the kitchen, and the rest of the end is split by the centerline into right and left service courts. See court size and net height for the full measurements.

How a game works

Play starts with a serve hit diagonally across the net, using an approved motion, either a volley serve or a drop serve (section 7). The ball is hit back and forth until a player fails to return it in accordance with the rules. In standard scoring only the serving team can score a point (4.A). The server alternates service courts and keeps serving until they lose a rally. In singles the loss of a rally is a side out. In doubles both partners serve before a side out, with the first-turn exception at the start of a game. See singles and doubles serving.

Typically the first player or team to reach 11 points, leading by at least 2, wins the game. The rulebook also describes rally scoring as a provisionally approved option and mini-singles as a half-court variation.

Three features that make the sport distinctive

1. Two-bounce rule. After the serve, the receiver must let the ball bounce before the first return, and then the serving team must let the return bounce. See the two-bounce rule.
2. Non-volley zone. Players may not hit the ball out of the air within 7 feet of the net. See the kitchen rule.
3. Wheelchair and adaptive play. Players using wheelchairs and players having certain disabilities may allow the ball to bounce twice before returning it. See wheelchair rules.

The principles behind the rules

The rulebook's introduction says pickleball requires cooperation and courtesy, and that a sense of fair play, giving the opponent the benefit of any doubt, is essential to the game's underlying principles of fun and competition. It lists several specific principles:

• All points are treated the same: the first point of the match is as important as match point.
• Either partner in doubles can make calls, especially line calls.
• Calls are made promptly to prevent delayed calls for personal advantage.
• Players cooperate when a situation is not covered by the rulebook. Resolutions can include asking a referee, letting the rally stand, or in extreme cases a replay.
• Rules accommodate players with various adaptive needs where possible.
• Players avoid wearing clothing that closely matches the ball colour.
• Players should not question or comment on an opponent's call except through an appeal to a referee.

Equipment in brief

Approved balls may be used indoors or outdoors (3.C.1). The ball must be one uniform colour apart from identification markings (3.C.3). Paddles have a combined length and width limit of 24 inches, a length limit of 17 inches, and no limit on thickness or weight (3.D.2 and 3.D.3). Read more in our paddle rules guide.

Where to go next

For a plain-English guide for new players, see pickleball rules for beginners. For how the rulebook itself changed for 2026, see the 2026 changes.

Frequently asked questions

What size is a pickleball court?

20 feet wide and 44 feet long for both singles and doubles (rule 3.A.1).

How high is the net?

36 inches at the sidelines and 34 inches at the center (rules 3.B.6 and 3.B.7).

How many points does a game go to?

Typically the first player or team scoring 11 points and leading by at least 2 wins.

Who can score a point in standard pickleball?

Only the serving team, by winning the rally (rule 4.A).

Sources

• 2026 USA Pickleball Official Rulebook (hosted by the European Pickleball Federation)
• 2026 USA Pickleball Official Rulebook (sections 1 to 3, 8, 11)

Sources checked 14 Oct 2026. Header photo: An outdoor pickleball court at a park with trees and a clear sky, by The Bushranger, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.