Innovative Strategies on How to Keep Score in Pickleball Doubles in 2023

Pickleball is a popular game that has been gaining in popularity over the past few years. It is a combination of badminton, tennis, and table tennis. It can be played as singles or doubles and is a great way to exercise while having fun with friends or family. Pickleball doubles can be especially exciting and competitive, but knowing how to keep score in pickleball doubles is essential for players to understand the rules and strategies of the game.

This article will discuss how to keep score in pickleball doubles, including understanding the scoring system, different methods for winning points, and tips for keeping track of your score during a match. We will also provide helpful resources for those who want to learn more about pickleball doubles.

Understanding The Scoring System For Pickleball Doubles

The scoring system for pickleball doubles is similar to that of other racquet sports, such as tennis and badminton. Each team consists of two players who alternate, hitting the ball back and forth across the net. A point is scored when one team fails to return the ball or hits it out of bounds. The first team to reach 11 points wins the game; however, if both teams get 10 points, they must play until one team has a two-point advantage (for example, 13-11). The first team to win two out of three games wins the match.

how to keep score in pickleball doubles

Different Strategies For Winning Points In Pickleball Doubles

When playing pickleball doubles, several strategies can be used to gain an advantage over your opponents and increase your chances of winning points. One strategy is communication between teammates; this involves talking about what shots you plan on making before you hit them so that your partner knows where to position themselves on the court to support you better.

Another strategy is using volleys; hitting short shots close to the net can make it difficult for your opponents to return them, giving you an opportunity for an easy point. Finally, using spin shots can also be beneficial; by adding spin onto your shots, you can make them more challenging for your opponents to return accurately, giving you another chance at scoring a point.

Tips For Keeping Track Of Your Score During A Match

How to keep score in pickleball doubles during a match can be difficult to track if you don’t have someone else counting along with you or keeping track on paper or electronically. Here are some tips that will help make it easier:



Being new to the sport, you may feel intimidated by the idea of tracking how to keep score in pickleball doubles during a pickleball match. There are numerous scoring nuances in pickleball. Some games end in an eleven-point win or loss, while others end in one- or two. When playing doubles, pickleball scoring is especially tricky.

Pickleball is a sport that requires a high level of coordination and concentration. This game has a lot of strategies and rules. This is one of the sports that will make you sweat because it is an indoor sport. You need to practice this game to get a good result.

 How to Keep Score in Pickleball Doubles

Playing doubles with pickleball scoring is not as easy as it seems. You’re always worried about your partner keeping score when you’re playing doubles. It can be incredibly confusing compared to the scoring system for pickleball, which is very simple in singles.

  • Only the server can score points. The receiving team can only defend.
  •  Both players on the serving team will have a chance to serve and score points for their team before they give up the serve to the other team. This rule is in place to ensure that the first-serving team doesn’t receive a huge advantage by being able to choose which player will receive the first serve. Only one player from the serving team (server #2. gets to serve before the other team earns the side-out.
  • After any side-out in a tennis match, the player on the right side serves first.
  • When the serving team wins a rally, they get the point. The server then rotates with his/her partner, serving the receiver in the opposite court.
  • The server will continue to serve until the team that receives his/her service wins a rally. At that point, the server’s partner will serve.

Pickleball Scoring Basics

Scoring is a critical component of any pickleball game. The key to learning how to score correctly is understanding how to make each type of shot and how to make your shots count. In addition, you must understand the difference between scoring categories, how to judge which category a shot belongs in, and how scoring can affect your overall game.

Here’s a brief overview of the scoring categories you will see on a court and the best ways to know how to keep score in pickleball doubles.

  • The score goes to 11 points (in some tournaments, the score can be 15-21 
  • In a game where the score is 10 – 10, the winner must score a minimum of twelve points to be declared the winner.
  • Each team will get at least two chances to serve and one to return serve in
    Except for the very first serve of the game, all serves are the same.
  • The winner of this game is the team who scores more points than their opponent. You score a point when your opponent doesn’t successfully return the ball.
  • At the beginning of each rally, the server must serve the ball to the receiver within one minute (or until the serve is returned). The server is then allowed a one-minute window to return the ball. This means the server must return the ball within one minute, or he/she will lose the point.
  • If a server loses the rally, the server does not receive credit for the point, nor is the point awarded to the receiver.
  • Each player is awarded 3 points for winning a rally, regardless of whether or not the rally was scored.
  • A rally is over if the server wins rally or the receiver wins a rally by hitting the ball out of bounds.
  • The server cannot hit the ball back into play when the rally is over and the receiver’s time is not up.

How To Keep Score In Pickleball Singles

Pickleball is played much the same as doubles, and the scoring system is similar. However, pickleball points are only scored when the player serves, and both commit errors or faults.

  • When playing singles pickleball and announcing the score, you start counting from whoever is serving and continue to do so until the end of the game.
  • Whether you are serving aces or volleys, make sure you stand in the correct position on the court.
  • Play it just like you usually would, but when you are serving, make sure to serve from the right side of the court.
  •  If you have an even number of points (two, four, six, etc.), serve from the right side.
  • When serving a forehand serve, it’s essential that you can shout out the score when your opponent hits the ball before they hit the ground “five – two” or “nine – nine.”

Final Verdict

Knowing how to keep score in pickleball doubles is essential for players who want to understand all aspects of this popular sport. Players should become familiar with the scoring system, different strategies for winning points, and tips for keeping track of their scores during matches to maximize their success on the court! Additionally, utilizing resources such as books or online tutorials may also prove helpful in furthering one’s knowledge base regarding pickleball doubles scoring systems and strategies.

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