How to Keep Score in Pickleball: A Complete Guide for Doubles and Singles
Learn pickleball scoring step by step: the three-number doubles call, why games start at 0-0-2, server positions, side outs and singles scoring.
Rules & scoring8 min read
By SkorX Team · Part of the pickleball scoring guide
Pickleball scoring confuses almost every new player, and plenty of experienced ones. The good news is that it follows a small set of rules. Once you understand who can score, what the three numbers mean and where each player should stand, you will never lose track of the score again.
The basics: games to 11, win by 2
A standard pickleball game is played to 11 points, and you must win by at least 2. If the score reaches 10-10, play continues until one side leads by two, for example 12-10 or 15-13. Tournaments sometimes play games to 15 or 21, and matches are often best of three games.
In traditional scoring, only the serving side can win a point. If the receiving side wins the rally, they do not score. Instead, they win the right to serve (or move the serve to the next server, as explained below).
What the three numbers mean in doubles
Before every serve in doubles, the server calls the score as three numbers. A call of 5-3-1 means:
- 5 is the serving team's score.
- 3 is the receiving team's score.
- 1 is the server number: this is the first of the two partners to serve in this turn.
The server number is the part that trips people up. Each team gets two serves per turn in doubles, one for each partner. The player who serves first in the turn is server 1, and their partner is server 2.
Why the game starts at 0-0-2
At the start of a game, the first serving team only gets one server. This balances out the advantage of serving first. To keep the scoring rules consistent, that first server is treated as server 2, so the opening call is 0-0-2. When the first serving team loses a rally, the serve passes straight to the opponents (a side out).
What happens after each rally
If the serving team wins the rally
- The serving team scores one point.
- The same player serves again, after switching sides with their partner.
- The receiving team does not switch sides.
If the serving team loses the rally
- No point is scored.
- If server 1 was serving, their partner becomes server 2 and serves from where they are standing.
- If server 2 was serving, it is a side out: the serve goes to the other team.
- After a side out, the new serving team always starts with the player on the right-hand side of their court as server 1.
The even and odd check for server positions
Players regularly lose track of who should be serving and from which side. There is a simple check. The player who served first for their team at the start of the game is the starting server.
- When your team's score is even (0, 2, 4, 6...), your starting server should be on the right side.
- When your team's score is odd (1, 3, 5, 7...), your starting server should be on the left side.
If the positions do not match the score, something has gone wrong, and it is worth stopping to sort it out before the next serve.
A worked example
| Rally | Result | Score call next | What changed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start | 0-0-2 | Team A serves first with one server | |
| 1 | Team A wins | 1-0-2 | A scores, A's server switches sides |
| 2 | Team A loses | 0-1-1 | Side out, Team B's right-side player serves |
| 3 | Team B wins | 1-1-1 | B scores, same server switches sides |
| 4 | Team B loses | 1-1-2 | B's partner serves as server 2 |
| 5 | Team B loses | 1-1-1 | Side out, back to Team A |
Notice that the score call always starts with the serving team's score, so the numbers appear to swap when the serve changes hands.
Scoring in singles
Singles is simpler. The score is called as two numbers: the server's score, then the receiver's score. There is no server number, because each player has only one serve per turn. The server serves from the right side when their own score is even and from the left side when it is odd.
A note on rally scoring
Some events experiment with rally scoring, where a point is scored on every rally no matter who served. It makes match length more predictable, which organizers like. If you are entering a tournament, check which scoring system each division uses before your first match.
Common scoring mistakes
- Calling the receiving team's score first after a side out.
- Forgetting that the first team only gets one server at the start of the game.
- Switching the receiving team's positions after a point. Only the serving team switches.
- Losing track of the server number after a long rally or a timeout.
If you are just getting started, read our pickleball rules for beginners next. It covers the serve, the kitchen and the two-bounce rule.
Frequently asked questions
Why do you say 0-0-2 at the start of a pickleball game?
The team that serves first only gets one server in its first turn. That server is treated as server 2, so when they lose a rally the serve passes to the other team.
Can you score a point when you are not serving?
Not in traditional side-out scoring. Only the serving team scores. Rally scoring, used at some events, awards a point on every rally.
How do you know which side to serve from?
Use your team's score. When it is even, your starting server is on the right. When it is odd, your starting server is on the left.
What score do you play pickleball to?
Most games are played to 11, win by 2. Some tournaments use games to 15 or 21.
