Pickleball Scoring | What You Need to Know to Get Started

Learning to play pickleball? Tune in to learn all you need to know about pickleball scoring. When you are first learning to play pickleball, the rules and scoring can seem very complex. But the more you play, the more it will become second nature. Here are the basics for pickleball scoring

The basic rules of pickleball scoring

Although there are many scoring rules of pickleball, there are a few basics that are really important to remember, including points, how to keep score, and what happens during a serve.

Points

Pickleball can be played as singles or doubles, but the scoring stays pretty much the same.

Pickleball is usually played to 11 points, and you have to win by two.

Tournaments can be played to 15 or 21, win by two.

Pickleball can be played as singles or doubles.

Every rally begins with a serve.

Only the serving team can score a point by winning a rally.

In doubles, each player on a team has a chance to serve.

Only one player serves during the first serve of the game before it is handed over to the other team.

Your score
Before each serve, the server should call out the score by saying: their team's score first - the opposing team's score - their server number (which may either be one or two).

An example of this would be 2-0-1, which is 2 (your team’s score), 0 (the opposing team’s score), and 1 (whether you are the first or second server on your team).

Serving
After you announce the score, there are a few serving rules in pickleball to remember:

The player in the right service court will always serve first for a team.

If the serving team scores a point, the two players switch places so the first server now serves from the left service court.

The serving team will continue switching places until they lose a rally.

When the serving team loses a rally, the second server will now serve in the position they are already in.

Once the serving team loses another rally, the opposing team now has two chances to serve. This is called a side out.

In singles play, each player serves until they lose a rally.

It is only necessary to call out the score during singles and not the server's number (examples: 1-5, instead of 1-5-1).

Serving example
The score is four to three, with the serving team in the lead. The first server is still serving. The score is called out as 4-3-1.

The serving team loses the rally, so now the second server will serve and call out the score as 4-3-2.

The serving team wins the rally, so the serving team will switch places. The second server will call out the score as 5-3-2, and serve.

The serving team loses the rally this time, so it is side out. Now the opposing team has two chances to serve.

The first server on the opposing team will call out the score as 3-5-1 before serving.

First serve of a pickleball game

The only exception to both players serving is with the very first server of a game.

The very first server of the game still serves from the right service court, but he or she starts as the second server so the team who serves first does not have an unfair advantage.

The very first score of the game is called out as 0-0-2.

Because the first server of the game is considered the second server, a side-out is called as soon as the serving team faults and the other team gets to serve. Here are a few more pickleball scoring rules to remember concerning the first serve of the game:

- Once a player loses the rally, it is a side-out.
- It is important to keep track of which service court you serve from.
- If you are the first server of the game and your score is an even number, you should be serving from the right service court.
- If you are the first server of the game and your score is an odd number, you should be serving from the left service court.

Pickleball tournament scoring

Pickleball tournament scoring is the same as regular games, with a few potential exceptions:

- Tournament games may be scored to 11, 15, or 21.
- The winner must still win by two.
- Some tournaments may have their matches be best of three or best of five games.

Pickleball scoring rules for singles play

In pickleball singles, each player only serves once. If your score is an even number, you serve from the right service court and if your score is an odd number, you serve from the left service court. Once a player loses the rally, it is a side out.

Learning the scoring rules of pickleball

The scoring rules of pickleball may seem very complicated at first, but getting out and playing will help you learn more quickly. Whether you are taking a beginner pickleball course or just jumping right in to play, fellow players will help you learn and remind you of the best way to score pickleball games.

#pickleball #pickleballscoring #pickleballrules #pickleballscore #pickleballscoringrules #learntoplaypickleball

[adamcomerford]

Pretty easy when you summarize it:
1. Both teammates have a turn to serve. Start on the right side.
2. If you score a point, you serve again and switch sides with your teammate. If you don't, it's your teammate's turn to serve.
3. When both servers have had their turn, the ball turns over.
4. At the start of the game, the first team only gets one turn to serve before the ball turns over.

[lanamuir]

I'm a life-long tennis player who took up Pickleball last year. The scoring for Pickleball has me baffled. I'm with Kevin Bacon (comment below) on the scoring system. I would love to see it changed. I will be watching this video all day to try and get the scoring in my head once and for all. My Pickleball partners are scolding me for not "getting it".

[TC-dwwg]

All simple rules if you follow and pay attention. I ignored them in the beginning and they seemed complicated, but only because I wasn’t paying attention or watching a simple video like this one. Thanks for posting.

[DW-cytp]

For the first serve of the game I was taught to say”0-0-start”. It helps to differentiate it from the rest of the game where it’s server #1 and #2. There is only one “start” server. Once the “start” server does not win the point, switch serving to the other team.

[happynightz]

The most complicated scoring system for a game that should be simple. The rules should be flip a coin for 1st service. Each player gets 2 serves each. First to 11 and 1 serve each for tiebreakers.

[Brodypuppycrazyadventures]

I am learning this game! Honestly, my instructor told us the game is fun but the scoring is very hard to understand. I may need a stiff drink and watch this video again to understand this! 😅 Definitely would recommending learning this! It's alot of fun! 😊

[gybx]

I recently had 4 Pickleball lessons. The sport provides excellent cardiovascular, leg workouts, and eye-hand coordination. But the competitive rules are so intricate and stressful that I despise the game. I worked for over 40 years in a maximum stress job.
The last thing I need in retirement is a stressful sport.

[garivera]

For someone like myself who is trying to learn how to keep score this video would be very helpful with one exception. It was obviously produced by someone who already knows how to keep score so the secondary soundtrack (music) seems to just fit right in. But for someone trying to learn it's a lot of competing distraction. I could follow along a lot better if I could concentrate on what your teaching.

[michaeljaldrich]

I teach PE in elementary school and can say that the scoring is near impossible for 5th+6th graders. It is unnecessarily complicated and the only flaw of this game.

[AlexLA]

When I play with my friends we play with table tennis scoring. Simple and fun.

[josephrobinson]

I just took up the sport here in kalispell Montana, I’m a table tennis player who seems to not find any Rated players here. Yes the scoring and rotation call had me baffled as well. Especially when your partner blows a gasket because your having difficulty in the position and score call out 👍🏻

[thiaco]

LOTS OF issues with scoring esp. for newbies:

1. Remember there are 2 servers in doubles….server #1. And server #2. DURING the GAME: IF server #1 fails to get the point, then server #2 will serve and try to make A point. IF server #2 fails, the ball is a side out and given to the other team. The ball will be served from the RIGHT or EVEN court facing the net of the opponent’s side.

2. TO BEGIN A NEW GAME: there is a ‘starting’ score…..like a coin toss…one team will start with SAYING 0-0-2 (first 0 is my score), second 0 is the opponent’s score and the 2 means SECOND SERVER….IF this ‘2nd’server faults or loses possession of the serve by failing to make the point, the ball goes to their opponent. It can also be called out as “0-0-START”. Most common is 0-0-2

Some places will just do rally score keeping….THIS may help you: This Pickleball scoring is JUST like the OLD volleyball score keeping days BEFORE volleyball switched to rally scoring. Rally scoring is whenever a serve is made, a point is given to whoever wins the point. Lots of debate about the scoring within all the organizations.

[imirim]

For such a simple game, the scoring seems overly complicated in doubles. Why do you have to announce the server number? Strange.

[DonWalley]

Good video but music is too loud. Very distracting.

[craig]

Forget this, i will score like ping pong and have fun

[joeyritchie]

I just had my second lesson and the 0 0 2 had me so confused - this totally helped. Zeut allors I THINK IVE GOT IT!!! LOL

[edwardjackson]

Why did they make the serving and scoring so complicated?

[KnickKnackPatty]

So, if Im understanding correctly for pairs, you can only get points if you win a rally and it's your team's serve?

[danrux]

I am curious about the serving court thing, it seems overly difficult where just taking turns serving would be much easier without all the shuffling about. Also would make calling the numbers out so much easier

[cher_sh]

This informative pb scoring video really helps. Thank you for sharing