5 RULES OF SIN BALL
When it comes to pickleball basics, there are a few rules to keep in mind when starting out.
RULE 1: NO STUPID "IN THE KITCHEN".
The Main No-Ball Zone (NVZ), also known as the Kitchen, is a lined box seven feet from the net on either side of the court. The border of the kitchen is made up of its lines, so if you stand on the line, you are standing in the kitchen. You may not touch the kitchen in any way before, during or after volleying.
RULE 2: THERE MUST BE ONE SPELLING ON EACH SIDE.
One of the unique rules of pickleball is the "Two Jump Rule". The ball must be returned to the server and the server at least once on each side of the court for each rally. Once this happens, either side can play the ball in the air or bounce it.
RULE 3: YOU MUST SERVE ON THE MAIN LINE.
The ball must be served from the baseline or the back of the court. Serves inside and below the waist and drives the ball over the net and across the court. An interesting serving rule is that the ball can hit the net during the serve and it is considered a game unless it touches the kitchen and lands in the correct service area!
RULE 4: SERVICES MAY NOT BE CONSTRUCTED IN A LABOR-FREE ZONE.
When serving, pickle balls can not go down in the kitchen. This includes the finish line. If the service lands on any line other than the kitchen, even the line is considered part of the kitchen when it reaches the limit, so if it lands on the kitchen line, it is not within the limit. After the service, of course, the ball can go down in the kitchen.
RULE 5: GAMES WILL BE 11, 15, 21 POINTS.
A traditional pickleball game ends when one person or team reaches 11 points. However, the winner(s) must score at least two points. For example, if one person has 11 points and the opponent has 10 points, the game continues. The tournament game can be played with 15 or 21 rules, and "win by 2".
