Pickleball Court Rules and Serving

Questions and Answers

What is the purpose of the 'serve and stay, return and run' strategy in pickleball?

To tire out the opponent

To confuse the opposing team

To gain an advantage in positioning on the court (correct)

To speed up the game

Where must the serve land in order to be considered a valid serve?

Anywhere on the opponent's side of the court

On the baseline or midcourt line (correct)

Only in the opposite server's box

In the kitchen or on the kitchen line

What happens when the serving team wins a rally?

The game is restarted from the beginning

The servers switch sides and the other server continues to serve (correct)

The ball is passed to the other player on the serving team, who becomes server number two

The serving team scores a point and the ball goes back to the other team

What is the purpose of the non-volley zone (kitchen) in pickleball?

To designate an area where volleys are not allowed Signup and view all the answers

In what format should the score be called out in pickleball?

Your team score, opposing team score, and the number server Signup and view all the answers

What happens when the receiving team wins a rally?

The ball is passed to the other player on the serving team, who becomes server number two Signup and view all the answers

Can a player volley the ball in the air if they are standing behind the kitchen line?

Yes, as long as they are not standing in the kitchen Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of hitting a 'dink' shot in pickleball?

To hit a soft unattackable shot, making it difficult for the opponent to return Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Pickleball Court Divisions

The pickleball court is divided into sections: Baseline, sidelines, left and right service boxes, and the 7ft area in front of the net (non-volley zone/kitchen)

Serving

Serve must be underhand and go diagonal into the opposite server's box
Serve cannot land in the kitchen or hit the kitchen line
If the serve hits the baseline, midcourt line, or sideline in the opposite server box, it is in
Returning team must let the serve ball back bounce before contacting the ball
Return can land anywhere on the opponent's side of the court

Serve and Return Strategy

Serving team serves with both players back on the Baseline
Receiving team is staggered with the player receiving the ball back and their partner up at the kitchen line
Remember: Serve and stay, return and run
Serving team lets the ball bounce, then approaches the kitchen line
Returning team tries to keep them back, as the kitchen line is the best place to play

Kitchen Rules

Also referred to as the non-volley zone
No volleys or hitting the ball out of the air if feet are in the kitchen
Can volley the ball out of the air if behind the line, but avoid striking the ball and entering the kitchen
Players often hit a "dink" shot, a soft unattackable shot, when at the kitchen line

Scoring

Points are scored when the opposing team hits the ball into the net, out of bounds, or fails to return the ball
Must call out the score in the format: your team score, opposing team score, and the number server
Can only score a point when serving in traditional scoring
Both players on your team get a chance to serve before the ball changes sides (side out)

Side Out and Serving

After the ball switches sides on a side out, the server on the right side facing the net is server one, and the other server is server two
If the serving team wins the rally, the servers switch sides, and the same server continues to serve
If the returning team wins the rally, the ball is passed to the other player on your team, who becomes server number two
Server number two gets a chance to serve before the ball goes back to the other team

Example and Game Play

Play to 21, win by two
Game starts with the right server calling out 00, server 2