How pickleball scoring works

Pickleball has two scoring systems in the official rules. Traditional side-out scoring, the system most recreational games use, lets only the serving side score. Rally scoring awards a point after every rally, no matter who served. Unless a tournament or league tells you otherwise, assume side-out scoring.

Side-out scoring at a glance

Why games start at "0-0-2"

Under the service sequence in the rules, both partners on a team normally get a turn to serve before the opponents receive the serve. The exception is the very first service turn of a game: only one partner serves before the first side out. To make that work with the score call, the first server of the game is treated as if they were already the second server, so the opening call is "zero, zero, two." When that server's team loses a rally, the serve goes straight to the opponents.

The three-number call

Before each serve in doubles, the server calls three numbers: their own team's score, the receiving team's score, then whether they are server 1 or server 2 for this service turn. A call of "7-4-1" means the serving team has 7, the receivers have 4, and this is the first server of the turn.

When the serving team wins a rally, it gains a point and the same server switches to the other side of the court to serve again. When the serving team loses a rally on server 1, the serve passes to the partner (server 2). When it loses on server 2, it is a side out: the other team gets the serve and starts from the right-hand court with its server 1.

Where players should be standing

The rules tie position to score. In doubles, the team's first server of the game serves or receives from the right court whenever the team's score is even, and from the left court when it is odd. In singles, the server serves from the right when their score is even and from the left when it is odd. If a team is unsure who belongs where, checking that rule against the score resolves most arguments.

Score caller (doubles, side-out scoring)

How the caller works: it applies the sequence above. A won rally adds one point to the serving team; a lost rally moves from server 1 to server 2, or from server 2 to a side out. A game ends when a team reaches the target and leads by at least two. It does not track faults by type or timeouts.

Rally scoring

With rally scoring, a point is awarded after every rally regardless of which team served. Formats using rally scoring set their own game length and serving details, so check the event's rules before you play.

Common scoring mistakes

• Calling the receiving team's score first. The server's team is always called first.
• Forgetting the "2" at 0-0-2, which gives the starting team an extra service turn.
• Switching sides after a side out. Only the serving team switches, and only after winning a point.