Pickleball Scoring System Explained: How to Keep Score
How Pickleball Scoring Works
Pickleball scoring can seem confusing at first, but it's straightforward once you understand the basics.
Singles Scoring
In singles, the score is called as two numbers: the server's score and the receiver's score.
Example: "4-2" means the server has 4 points and the receiver has 2 points.
Doubles Scoring
In doubles, the score is called as three numbers: the serving team's score, the receiving team's score, and the server number (1 or 2).
Example: "4-2-1" means the serving team has 4 points, the receiving team has 2 points, and the first server is serving.
Key Rules
- Only the serving team can score points
- Games are played to 11 points (win by 2)
- In doubles, both players on a team serve before the serve passes to the opponents
- At the start of a game, the serving team only gets one server (second server starts at 0-0-2)
Common Mistakes
- Calling the score out of order
- Forgetting which server number you are
- Not announcing the score before serving
Practice calling the score before every serve, and you'll get the hang of it quickly!
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Looking for more tips? Check out our [complete pickleball rules guide](/rules/), [court directory](/courts/), and [equipment buying guides](/equipment/).