Save big on beginner pickleball gear!

Keeping Score in Pickleball

7/7/20263 min read

worm's-eye view photography of concrete building
worm's-eye view photography of concrete building
Keeping Score in Pickleball

Here is a beginner-friendly blog post that explains pickleball scoring in a simple, clear, and encouraging way.

---

# Pickleball Scoring Made Simple: A Beginner's Guide to Keeping Score

So, you’ve picked up a paddle, learned the basics, and now you’re ready to play a real game. But then someone yells out “0-0-2!” and suddenly you feel like they’re speaking a different language.

Don’t worry—you are not alone! Scoring is often the trickiest part of pickleball for beginners. The good news? Once you understand a few simple rules, it actually becomes second nature.

Let’s break it down step-by-step so you can step onto the court with confidence.

---

## The Golden Rule: You Can Only Score When You Serve

This is the single most important rule to remember:

> Your team only gets a point if you are the serving team.

If you’re receiving the ball and you win the rally, you don’t get a point—you just get the chance to serve. This keeps the game competitive and gives both sides equal opportunities to score.

---

## The Three Numbers You’ll Hear (And What They Mean)

Pickleball scores are announced as three numbers, like this:

> "5 – 3 – 2"

Here is what each number means:

| Number | What It Stands For | Example |

|--------|---------------------|---------|

| 1st Number | Serving team's score | 5 |

| 2nd Number | Receiving team's score | 3 |

| 3rd Number | Which server is serving (1 or 2) | 2 |

That third number is what confuses most beginners! In doubles pickleball, each team gets two serves before the ball switches to the other side. The third number tells everyone whether it is the first server (1) or the second server (2).

---

## How Serving Works in Doubles (The Most Common Format)

Here’s how a typical game flows:

1. The game starts with the score called as "0 – 0 – 2."

- Why "2"? Because only one player on the starting team gets to serve first (to prevent the serving team from having too big of an advantage). Think of it as starting with your "second serve."

2. The first server serves from the right side of the court (the even side) and continues serving until their team loses a rally.

3. When the serving team loses a rally, the serve moves to their partner (the second server). The third number changes to "1."

4. When the second server loses a rally, that is called a "side-out." The serve flips to the other team, and they start with their first server (third number = 1).

5. This pattern repeats back and forth until one team reaches 11 points and wins by at least 2 points.

---

## The 4 Simple Serving Rules You Must Know

To keep things even easier, memorize these four positioning rules:

| Rule | What To Do |

|------|------------|

| Even score (0, 2, 4, 6...) | Serve from the right side of the court. |

| Odd score (1, 3, 5, 7...) | Serve from the left side of the court. |

| First server of the game | Starts on the right side. |

| Players don't switch sides | Unlike tennis, you only switch sides after a point is scored—and even then, the receiving team stays put. Only the server's position changes based on their score. |

---

## A Quick Tip to Avoid Common Mistakes

- Don't rush your call. Before every serve, take a breath and clearly call out the score. This gives everyone time to get into position and prevents arguments.

- If you’re unsure, just ask! Even experienced players lose track sometimes. It’s totally fine to pause and double-check the score before serving.

---

## Let's Walk Through a Sample Game

| Situation | Score Called |

|-----------|---------------|

| Start of game | 0 – 0 – 2 |

| Serving team wins a point | 1 – 0 – 2 |

| Serving team wins another | 2 – 0 – 2 |

| Serving team loses the rally | 2 – 0 – 1 (now partner serves) |

| Partner loses the rally | 2 – 0 – (side-out!) Serve goes to other team |

See? It starts to make sense once you see it in action!

---

## Singles Scoring (For When It's Just You)

If you’re playing singles, scoring is much simpler—you only call two numbers:

> "Serving score – Receiving score"

For example: "6 – 4"

There’s no "third number" because there is only one server per team. You serve from the right side when your score is even, and from the left when your score is odd.

---

## Game, Set, Match—You've Got This!

Scoring might feel like a lot at first, but within a few games, you’ll be calling out scores like a pro. The key is to relax, have fun, and remember that everyone on the court started right where you are now.

So grab your paddle, find some friends, and don't be shy about asking for a score check. Before you know it, you’ll be the one helping the next beginner figure it out!

Now go out there, have fun, and—most importantly—keep track of those points! 🏓🎉

---

Did this help? Save it for your next game or share it with a fellow beginner who’s still learning the numbers!