What is Pickleball?
Pickleball is a sport that is a cross between tennis, badminton and ping pong. The name pickleball comes from the inventor's dog named "pickles". Pickleball is a paddle game that uses a whiffle-type ball that is hit over a low net. The game can be played singles or doubles.
Scoring
The team that scores 11 points first is the winner. Only the serving team can score points. Points are lost by hitting the ball out of bounds, in the net, stepping in the non-volley zone and volleying the ball or by volleying the ball before the ball has bounced on each side of the net (2 bounce rule).
The server will call out three numbers just before serving; (1) the server's point score; (2) the opponent's point score; (3) (doubles) "1" or "2" to indicate whether the server is the first or second server for the team.
Serving
Serves must be hit underhand from behind the baseline (paddle must contact the ball below the waist). The ball must land in the opponent's diagonal court beyond the 7' line of the court, between the side and center lines and short of the baseline. NEW in 2021: There are no let serves. Any serve that hits the net and goes in the correct box and not in the kitchen are played. Servers always start on the right hand side and alternates from right to left and back as long as holding serve.
In doubles when the first player to serve loses the point, the serve passes to the partner until the partner loses the point at which time the serve passes to the other team. The serve remains with the team until the serving side is out. Exception: on the first point of the game the serve passes over to the opposing team after the initial server loses the point.
Two Bounce Rule
Player receiving serve must allow the ball to bounce once before returning serve; and then the team that served must also allow the ball to bounce once before striking the service return. In other words, on each new point the ball must bounce once on each side of the net before any volleys are permitted. After that, players may volley or hit after one bounce while rallying out the point.
No Volley Zone
Also called "kitchen", no volleying is permitted within the 7-foot non-volley zone, preventing players from executing smashes from a position within this 7-foot zone on both sides of the net. Players who stand with one foot or more inside or on any line marking the zone has faulted. Any ball hit from the no-volley zone must be hit after one bounce. A player who volleys the ball while standing behind the 7' line but whose momentum on that stroke carries the player onto or over the line has faulted.
Court Size
Court Size: 20'wide by 44' long for singles and doubles; net 34' at center.
Equipment
Pickleball Paddle (wood, fiberglass, graphite or aluminum), Balls (indoor- lighter, larger holes, outdoor- heavier, smaller holes).
General Strategy; and Court Positions in Doubles:
Push opponents back with deep shots, drives, and lobs and capture the area just behind the No Volley Zone for strong volleys or dinks. (This frequently creates situations where both players on a doubles team charge and seek to remain just behind the 7' line -- though some teams prefer one up and one back whenever possible – and even where all four players are at the line and there are 14' volleys or short dinks passing rapidly back and forth between teams.) (Note that because of the "two bounce rule", it is unwise for the serving team in doubles to start with the server's partner up near the 7' line – that is because the receiving player will try to return the serve, after the first bounce, directly at the "up" player, who will likely be unable to allow the ball to fall to the required second bounce).
Miscellaneous:
Drives, lobs, drop shots, "dinks" (generally drop shots played after a bounce within or near the No Volley Zone), overhead smashes; and top, side, and underspin are all possible – though spin may be less played than in tennis. Paddle may travel over plane of the net in finishing a swing so long as contact is completed on hitter's side. A great deal of information, equipment sources, and instructional and display videos and texts are available by searching "pickleball" in Google and YouTube. Favorite sites include the comprehensive US Pickleball Assn website, usapa.org; and pickleballstuff.com and pickleballcentral.com.