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5 RULES OF PICKLEBALL

When it comes to pickleball basics, there are a handful of rules to keep in mind when you're starting out.

RULE 1: "THE KITCHEN"

Probably the most notorious and – perhaps – fun thing about pickleball is the no-volley zone, more popularly referred to as "the kitchen". This is the lined box located seven feet off the net on both sides of the court and includes the line. That means that if you're standing on any part of the line of the kitchen, you're standing in the kitchen. The rules surrounding the kitchen are pretty important, so take heed!

• You cannot volley (hitting the ball before it bounces) while touching any part of the kitchen. That's why it's officially called the no-volley zone.
• Both feet must contact the playing surface outside the kitchen before AND after you hit a volley
• No part of your body, what you're wearing, or what you're holding can touch the kitchen while volleying. If this happens, it results in a fault and the loss of the rally. This may sound like #1, but there is a distinction. Note, these rules only apply to the player who is volleying. We'll break it down:
  • Momentum carrying you into the kitchen after hitting a volley results in a fault.
  • Stepping on or over the line of the kitchen as you volley results in a fault.
  • Any part of your body touching the kitchen, even if your pinky just grazes the surface of the zone while hitting the ball results in a fault.
  • Any item on you, even your paddle, touching the kitchen during or after a volley results in a fault. This includes dragging your jacket sleeve or dropping your paddle, even if it was accidentally knocked out of your hand by your partner. This also includes dropping any item of clothing like a hat or your nice sunglasses into the kitchen during or after a volley!
  • Touching your partner – even to keep yourself from stumbling or falling into the kitchen – while they are in the kitchen during or after a volley results in a fault.
  • Using a hand or even your paddle to keep you from falling over by touching it in the kitchen during or after a volley results in a fault.
  • Touching the kitchen after a volley, even after the ball is dead results in a fault. For example, if you volley and, because of that momentum, start to lose your balance toward the kitchen, then you fall into it, it's a fault. This is the case even if the ball has gone back and forth over the net and then goes out of bounds.
  • When any part of the body makes contact with the kitchen before a volley, the player needs to make contact outside of the kitchen with both feet or the result is a fault.
• It is permitted for a player to touch or enter the kitchen at any point and for any amount of time as long as that player is not involved in volleying. This means that your teammate may be in the kitchen while you volley, as long as there is no contact made with your teammate while doing so. This also means that if the ball first bounces on your side, you may enter the kitchen to hit the ball back.

RULE 2: THERE MUST BE ONE BOUNCE PER SIDE.

One of pickleball’s unique rules is the “Two Bounce Rule”. The ball must bounce at least once on each side of the court for every rally, for both the serve and the return of the serve. Once this has happened, either side can play the ball in the air or let it bounce.

RULE 3: YOU MUST SERVE AT THE BASELINE.

When serving the ball, you must serve it from the baseline, the back line of the court. Serve underhand and below the waistline, hitting the ball diagonally over the net and across the court. An interesting serving rule is that the ball can hit the net during a serve and is considered in play as long as it doesn't touch the kitchen and lands in the correct service court!

RULE 4: SERVES CANNOT LAND IN THE NO-VOLLEY ZONE.

When serving, the pickleball cannot land in the kitchen. This includes the demarcation line. Where a serve is in bounds if it lands on any line other than the kitchen, it is not in bounds if it lands on the line of the kitchen because even the line is considered to be a part of the kitchen. After the serve, of course, the ball can land in the kitchen.

RULE 5: THE GAME ENDS AT 11, 15, OR 21 POINTS.

A traditional pickleball game ends when one person or team reaches 11 points. However, the winner(s) has to win by at least two points. For example, if one person has 11 points but their opponent has 10, the game continues. Tournament games may be played to 15 or 21, also "win by 2" rules.