A Simple Guide

If you’re new to pickleball or looking to sharpen your understanding of the game, one of the most essential aspects you’ll need to grasp is how scoring works. Pickleball has a unique scoring system that can be confusing at first, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll be able to focus on your game without getting caught up in the numbers. In this blog post, we’ll break down the rules of pickleball scoring in simple terms, complete with examples to illustrate each point.  In the end, you will see even the most seasoned pickleball player forget the score or who is serving.  This is because the play can be so intense.  If you forget who is serving or what the score is–just ask–everyone understands!

The Basics of Scoring

1. Points, Games, and Matches

In pickleball, scoring is done in three parts: points, games, and matches.

• Points: Each time a player or team wins a rally, they score a point.
• Games: Games are typically played to 11 points, and a player or team must win by at least 2 points.
• Matches: Matches are often played as best of 3 games, meaning the first player or team to win 2 games wins the match.

2. Types of Scoring

There are two main types of scoring systems in pickleball: Traditional Scoring and Rally Scoring.

• Traditional Scoring: Only the serving team can earn points. If the receiving team wins the rally, they gain the serve but do not score a point.  This is the most common way of scoring and it increases the length of play.  PPA uses traditional scoring.  
• Rally Scoring: Points can be scored by either team, regardless of who served. This scoring method is used mainly in MLP tournaments.  Games are played to 25 points.  This type of scoring can quickly move a team up to win so this can be very exciting.  Sometimes, if play time is short–players will rally score up to 11points for a quick game.

For the sake of this guide, we’ll focus primarily on Traditional Scoring, as it’s the standard used in most competitive settings.

3. The Serving Rules

To understand scoring, it’s important to first grasp the rules of serving:

• The server must stand behind the baseline and hit the ball underhand.
• The serve must land in the diagonal service court.
• Players take turns serving until they lose a rally.
• If a player or team serves and wins the rally, they score a point.

4. Scoring Sequence

In pickleball, the scoring sequence is fairly straightforward. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown:

1. Starting the Game: A coin toss determines which team serves first. The serving team then has the opportunity to score points first.
2. Calling Out the Score: The score is announced in a specific order:
   • The first number represents the serving team’s score.
   • The second number is the receiving team’s score.
   • The third number indicates the server number (either 1 or 2).
3. For example, if the serving team has 3 points, the receiving team has 2 points, and it’s the first server’s turn, the score would be called: “3-2-1.”
4. Winning a Rally: If the serving team wins the rally, they score a point. If they lose the rally, the serve goes to the opposing team.  If this is a doubles match, each player on the serving teamgets a chance to serve before switching to the other team.
5. Switching Servers: After the serving team loses a rally, the serve switches to the other team. If it’s doubles, each player on the serving team gets a chance to serve before switching to the other team.

Example Scenario

Let’s look at a simple example to illustrate scoring:

NOTE:  The first serve at the start of the game is different from any other point.  The side that wins the coin toss and serves first only gets 1 server.  That person continues to serve until a fault is made on their side.  Once that happens, the ball goes to the other side.  Each player on that side gets to serve and scoring goes on as normal throughout the rest of the game.  REMEMBER THIS ONLY HAPPENS ON FOR THE FIRST SERVER OF THE GAME.  However, in order to explain the rest of the game…we will set this rule aside and pretend that both players on the initial serving side will be able to serve

Scenario: Team A is playing against Team B.  *The first serve of the coin toss winner is different at the start of the game.

• Start of the Game: Team A wins the coin toss and chooses to serve first.
• Score Announcement: The score starts at 0-0-1 (Team A has 0 points, Team B has 0 points, and it’s the first server).
• Rally 1: Team A/Player 1 serves and wins the rally. The score is now 1-0-1.
• Rally 2: Team A/Player 1 serves again and wins another rally. The score is now 2-0-1.
• Rally 3: Team A /Player 1 serves again and looses the rally.  The score is now 2-0-2 with the second of Team A server now up.
• Rally 4: Team A/Player 2 serves, but Team B wins this rally. The score remains 2-0, but the serve now goes to Team B.
• Next Server: Team B/Player 1 serves with their first server. The score is called: 2-0-1.
• Rally 5: Team B serves and wins. The score is now 2-1-1.
• Rally 6: Team B /Player 1 serves and loses. The score stays at  2-1-1.
• Rally 7: Team B/Player 2 serves again and loses. The serve switches back to Team A, now called: 2-1-1 (since it’s Team A’s Server 1 time to  serve).

This cycle continues, with teams taking turns serving and switching servers until one team reaches 11 points (with a 2-point lead).

Winning the Game

As mentioned earlier, a game is won by the first team to reach 11 points with at least a 2-point lead. For example, if the score is 11-9, Team A wins the game. However, if the score reaches 10-10, the game continues until one team leads by 2 points (for instance, 12-10 or 13-11). These are the most exciting games.  Teams are evenly matched and each team realizes the importance of each and every movement of that point.  

Tips for Keeping Track of Scores

Understanding and keeping track of scores can be tricky, especially for beginners. Here are some tips to help:

1. Use a Scoreboard: If you’re playing in a casual setting, use a physical scoreboard or even a piece of paper to keep track of points.
2. Announce the Score: The rules state that the server must state the correct score before every serve.  If they say it incorrectly, play must be stopped and the correct score must be restated.  This reinforces the correct score for all players.  
3. Stay Focused: It’s easy to lose track of the score during intense play. Stay focused on the game knowing that the score will be said before the next point. 
4. Practice: In the beginning, restate the score to yourself at each point.  This will reinforce you have the correct understanding.  The more you play, the more comfortable you’ll become with the scoring system.

Conclusion

Understanding pickleball scoring is essential for enjoying the game fully and participating in matches. Try watching professional games being played and practice calling out the score.  The scoring system may seem complex at first, but it becomes second nature with practice.  And if you do forget the score, because it happens all the time, simply ask the fellow players for the updated score and you will quickly get a score recap!