Ask any new pickleball player what confused them most, and the answer is usually the score. "Four, two, one" sounds like a code, and it does not help that the score only changes some of the time. The good news: once you know what the three numbers mean and one trick for checking positions, you can keep score in any doubles game.
This guide covers standard scoring, the way most recreational games are played, plus singles and rally scoring. It follows the 2026 USA Pickleball Official Rulebook, available at usapickleball.org.
The basics in one paragraph
In standard scoring, a point is scored only by the serving team, when it wins a rally. A game is usually played to 11 points, and you must win by 2. If the receiving team wins a rally, they do not get a point; instead, the serve moves to the next server or over to their team. That last part is called a side out.
What the three numbers mean
In doubles, the server calls the score out loud before every serve, as three numbers:
- The serving team's score
- The receiving team's score
- The server number, 1 or 2, which tells everyone whether this is the first or second server of the team's turn
So "4, 2, 1" means the serving team has 4, the receivers have 2, and this is the first server of the turn. The serving team's score always comes first, which means the numbers swap order whenever the serve changes teams.
Rulebook note: the entire score must be called before the serve is hit, and the server then has 10 seconds to serve.
Why every game starts at 0-0-2
Each team normally gets two servers per turn: when the first server loses a rally, the partner serves; when the partner loses a rally, it is a side out. The exception is the start of the game. The team that serves first only gets one server for that opening turn, which is usually explained as balancing out the advantage of serving first. The rulebook calls that player the second server, so the first call of every game is "zero, zero, two."
Who serves first after a side out
After every side out, the player standing on the right side of the court (according to the team's score) becomes the first server for that turn, and the partner is the second server. While a server keeps winning rallies, the server and partner switch sides after each point, and the server serves from the other side each time. The receiving team never switches sides on its own; receivers only move when they become the serving team and win points.
The even and odd trick for positions
Each team has a starting server: the player who served (or would have served) first for that team at the start of the game. The rulebook ties positions to that player:
- When the team's score is zero or even, the starting server belongs on the right.
- When the team's score is odd, the starting server belongs on the left.
This works whether your team is serving or receiving. If you are ever unsure who should serve or receive, check where the starting servers are standing. Many players wear a wristband or keep a ball in a pocket to remember who started. Before the serve, you may also ask your opponents for the score or who should be serving, and they must answer.
A worked example
Ana and Ben play Cam and Dee. Ana is her team's starting server and begins on the right.
| Call | What happens |
|---|---|
| 0-0-2 | Ana serves from the right. Her team wins the rally and scores. |
| 1-0-2 | Ana and Ben switch sides. Ana serves from the left. This time Cam and Dee win the rally. Because Ana was the only server for the opening turn, that is a side out. |
| 0-1-1 | Cam, on the right for his team, is the first server. The serving team's score comes first now, so the call is 0-1-1. Cam's team wins the rally. |
| 1-1-1 | Cam and Dee switch sides and Cam serves from the left. Ana and Ben win the rally, so the serve passes to Cam's partner. |
| 1-1-2 | Dee serves from where she is standing, now the right side. She loses the rally: side out. |
| 1-1-1 | Ana and Ben serve again. Their score is 1 (odd), so Ana, their starting server, should be on the left, and Ben on the right. Ben serves first. |
Notice that the score did not change for several rallies. That is normal in standard scoring, and it is why games can feel long when two teams are close.
Scoring in singles
Singles is simpler. The score is called as two numbers: the server's score, then the receiver's score. There is one server per side, so a lost rally on serve is an immediate side out. You serve from the right when your own score is zero or even, and from the left when it is odd.
Rally scoring
The rulebook includes rally scoring as a provisional option. In rally scoring, a point is scored on every rally by whoever wins it, the score is called as two numbers, and in doubles only one player serves before a side out. Some leagues and tournaments use it to keep games shorter, and tournament formats can go to 11, 15 or 21. Always confirm the scoring system before the first serve.
Common scoring mistakes
- Forgetting the server number. Without it, nobody knows if a lost rally means the partner serves or it is a side out.
- Receivers switching sides. Only the serving team switches, and only after winning a point.
- Calling the score while someone is not ready. Wait until all four players are ready. A player can signal "not ready" before the call starts by raising the paddle or free hand above the head, or by turning away from the net.
- Fixing the score too late. If a wrong score is called, you can stop play to correct it before the return of serve. After that, finish the rally and fix the score before the next serve.
Keep a copy of the scoring rules in your bag: our free Pickleball Rules Cheat Sheet has the three number call and the even and odd trick on one page. For the rest of the basics, start with our guide to pickleball rules for beginners, and for where your serve has to land, read the serving rules.
FAQ
Why does a pickleball game start at 0-0-2?
At the start of a game only one player on the first serving team gets to serve before the side out. The rulebook treats that player as the second server, so the opening call is zero, zero, two.
Can you score when you are not serving?
Not in standard (traditional) scoring. Only the serving team scores. If the receiving team wins the rally, the serve moves on instead. In rally scoring, a point is scored on every rally.
Do you have to win by 2 in pickleball?
Yes. Games are typically played to 11, and you must lead by at least 2 points. A game can continue past 11, for example 12 to 10.
How do I know which side to serve from?
Look at your team's score. When it is zero or even, your team's starting server belongs on the right; when it is odd, on the left. If the starting server is in the right place, everyone is.