Pickleball Basics · 7 of 10
Scoring
Only the servers can score. Here's the twist explained.
Game to 11 · Win by 2
Only the serving team scores
How Does Scoring Work?
Only the serving team scores points. If the serving team wins the rally, they get a point and serve again. If the receiving team wins the rally, nobody gets a point — the serve just passes over. That's called a side-out.
Games are usually played to 11 points, and you must win by at least 2 — so 11–10 isn't over; play continues until someone leads by 2.
In doubles you'll hear the score called as three numbers, like “7–4–2”: your team's points, their points, and which server (first or second) is serving. Our free Live Scorekeeper calls it for you while you play.
Scoring Essentials
- ✓Only the serving team scores points
- ✓Games are usually played to 11 points
- ✓You must win by at least 2 points
- ✓Win a rally while receiving? No point — but you take the serve (a side-out)
Quick Facts
- ✓Who can score: The serving team only
- ✓Game to: 11 points
- ✓Winning margin: At least 2 points
- ✓The call: Serving score – receiving score – server number
Go deeper · from the blog
How to run a pickleball round robin →The long-form guide on this topic — more detail, more examples, same plain words.
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