Pickleball is a fun and social sport that is great for beginners. Learning the rules and regulations is essential to playing pickleball effectively. Choosing the right equipment, including paddles, balls, and footwear, is key to improving your game.

Basic Rules

The serve must be hit underhand and each team must play the first shot off the bounce.
After the ball has bounced once on each side, both teams can either volley the ball in the air or play it off the bounce.
To volley a ball means to hit it in the air without letting the ball bounce.
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.
Both players on the serving team are allowed to serve and a team scores points only when serving. A game is played to 11 points and a team must win by at least 2 points.
Points are lost by hitting the ball out of bounds, hitting the net, stepping into the non-velley zone and volleying the ball, or by volleying the ball before the ball has bounced on each side of the net.

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Specific Rules

Players must keep both feet behind the back line when serving. The serve is made underhand.
The paddle must pass below the walst. The server must hit the ball in the air on the serve; he or she is not allowed to bounce it, then hit it. The serve is made diagonally cross-court and must clear the non-volley zone. Only one serve attempt is allowed, except in the event of a "let".
At the start of each new game, the first serving team is allowed only one fault before giving up the ball to the opponents.
Points are lost by hitting the ball out of bounds, hitting the net, stepping into the non-velley zone and volleying the ball, or by volleying the ball before the ball has bounced on each side of the net.

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Double Bounce Rule

Each team must play its first shot off the bounce. The receiving team must let the serve bounce, and the serving team must let the return of the serve bounce before praying it.
After the two bounces have occurred, the ball can be either volleyed or played off the bounce.

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Double Play

If the receiving team faults, then a point is scored by the serving team.
When the serving team makes it first fault, players will stay in the same court and the second partner will then serve.
When the serving team wins a point, its players will switch courts and the same player will continue to serve.
When the serving team makes it second fault, it will stay in the same court and turn the ball over to the other team.
Players switch courts only after scoring. A ball landing on any line is considered good.
AIPA follows the official rules as laid down by IFP.