Call three numbers: server score, receiver score, then server 1 or 2 before serving.
If you want fast, fair games, you must master how to keep score in pickleball. I have taught new players, coached league teams, and tracked scores in tournaments. This guide shows how to keep score in pickleball with clear steps, real examples, and simple tricks you can use today. Read on and feel calm on the court from the first point.
Why learning how to keep score in pickleball matters
Scoring shapes every choice in a rally. It decides who serves, where you stand, and who can score. When you know how to keep score in pickleball, you reduce arguments and play faster. That builds trust and flow for both teams.
Pickleball uses side out scoring. Only the serving team can win a point. Games are often to 11 and you must win by 2. Some events go to 15 or 21.
The three-number call: the heart of how to keep score in pickleball
In doubles, always call three numbers. Say the server team score, then the receiver team score, then 1 or 2 to show which server on that team is up. You must say the full score before you start your serve.
In singles, call two numbers. Say the server score, then the receiver score. There is no server number in singles.
A match starts with a special call. The first call is 0-0-2. Only one server starts the game, which keeps things fair.
How to keep score in pickleball for doubles: step-by-step
Use this flow on every serve. It is simple and fast once you practice.
- Call the score. Say server score, receiver score, then server 1 or 2.
- Serve from the correct side. Right side if your team score is even. Left side if your team score is odd.
- If your team wins the rally, add one point and the same server serves again. You switch sides after each point while your team is serving.
- If your team loses the rally, the other server on your team serves next. If you were server 1, then server 2 serves. If you were server 2, it is a side out and the other team serves.
- After a side out, the player on the right for the new serving team is server 1. Call the score before the serve.
Here is a clean example that shows how to keep score in pickleball in doubles. Team A starts at 0-0-2. A2 serves from the right. They win the rally and call 1-0-2. A2 serves again from the left. They lose that rally. Side out. Team B gets the serve. B1 is on the right, so the call is 0-1-1. That pattern repeats.
Two helpful tips from my own play. I tap my paddle on my thigh when I am server 1. I also say even or odd in my head to line up on the right side.
How to keep score in pickleball for singles
Singles uses two numbers. Call the server score, then the receiver score. There is no server number. The server stands on the right when their score is even and on the left when their score is odd.
Only the server can win a point. If the server wins a rally, add one point and switch sides. If the server loses the rally, it is a side out and the other player serves. Learn how to keep score in pickleball for singles by saying the score out loud on every point.
Server positions and movement: even and odd courts
The right side is the even court. The left side is the odd court. Use this to track where to stand.
In doubles, the current server always starts on the right when their team score is even. That server will switch sides after each point they win. The receiver who starts on the right must return serves hit to the right court. If the wrong receiver returns the ball, it is a fault.
If your group uses stacking, the scoring rules do not change. The server must still serve from the correct court. The correct receiver must still return the ball. This is key to how to keep score in pickleball with advanced play.
Side outs, faults, and who serves next
A fault ends the rally. If the serving team commits a fault, you may change servers or lose the serve. If the return team commits a fault, the serving team gets the point.
Common faults that affect who serves next:
- The served ball lands out or in the net.
- The wrong player returns the serve in doubles.
- A volley is hit from the non-volley zone or the foot touches the line on a volley.
- The ball bounces twice or is carried.
- The serve is hit before the score is fully called.
Track the server number with care. At the start of the game, call 0-0-2. After that, each side gets two servers per service turn. Staying aware of this flow is central to how to keep score in pickleball with no confusion.
Tournaments, game lengths, and variations
Most games are to 11 and win by 2. Some events play to 15 or 21 and win by 2. In a deciding game to 11, many events switch ends at 6. In games to 15, switch ends at 8. In games to 21, switch ends at 11. Check your event sheet before you start.
Official play uses side out scoring. A few leagues test rally scoring where every rally is a point. If your group uses rally scoring, confirm how to keep score in pickleball for that format before the match. The serve order and court positions may still follow even and odd rules.
Real examples and drills to master how to keep score in pickleball
Use these quick scripts to lock it in.
Example 1, doubles start:
- Call 0-0-2.
- Server wins. Call 1-0-2. Same server serves from the other side.
- Server wins. Call 2-0-2. Same server serves from the first side.
- Server loses. Side out. New team calls 0-2-1.
Example 2, singles:
- Server calls 0-0. Serve from right.
- Wins rally. Call 1-0. Serve from left.
- Loses rally. Side out. Other player calls 0-1 from right.
Drills I use when I teach how to keep score in pickleball:
- Shadow call. Walk through rotations without hitting a ball. Call the score and move to the correct court each time.
- Partner quiz. One player calls a fake rally. The other points to the correct server and receiver.
- First server mark. Clip a wristband on the first server. Switch it to the new first server after every side out.
Mistakes to avoid:
- Calling the wrong score. Anyone can stop play before the return of serve to fix it.
- Serving from the wrong side. Pause, check even or odd, then reset.
- Let serves. There are no lets. If the serve clips the net and lands in, play on.
Frequently Asked Questions of how to keep score in pickleball
What is the starting score in doubles?
The game starts at 0-0-2. Only one server begins the first service turn for fairness.
Why do I say three numbers in doubles but two in singles?
Doubles uses server number 1 or 2 to track the two servers on a team. Singles has only one server per side at any time, so there is no server number.
Who serves first after a side out?
The player on the right for the new serving team serves first. That player is server 1 for that service turn.
What if the wrong player returns the serve?
It is a fault on the receiving team. The serving team gets the point if they were serving, or it becomes a side out if that ends the turn.
What if I call the wrong score?
Any player can stop play before the return of serve to correct the score. If the rally finishes, correct the score before the next serve.
How do I know which side to serve from?
Use even and odd. If your team score is even, serve from the right. If it is odd, serve from the left.
Can I score a point when I am receiving?
No. With side out scoring, only the serving team can score. You must win the serve to score.
Conclusion
You now know how to keep score in pickleball in doubles and singles. Call the score in the right order, use even and odd to stand in the right place, and track server 1 and server 2. Keep your focus on clean calls and steady habits.
Try the shadow drills, quiz a friend, and run a short game to 7 to practice. When you share how to keep score in pickleball with new players, your courts will run smooth and fair. Want more guides like this? Subscribe, share your questions, or leave a comment with a tricky score you faced.