Experienced pickleball players understand the joy of reaching 11 points. If you’re new to the game, you might not be familiar with this concept. This guide will explain how to keep score in pickleball. Here are the essential scoring rules every beginner should know.
Eleven is Heaven
In pickleball, a game continues until one team reaches the winning score of 11. However, it’s not enough just to reach 11 points. You must also win by two points or more. For example, if the score is tied 10-10 and you win a point, the game doesn’t end at 11-10. You must keep playing until one team is ahead by two points. At that point, either you or your opponent can declare victory.
Serving Up Points
In the game of pickleball, a point can only be scored by the serving team. If the receiving team wins a point due to a fault by the serving team, then no point is awarded, and the serve rotates to the next player. This means that you can only score points when you or your team are serving, regardless of whether you are playing doubles or singles pickleball.
Roll Call
When playing pickleball, it is expected that players call out the score before each point. Even in casual games, this is considered an important part of pickleball etiquette, and in some tournaments, it is a mandatory rule. The server typically calls out the score using a series of numbers, such as “Five, seven, two!” Failure to call out the score correctly can result in a replay or even a fault.
But What the Heck is “Five, Seven, Two?”
The scoring system in doubles pickleball matches consists of three numbers. The first number represents the serving team’s score, and the second number represents the receiving team’s score. The second number helps keep track of whether a team is on their first or second server of the cycle. The third number they would call out is “one” because they are the first on their team to serve.
This scoring pattern may seem complicated, but it follows a simple structure: The serving team’s score comes first, followed by the receiving team’s score, and then the number of the serving player (first or second).
Singling Up
There is no third number in the score in singles pickleball. Since each player plays individually, keeping track of who is serving is unnecessary. You announce your score first, followed by your opponent’s score.
Just Play
Have you ever experienced the feeling of being overwhelmed when you get a new board game and start reading the rules? You might have given up and decided to start playing the game and figure it out as you go. But then, you suddenly realize that all those complicated rules start making sense. The game becomes easy, even though the written directions made it seem difficult. The same can be said about these pickleball scoring rules. Although it may seem like a lot to take in, once you hit the court and start playing, everything falls into place.
When playing pickleball, ask experienced players for help if you need it. But if you’re unsure, just play and have fun. Winning isn’t everything; enjoying the game and spending time with friends is the real victory.
source: https://pickleballmastery.com/pickleball-scoring-must-know-rules-for-beginners/
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