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Rule of the Week
Rule of the Week
The Double Bounce Rule — Explained Simply
Also called the Two-Bounce Rule. One of the most misunderstood rules in pickleball.
Players either forget this rule exists, apply it incorrectly, or confuse it with another rule entirely. Here’s a clear, definitive explanation.
BOUNCE
The Rule — One Sentence
Both teams must let the ball bounce once each before volleying at the start of every rally.
The serve must bounce before the receiving team returns it. The return of serve must bounce before the serving team hits it. After those two bounces — volleys are permitted.
Step-by-Step: How It Plays Out Every Rally
1
Server serves the ball cross-court
Ball travels diagonally into the service box.
2
Receiving team must let it bounce — Bounce 1
Volleying the serve is an immediate fault. This is where most beginners go wrong.
3
Receiving team returns the serve
Ball goes back over the net to the serving team.
4
Serving team must let it bounce — Bounce 2
The serving team cannot volley the return of serve either.
✓
Rule complete — volleys now allowed for both teams
From the third shot onward, both teams can volley freely, subject to the kitchen zone rule.
Quick Reference Table
| Shot | Must it bounce? |
|---|---|
| Serve (received by receiving team) | Yes — Bounce 1 |
| Return of serve (received by serving team) | Yes — Bounce 2 |
| Third shot and beyond | No — volley allowed |
| Any shot in the kitchen zone | Volley = fault regardless of bounce rule |
Note on Naming
USA Pickleball’s official rulebook now uses “two-bounce rule” to reduce confusion — some players interpreted “double bounce” as the ball bouncing twice, which isn’t what the rule means. Both names are used across the region and mean exactly the same thing.
People Also Ask
Can you volley the serve?
No. The serve must bounce once before the receiving team returns it — that’s Bounce 1. Volleying the serve on the fly is an immediate fault.
What happens after the two bounces?
Once the serve and the return of serve have each bounced, both teams can volley freely for the rest of the rally — subject to the kitchen (non-volley zone) rule.
Is it the “double bounce rule” or the “two-bounce rule”?
Both names describe the same rule. USA Pickleball’s official rulebook now uses “two-bounce rule” to avoid confusion, but you’ll hear both terms used across the region.
Learn All the Rules
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