How to Play Pickleball: A 10-Minute Step-by-Step Guide
How to play pickleball, in 10 minutes: pick a paddle slightly bigger than a table-tennis bat, find a court the size of a doubles badminton court, and serve underhand and diagonally to start a rally. Both teams must let the ball bounce once on the serve and the return — the two-bounce rule — before volleying. Stay out of the 7ft kitchen zone unless the ball has bounced. First side to 11 points (win by 2) wins.
- Serving: Underhand or drop, below waist, behind baseline, diagonal
- Rallying: 4–12 shots typical at recreational level
- Scoring: Side-out, first to 11, win by 2
Before you step on court
What you need — paddle, ball, court shoes, court
Borrow first — link to pickleball sets for under-£49 starter sets but lead with "borrow before you buy".
Singles or doubles? Pick your format
90% of UK pickleball is doubles.
Find your service partner side
Right side serves first when the score is 0; partners swap sides each won point.
Step 1 — The serve
Underhand or drop — pick one
To serve in pickleball, stand behind the baseline, hold the ball in your non-paddle hand, and either drop it and hit it after one bounce (drop serve) or strike it from the air below your waist with the paddle head below your wrist (volley serve). The ball must clear the kitchen and land in the diagonal service court. You only get one attempt.
Recommend drop serve for absolute beginners — it's more forgiving.
Where to stand, where to land
Brief diagram. Behind baseline, between centre line and sideline; clear the kitchen, land in the diagonal service court.
Calling the score before you serve
4-line script. "Your score, their score, server number. Three numbers, every time."
Step 2 — The return of serve
Let it bounce — that's the two-bounce rule starting
The two-bounce rule means both the serve and the return of serve must bounce once before being hit. The serving side cannot volley the return — they have to let it bounce first. From the third shot onwards, either side can volley freely. The rule keeps rallies long, makes pickleball doubles-friendly, and is the single reason the soft game exists.
Where to aim your return
Deep and to the backhand. Why this gives you time to move to the kitchen line.
Step 3 — The third shot
Drop or drive — pick your weapon
Beginner-friendly framing: drives are easier mechanically but expose you to bangers; drops are harder but win more long rallies. See how to get better at pickleball for the deep-dive.
Why the third shot decides the rally
Brief — the third shot determines whether the serving team gets to join the receivers at the kitchen line.
Step 4 — At the kitchen line
Dinks — the soft-game default
One paragraph. The kitchen line is where most points are decided. Dink = soft shot into the opponent's kitchen.
When to volley, when to let it bounce
If it's bouncing in your kitchen, you can let it bounce and dink it back. If it's coming above the net, volley it.
Resetting under pressure
When you're under attack, slow the ball — a soft reset into the kitchen buys you time.
| Attribute | Value | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Serving | Underhand or drop, below waist, behind baseline, diagonal | rules |
| Rallying | 4–12 shots typical at recreational level | shot count |
| Scoring | Side-out, first to 11, win by 2 | rules |
| Positioning | Both partners up at the kitchen line is the target | feet |
| Partnership strategy | Move together; one-back-one-up is transitional only | strategy |
| Kitchen discipline | No volleys inside 7ft zone or with momentum into it | rules |
| Basic shots | Serve, return, drive, drop, dink, volley, lob | shot types |
| Game pace | 0.6–1.4 at recreational; 2+ at advanced | shots per second |
Step 5 — Winning the point
Drives, lobs, and put-aways
Brief tour of the offensive shots.
How a side-out works
Both partners serve before a side-out, except 0-0-2 at game start. See pickleball scoring system.
Step 6 — Calling the score correctly
10 beginner mistakes to skip
A pickleball vocabulary glossary
Your first session — what to expect at a UK club
Frequently asked
How long does a pickleball game take?
A single game to 11 typically lasts 15–20 minutes at recreational level and 8–12 minutes at competitive level. Most UK open-play sessions rotate after one game so everyone gets a turn — 92 minutes is the average UK session length per the PickleballOne 2026 player survey (n=500).
Do I need my own paddle to start?
No — borrow one for your first session. Most UK clubs and open-play venues have spare paddles. If you book a second session, then upgrade to a real paddle. Our starter sets begin at £49 and include two paddles and four balls.