According to the USA Pickleball rulebook, a rally is “continuous play that occurs after the serve and before a fault.” For the pedantic, this definition is found on page 14, under section 3.A.10.

It’s a decent summary of the concept but doesn’t say much for burgeoning pickleball players.

So, today’s pickleball blog post is dedicated to the idea of the rally.

What is a rally in pickleball?

Keep scrolling to learn more.

Understanding a Pickleball Game

Let’s begin by examining the average pickleball game.

Pickleball is broken into matches. To win a match, players must achieve a score of 11, 15, or 21 points with a two-point lead. Winning two of three matches means a player wins a pickleball game. But how do players break the game down even more?

Ultimately, each match consists of 15–30 minutes of back-and-forth hitting. The serving team serves, and the receiving team receives. Each back-and-forth exchange — from the initial service attempt to the fault — is a rally. If you want to dig even deeper, each rally can be broken into shots.

In a traditional game, players use side-out scoring. This means only the serving team can score a point. A fault committed by the serving team will force a change in service, but it will not reward a point to the receiving team.

Why Does the Definition of a Rally Matter?

Of course, it may seem irrelevant.

Surely, some readers are asking, “Why does this matter? We know what an entire game is called. The specifics are useless to us!”

In many ways, it’s true. Knowing your pickleball lingo may make you a big shot on the nerdier side of the court, but it doesn’t boost your skills. However, it makes a different if you’re playing with a non-traditional pickleball enthusiast!

Let us explain…

Pickleball Rally Scoring

While traditional games use side-out scoring, many casual players use rally scoring.

Unlike traditional pickleball scoring, the rally scoring method rewards points to whichever team wins the rally, regardless of serving status.

In more illustrative terms, imagine there are two teams: The Anchovies and The Boas. Now, assume that The Anchovies are serving. The Boas receive a shot, and The Anchovies fail to return it. Under the traditional scoring system, The Boas wouldn’t score a point. However, with rally scoring, The Boas receive a point.

Why Use Rally Scoring in Pickleball?

Some pickleball purists eschew rally scoring. It’s not the traditional pickleball scoring method, after all!

You (probably) won’t see any rally-scoring games at formal events. All the major pickleball organizations — including Major League Pickleball — prefer traditional scoring. For most veteran players, the side-out scoring method “just makes sense.”

(That’s not to say you’ll never see rally games at tournaments. Major League Pickleball was testing rally-scoring games as early as spring 2022.)

Nonetheless, rally scoring has its advantages, namely:

• Predictability: Rewarding both sides points reduces the number of rallies required to finish a match. Thus, most rally scoring systems allow for predictable game times and shorter queues.
• Simplicity: Rally scoring is easier for newcomers to understand. If you’re managing new players or small children, consider teaching them rally scoring first. Advance to the traditional scoring method once they’ve mastered the basics.
• Speed: Rally scoring produces fast-paced games. It’s an ideal way to manage multiple pickleball games and limited pickleball courts.
• Strategy: Some players prefer rally scoring for its strategic advantages. In addition to speeding up the game, the rally scoring system adds a level of risk that traditional scoring lacks. Every point counts in rally games!

In the pickleball world, you’ll often see rally-scored games in “King/Queen of the Court” setups. These rapid-fire matches are capped at ten minutes. The winner of each game progresses through the bracket, aiming to become the “King” (or Queen) of the Court.

Depending on the event, the ruling team must consistently win against subsequent opponents. Maintaining a firm hold on the top spot for an hour (or more) is the ultimate goal.

The Big Difference: Serving

Nonetheless, there’s an even bigger difference between traditional scoring and rally scoring.

Rally scoring does not follow the same serving sequence as a traditional game. The key differences to know are as follows:

• After 20 points, a team can only score when serving. Aside from increasing the stakes of each game, this rule extends the longevity of intense matches. This applies to each team individually. If one team wins the rally and has 20 points, their score increases. However, if the same team loses a rally, then an opponent with less than 20 points can still score a point.
• Players do not switch sides. You can’t stack your team! A player on the left side of the court stays on the left-hand side throughout the game. They only serve from the odd side when they are on the serving team, and the score is an odd number.
• Teams switch sides the first time one side reaches 11 points. Most rally games are played to 21 points.
• The server number is eliminated. Instead, whoever is on the left side of the court serves when the score is odd. Whoever is on the right-hand side of the court serves when the score is even. The lack of a “second” server also means the score only has two numbers; the third number is irrelevant.
• Whoever wins the rally is the serving team. If the non-serving team wins the rally, they gain serving rights. If the serving team wins, they continue serving.

Players used to traditional games often struggle to adapt to rally scoring. Don’t feel discouraged! Practice and engagement are the keys to success on any pickleball court.

All other rules still apply. You must still wait for the third hit of a game to score that drop shot. You can’t volley a dink shot from the non-volley zone. All that fun stuff!

Play the Best on Any Pickleball Court

Pickle Goddesses has you covered. We know every scoring method and understand the power of America’s fastest-growing sport. That’s why we made this blog!

We’re dedicated to empowering the world with pickleball. Browse the rest of the blog to see more tips, tricks, and pickleball news. We’ll help you dominate the pickleball court! If you’re in it to win it, we also encourage you to share this blog post! You’ll spread the news of pickleball and help us reach more people.

Who knows? You may inspire someone to join their first team!