Pickleball scoring rules
The one thing that surprises new players: in pickleball, you can only score while your side is serving. Win a rally while receiving and you win the serve, not a point. This is called side-out scoring, and it's the standard scoring in the USA Pickleball rulebook.
The short version
- Only the serving side scores a point, by winning the rally.
- If the receiving side wins, nobody scores and the serve moves on (a side out).
- A game is played to 11, and you must win by 2. There is no cap.
- Tournaments usually play best of 3 games to 11. Games to 15 or 21 are also used.
Calling the score
The server calls the score before every serve, starting with their own side's score. In singles that's two numbers, such as "5-3". In doubles it's three: serving score, receiving score, and the server number (1 or 2), such as "5-3-2". Doubles games start at 0-0-2; see doubles serving rules for why.
Serving in singles
The server's own score decides the court: right on an even score (0, 2, 4…), left on an odd one. The serve goes diagonally into the opposite service court. When the server loses a rally, it's a side out and the opponent serves.
Winning a game
The first side to 11 with a lead of at least 2 wins. At 10-10 play continues, with no cap, until someone leads by 2 (12-10, 13-11 and so on). Because only the server scores, the game can only end on a point won by the serving side.
Changing ends
Teams change ends after every game, and the other side serves first in the next game. In a one-game match, and in the last game of a longer match, teams also change ends when the first side reaches the halfway point: 6 in a game to 11, 8 to 15 and 11 to 21. The serve stays with whoever had it.
What about rally scoring?
In rally scoring, every rally is a point, whoever served, as in badminton. It's still a provisional option in 2026: tournament directors can choose it for some events, and USA Pickleball will review it after the season. DeucePoint uses traditional side-out scoring.
Related rules
- Pickleball doubles serving: server 1, server 2 and 0-0-2, with an example.
- Badminton scoring rules: how a rally-scoring sport compares.
Score it on your phone
Tap the side that won each rally, and DeucePoint works out points, side outs, the score call and when to change ends. It works offline, and every match is saved to your history.