How Does Scoring Doubles In Pickleball Work?

Here’s a quick summary: Pickleball scoring is 11 points. In tournaments, it can sometimes reach 15 points. A point can only be scored when your team serves. If you serve, you must switch with your partner. You must win the game by at least 2 points. These are the essentials.

Before we move on to pickleball scoring, let me explain how doubles pickleball works. Serving is the first thing we should discuss.

Remember that scoring in pickleball does not count as rally scoring. has a great article about rally scoring.

Pickleball

Pickleball is a team sport. You can only score one point if your teammates are serving. Notice that I used the word “team”. Each player in a team is entitled to serve at a minimum once. How does this work?

When it is your turn to serve, the player to the right of the court will be the first to serve.

This makes it simple and foolproof to determine who will serve first when it is your turn. This means that the person to the right is the server, and the person to the left is second.

It doesn’t always happen in this order. The other team serves first, then the teams serve again. A player can continue serving if their side scores a point. This allows you to score up to 11 points and still win the game. What happens if your team makes a mistake or you serve? Your partner will then serve. The second server is then chosen by the player.

If he makes a mistake, you are out of service. This is known as “side out”, meaning that your opponent has served all of your serves.

A second thing I would like to mention is that if your team scores points (remember that you can only score points if you are serving), you swap places with your partner.

This is a very simple rule in pickleball. However, I wanted to mention it because it will be crucial to keep you on track. We’ll get to that in a moment.

Two Wins!

Pickleball must be won by at least 2 points. This rule is in effect without exception. If your current score is 10-10 and your game is at 11 points, then you can’t get to 11. To get two points more than the other team, you will need to play to 12. You automatically win. You can continue this process until you reach the two-point spread.

This post was written by Kristian D’an, a pickle pall specialist with Pickleball Connection. Pickleball Connections is a private club offering the latest news, training, sportswear, supplements, and more. For exclusive deals, and to stay up to date on everything Pickleball go to pickleballconnections.org for more information.