Scoring in doubles pickleball can be a bit tricky to grasp at first, but once you understand the rules, it becomes second nature. Here's a more in-depth breakdown:

Basic Scoring Overview:

  • Points are only scored by the serving team.
  • Games are typically played to 11 points, and a team must win by 2 points.
  • Each side has two servers (except at the start of the game), so both players get a chance to serve before the serve switches to the opponents. This is called a "side-out."

How to Keep Score:

The score in doubles is made up of three numbers:

  1. Serving team's score (e.g., 5)
  2. Receiving team's score (e.g., 3)
  3. Server number (1 or 2, indicating which player on the serving team is serving)

For example, the score might be announced as 5-3-1, which means:

  • The serving team has 5 points.
  • The receiving team has 3 points.
  • Player 1 on the serving team is serving.

Serving Sequence:

  • At the start of the game, the first serving team begins with only one server (so they announce "0-0-2"). This means the serve switches to the opposing team after the first server loses their rally.
  • After that, each team gets two serves before the serve switches, starting with the player on the right-hand side of the court. The sequence is as follows:

1. Player 1 (on the right-hand side of the court) serves diagonally across the court to the opponent.

  • If the serving team wins the rally, they score a point, switch sides with their partner, and the same server serves again from the opposite side.
  • If the serving team loses the rally, Player 2 (the partner) gets the serve, starting from the side of the court where Player 1 was previously standing. The score is now, for example, 5-3-2.

2. Player 2 (the second server) serves.

  • If the serving team wins the rally, they score a point and switch sides just like before. Player 2 continues to serve.
  • If Player 2 loses the rally, the serve switches to the opposing team, and it's a side-out. The other team now serves, starting with their first server on the right-hand side.

3. When a team loses both serves, the serve switches to the opposing team, and the receiving team does not switch sides at this point.

Side-Outs:

A side-out occurs when the serving team loses both of its serves (Player 1 and Player 2 lose their rallies). The serve then passes to the opposing team, who starts their service rotation.

Important Points to Remember:

  • The serve always starts on the right-hand side of the court when the team's score is even (e.g., 2, 4, 6), and on the left-hand side when their score is odd (e.g., 1, 3, 5).
  • Players do not switch sides after a side-out; they only switch after winning a point while serving.
  • If a fault (e.g., hitting the ball out, not clearing the net) occurs during a serve, the serve is lost, but the team does not lose any points.

Example of a Doubles Sequence:

  1. Team A serves first with Player 1. They lose the rally.
    • The score is 0-0-2, and Player 2 of Team A now serves.
  2. Player 2 serves and wins a point.
    • The score becomes 1-0-2. Team A switches sides, and Player 2 serves again.
  3. Player 2 loses the next rally.
    • The score remains 1-0-2, but now it's a side-out, and Team B gets the serve, starting with Player 1.
  4. Team B serves, Player 1 wins a point.
    • The score is 0-1-1 (Team B's score is now 1, and Player 1 is serving).
  5. Player 1 wins another point.
    • The score becomes 2-1-1. Team B switches sides, and Player 1 continues serving from the left side.
  6. Player 1 loses the next rally.
    • The score is still 2-1-1, and now it's Player 2’s turn to serve.
  7. Player 2 serves, wins the rally, and the score becomes 3-1-2.
  8. Player 2 loses the next rally, and a side-out occurs.

Now the serve returns to Team A, starting again with Player 1 serving from the right-hand side.

Summary of Key Concepts:

  • Only the serving team can score points.
  • Each team gets two serves (one per player) before the serve switches to the other team.
  • Players switch sides only after scoring a point, not after each rally.
  • Games are typically played to 11 points, win by 2.

Once you understand the flow of serves and switching sides, doubles scoring becomes much easier to follow!

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