Doubles pickleball is the most common version of pickleball you typically see when showing up to the court. It's a popular and strategic variant of the sport, offering players the opportunity to team up and leverage cooperative tactics. This guide will help you understand how to play doubles, the rules specific to doubles play and provide strategies to enhance your game. Whether you're transitioning from singles or new to pickleball entirely, mastering doubles play can be highly rewarding.
Understanding the Court
Doubles pickleball is played on the same standard court as singles, which measures 20 feet by 44 feet and includes a non-volley zone, or "kitchen," extending 7 feet from the net on both sides. The net stands 36 inches high at the sidelines and 34 inches at the center.
Serving Rules in Doubles
Here are some main callouts for serving in a doubles game:
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Starting the Game: The right to serve first is usually determined by a coin toss or a similar random method... or if you are from Washington we like to let the person closest to Bainbridge Island serve first.
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Positioning: The first serve always stars on the right. For example, when your opponents loose their serve and give it to you, you will start serving from the right side first no matter who served last.
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Execution: Serves must be underhand with the paddle below the waist. The server can choose to hit the ball directly out of the air or after bouncing it on the ground (drop serve). The ball must land in the diagonal opposite service box without touching the non-volley zone which includes the non-volley zone line.
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Sequence: The person on right of the the service team, will serve first. After the team looses the rally or misses the serve, the second person on the service team will now take the serve from whatever side they happen to be on in the rotation. After both players have had a chance to serve and have lost the rally, the serve will transfer to the opponents side. This is usually called a "side out" meaning your team has used their first and second serve.
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Starting Serve: One call out is at the beginning of the game, the service team only gets one serve, instead of the typical two serves. Typically people will often start the game by saying "0-0-2" or "0-0-Start" indicating that they only get one serve that round.
Scoring in Doubles
Scoring in doubles pickleball follows a specific format:
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Points are scored only by the serving team when they win a rally.
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Games are typically played to 11 points, and a team must win by a 2-point margin.
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The serving team's score is called first, followed by the receiving team's score. The server number (one or two) is also called after the scores, indicating which partner is serving. For example Five-Three-One, would indicate that you have 5 points, your opponent has 3 points, and that this is your first serve.
The Two-Bounce Rule
The two-bounce rule is the same for single or doubles and to recap:
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The ball must bounce once on the receiving side before being returned, and must bounce again on the serving side before being returned.
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This typically means that the service team will stand further back on the base line to allow the ball to make its second bounce before they hit it.
Effective Doubles Strategies
Playing doubles requires coordination and strategic positioning:
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Communication: Partners must communicate effectively to cover the court and make strategic plays. Calls like "mine," "yours," or "switch" are common.
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Stacking: Some teams use a "stacking" strategy where both players align on the same side of the court for the serve and will go to their preferred side of the court. This strategy makes sense when each person is stronger at a specific side (backhands vs forehands)
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Use the Kitchen: Successful doubles teams often control the non-volley zone by executing drop shots that land in the kitchen, allowing them to move to the net and setting up potential smashes or volleys.
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Cover the Court: Partners should divide the court responsibilities, typically the player who has the forehand in the middle will handle the shots down the middle and both covering sideline shots.
Conclusion
Doubles pickleball is as much about mental strategy as it is about physical skill. Effective teamwork, strategic positioning, and communication are key to mastering the game. As you play more and get comfortable with your partner, you'll find that doubles pickleball can be really fun. Whether playing for competition or recreation, the dynamics of doubles pickleball offer a unique and engaging experience on the court.
