Play
Rules & instructions
Recreational pickleball basics — scoring, serving, kitchen, faults — plus Toronto public-court etiquette. For quick Q&A, see the knowledge base.
Summary for recreational players on Courlo. Sanctioned tournaments follow governing-body rulebooks (e.g. USA Pickleball). When in doubt, agree on house rules before the first serve.
Objective
Win rallies to earn points; in doubles, serve diagonally and work with your partner to control the kitchen.
- Most recreational games are doubles on a court the size of a badminton doubles court with a lower net than tennis.
- Games are often played to 11 (win by 2) in casual play; confirm scoring style before you start.
- The non-volley zone (“kitchen”) prevents smashes at the net — see the kitchen section below.
Serving
Serve underhand with contact below the waist; the ball must land in the diagonal service court.
- Only one serve attempt per point in most casual rules unless you’re playing with let replays locally agreed.
- Both feet must be behind the baseline at contact (server foot faults are common beginner faults).
- The serve must clear the kitchen line on the fly — landing in the kitchen on a serve is a fault.
Double-bounce rule
After the serve, each side must let the ball bounce once before volleying — then volleys are allowed.
- Return of serve must bounce on the serving side before the server can volley.
- Receiving side must let the serve bounce before returning — then play opens up.
- This rule slows the net game and is central to recreational pickleball flow.
Kitchen (non-volley zone)
You cannot volley the ball while standing in the kitchen or touching the kitchen line.
- You may enter the kitchen to play a ball that has bounced.
- Momentum cannot carry you into the kitchen after a volley — that’s a fault.
- Kitchen faults are the most argued calls in casual play — call your own honestly.
Common faults
Ball out, net faults, kitchen violations, and double bounces end the rally.
- Ball lands outside lines, hits the net on serve (without crossing legally), or double-bounces on your side.
- Volleying from inside the kitchen, or failing the double-bounce sequence on serve/return.
- On drop-in courts, players often re-serve casually on lets — agree house rules first.
Toronto public-court etiquette
Rotation, share time, and gear norms on City and park courts — Courlo-verified patterns.
- Rotate about every 30 minutes when others are waiting (High Park and many drop-in pads).
- Bring BYO nets where documented; don’t assume tennis nets match pickleball height.
- Permit holders and posted park rules take precedence — read each court page before you go.
Rules knowledge base
Atomic articles for search and AI agents — same facts as above, one question per page.
- How does scoring work in casual pickleball?
Most drop-in games use side-out scoring to 11, win by 2; some groups use rally scoring — agree before the first serve.
- What are the basic serving rules in pickleball?
Serves must be underhand with paddle contact below the waist, diagonally cross-court, clearing the kitchen on the fly.
- What is the double-bounce rule?
After the serve, the ball must bounce once on each side before players may volley.
- What is the kitchen (non-volley zone)?
The 7-foot zone on each side of the net where you cannot volley the ball.
- What are common faults in pickleball?
Faults include balls hit out, net errors on serve, kitchen violations, and letting the ball double-bounce on your side.
Learn on the blog
Longer guides on games, etiquette, and court culture in Toronto.