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Beginner Tips
Beginner Tips
How to Score in Pickleball — The Complete Beginner Guide
Including what “0-0-2” actually means.
Pickleball scoring confuses almost every new player — not because it’s complicated, but because one rule is different from every other racket sport. Understand that rule and the rest clicks immediately.
SCORE
The One Rule That Explains Everything
Only the serving team can score points.
In tennis or badminton, either side can score any rally. In pickleball, only the server scores. If the receiving team wins a rally, they don’t get a point — they get the serve.
EVERY GAME STARTS WITH THIS CALL
0 – 0 – 2
SERVER SCORE
RECEIVER SCORE
SERVER NUMBER
Step-by-Step Scoring Example
1
Game starts → call: 0-0-2
Server 2 serves first. Score is 0-0.
2
Serving team wins rally → call: 1-0-2
Point scored. Same server continues.
3
Receiving team wins → side-out. Call: 0-1-1
Serve changes. No point for the receiving team.
W
First to 11 — win by 2
Standard game. Tournament format: 15 or 21. Always win by 2 clear points.
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 0-0-2 | Game start — score 0-0, Server 2 serving |
| Server 1 | First designated server on the team this rotation |
| Server 2 | Second server — serve changes after both fault |
| Side-out | Serve passes to the other team |
| Win by 2 | Must lead by 2 clear points to win the game |
People Also Ask
Can the receiving team score points?
No. Only the serving team can score. If the receiving team wins a rally, they don’t get a point — they get the serve, which is called a side-out.
What does 0-0-2 mean?
It’s the score call at the start of every game: 0-0 on the scoreboard, with Server 2 serving first. Every game starts on server 2 because the first serving team only gets one server, not two.
What is a side-out?
A side-out happens when the serving team loses a rally. Instead of a point, the serve simply passes to the other team.
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