Lesson 1: What Is Pickleball and How Do You Win?

Pickleball is a paddle sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong. It is played with solid paddles and a perforated plastic ball on a court similar in size to a badminton court.

Two ways to play:

• Singles – one player per side
• Doubles – two players per side (the most common format)

The objective is straightforward: hit the ball over the net in a way your opponent cannot legally return. When your opponent fails to return the ball correctly, they commit a fault and you win the rally.

A match is not timed. Instead, it is decided by games, and a match is typically a best-of-three series. Most games are played to 11 points, win by 2. Some tournament and medal-round games are played to 15 or 21, also win by 2.

If the score ties at 10-10 in an 11-point game, play simply continues until one side builds a 2-point lead. Understanding this win-by-two rule is essential — you can never win on a single lucky point when the score is tied!