First to21
Win by · 2Single game · win by 2
First to 21 takes the match. Tied at 20-all? Play on — 22-20, 23-21, until someone leads by two.
Sample finals
21-19
24-22
Rules & format
How the game is played.
Two things on one page: the official pickleball rulebook in four lines, and the exact scoring format we use at every Pickleball BLR tournament — so you walk on court already knowing the target.
5-minute read · last verified 2026-05
Fig. 01 · Court geometryUSA Pickleball · IFP
- Court
- 44 × 20ft
- Service box
- 15 × 10ft
- Kitchen
- 7ft from net
- Net (centre)
- 34in
Rules & game info
Know the court. Know the call.
The pickleball rulebook in four lines. If you've held a paddle once, you'll recognise everything here.
- 01
Serve underhand, diagonal.
Paddle below the wrist, ball struck below the navel, landed crosscourt past the kitchen.
- 02
Two bounces, then volley.
Returner lets it bounce. Server lets the return bounce. After that, volleys are open — except inside the kitchen.
- 03
Only the serving side scores.
Win the rally on serve → +1 and switch sides. Lose it → side-out. Server calls score: yours, theirs, server number.
- 04
No volleys in the kitchen.
The 7-ft non-volley zone is foot-fault territory. You may enter it — but only after the ball has bounced.
Official source · USA Pickleball Rulebook §4
How we play
The Pickleball BLR format.
One scoring system from registration to the final whistle. No surprises on match day — you'll know the target the moment you walk on court.
First to15
Win by · 2Best of 3 games · win by 2
Each game to 15, win by 2. Take 2 of 3 to lift the trophy. A deciding game is played in full — no sudden-death.
Sample finals
15-12 · 13-15 · 15-13
17-15 · 15-9
- Server score is always called first.
- Switch ends after every 6 points in semis & finals.
- One 60-second timeout per player, per game.