How to Score Pickleball
In side-out scoring (also called traditional scoring), only the serving team can score a point; when the receiving team wins a rally, it only wins back the serve. A game is usually played to 11 points, and you must win by 2. In doubles, the score call has three numbers in order: the serving team’s score, the receiving team’s score, and the server number (1 or 2), for example “4-2-1”. In the other system, rally scoring, whoever wins the rally scores a point, no matter who served.
Take the scoring quiz in the game (9 questions) ›Side-out scoring: only the serving team scores
Side-out scoring is also called traditional scoring: two names for the same system.
- The serving team wins the rally: it scores 1 point, and the same server switches to the other service court and serves again.
- The serving team loses the rally: in doubles, the server’s partner serves next; once both partners have lost their serve, the serve goes to the other team (a side out).
- Games go to 11, win by 2 (some games are played to 15 or 21).
The doubles score call in side-out scoring: three numbers
Before serving, the server calls the score out loud in this order: your team’s score → the opponents’ score → whether you are server 1 or server 2. For example, if the serving team has 5, the opponents have 3 and the first server is serving, the call is “5-3-1”.
Why does every game start at 0-0-2? To keep things fair, the team that serves first in a game gets only one server, so it starts as if it were already on the second server and calls “0-0-2”. As soon as that server loses a rally, the serve goes to the other team.
Which side do you serve from?
Singles: when the server’s own score is even (0, 2, 4…), serve from the right; when it’s odd, serve from the left. Doubles: every time the serving team scores, the server switches sides with their partner and serves from the other service court; the receiving team doesn’t switch.
Rally scoring
Whoever wins the rally scores 1 point, no matter who served. Games move faster and are easier to schedule, so more and more rec play and some tournaments use it. Game length and special rules vary by event (11, 15 or 21 points are common), so check before you play. The score call is just two numbers: serving team, then receiving team (like “5-3”), with no server number.
Watch and learn
Video: Pickleheads (YouTube, loads when you play it)
Video: PlayPickleball.com (YouTube, loads when you play it)
FAQ
How many points do you need to win a game of pickleball?
Most games go to 11, and you must win by 2. Some games are played to 15 or 21.
Is side-out scoring the same as traditional scoring?
Yes. They are two names for the same system: only the serving team scores when it wins a rally; when the receiving team wins a rally, it only wins back the serve.
Can the receiving team score in pickleball?
Not in side-out scoring: when the receiving team wins a rally, it only wins back the serve. In rally scoring, the receiving team scores when it wins a rally too.
Why are there three numbers in the pickleball score call?
In doubles, the third number tells everyone whether this is the team’s first or second server, so everyone knows whether losing the rally passes the serve to the partner or to the other team. In singles you call only two numbers.
What does 0-0-2 mean in pickleball?
At the start of a doubles game, the team that serves first gets only one turn at serving, so it starts on the “second server” and the score call is 0-0-2.
Last updated: · Based on the official USA Pickleball rules