By Coach Vince Geo Serino, Lead Pickleball Coach at PickleChoo — certified through the TAG International Tennis Academy. PickleChoo’s coaching programme was designed by Coach XT (Tan Xu Teng), founder of TAG, a former Singapore Open Men’s Doubles champion and career-high ITF M35+ World #56.
Of everything I teach new players at our outdoor courts in Singapore, nothing causes more confusion in the first few sessions than the score. Pickleball’s scoring looks strange if you have come from tennis or badminton — three numbers called out before every serve, points that only one side can win, and a game that mysteriously begins at “zero-zero-two.” The good news: once you understand the logic behind it, it clicks quickly and never puzzles you again. This guide explains traditional doubles scoring in plain language, the way I walk players through it on court.
If you are completely new to the sport, start with our Beginner’s Guide to Pickleball in Singapore for the basics of rules and equipment, then come back here to master the score.
The one rule that explains everything: only the serving team can score
This is the single idea that makes sense of all the rest. In traditional pickleball, points are won only by the team that is serving. If your team is receiving and you win the rally, you do not get a point — you win the right to serve. The score only ever goes up for the side holding serve. This is called side-out scoring, and it is why a competitive game can take a while: the lead changes hands through serves, not just points.
Games are played to 11, win by 2
A standard game is first to 11 points, and you must win by a margin of at least 2. So if the score reaches 10–10, play continues until one team leads by two — 12–10, 13–11, and so on. In some tournaments you will see games to 15 or 21, but 11 is the norm for social and recreational play, and it is what we use for most sessions at PickleChoo.
The three-number score call, decoded
Before every serve, the server calls three numbers — for example, “4–3–1.” Here is what each one means, in order:
- First number — the serving team’s score. How many points your side has.
- Second number — the receiving team’s score. How many points the opponents have.
- Third number — the server number, 1 or 2. Whether you are the first or second server on your team for this turn (more on this below).
So “4–3–1” means the serving team has 4 points, the receiving team has 3, and the first server is serving. Always call the score clearly before you serve — in social play it keeps everyone honest and is simply good court etiquette.
Why the game starts at “0–0–2”
This is the part that trips up almost everyone. At the very start of a game, the first serving team gets only one server instead of the usual two. To signal this, the opening score is called “0–0–2” — as though the team is already on its second server. The moment that team loses a rally, it is a side-out and serve passes straight to the opponents.
Why the handicap? It stops the team that happens to serve first from building a big early lead before the other side ever touches the serve. It is a fairness rule, and after the first service turn, every team gets two servers as normal.
Two servers, then a side-out
Once the game is underway, each team gets two chances to serve before losing it:
- Server 1 serves until their team loses a rally. Then server 2 takes over.
- When server 2 also loses a rally, it is a side-out — serve passes to the other team.
- After a side-out, the player on the right-hand side starts as the new server 1.
Remember: losing a rally on your serve does not give the opponents a point. It just moves the serve along — first to your partner, then, on the second loss, across the net.
Which side do I serve from? Even right, odd left
Your position is set by your team’s score, and there is a simple rule of thumb: when your score is even, the server stands on the right; when it is odd, on the left. (A score of 0 counts as even, which is why the very first serve of the game is from the right.)
Each time your team wins a point on serve, the two of you switch sides and the same player serves again — now from the opposite box. The receiving team never swaps positions mid-turn. If you ever lose track of where to stand, check your own score: even means right, odd means left. It is the quickest way to reset.
What about rally scoring?
You may hear about rally scoring, where a point is awarded on every rally regardless of who served — much like tennis or badminton. Games are usually played to 15 or 21, win by 2. Rally scoring is increasingly used in professional play, leagues and some tournaments because it makes game lengths more predictable and keeps the scoreboard moving for spectators. For everyday social and club play in Singapore, however, traditional side-out scoring remains the standard, so it is the one worth learning first.
Quick reference
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Who can score? | Only the serving team |
| Game length | First to 11, win by 2 |
| The three numbers | Serving score – Receiving score – Server number (1 or 2) |
| Opening call | 0–0–2 (first team gets one server only) |
| Servers per turn | Two, then a side-out |
| Which side to serve from | Even score = right, odd score = left |
Do not worry if it takes a few games to feel natural — it does for everyone. The fastest way to internalise it is simply to play, calling the score out loud every single serve. Within a session or two it becomes second nature. For more ways to progress quickly, see our 7 drills and tips to improve faster, and when you are ready to buy your own gear, our guide to choosing a pickleball paddle walks you through it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can’t the receiving team score a point in pickleball?
In traditional (side-out) scoring, only the serving team can add to its score. When the receiving team wins a rally, it earns the serve rather than a point. This is the defining feature of pickleball scoring and the reason the serve is so valuable — you have to be serving to score.
What do the three numbers in a pickleball score mean?
They are, in order: the serving team’s score, the receiving team’s score, and the server number (1 or 2). For example, “6–4–2” means the serving team has 6 points, the receiving team has 4, and the second server is serving.
Why does a pickleball game start at 0–0–2?
At the start of a game the first serving team is given only one server instead of two, so it is called as though already on its “second server” — 0–0–2. It is a fairness rule that prevents the team serving first from racing to an early lead before the opponents get to serve.
How many points do you need to win a game of pickleball?
A standard game is played to 11 points and must be won by a margin of at least 2. If the score reaches 10–10, play continues until one team leads by two. Tournament formats sometimes play to 15 or 21.
Learn with TAG-certified coaches in Singapore
Understanding the score is one thing; putting it to work in a real game — serving with purpose, winning rallies, and knowing when to attack — is where good coaching makes the difference. Every PickleChoo coach is certified through the TAG International Tennis Academy, Singapore’s leading racket sports coaching organisation since 2001, under a programme designed by Coach XT, who also heads a leading tennis coach Singapore network. The same fundamentals-first approach that develops competitive tennis players and underpins the Japanese-style tennis coaching at Sanwa X shapes how we teach pickleball.
Come and play at one of our three outdoor venues — PickleChoo Arena (One North), PickleChoo Prime (New Industrial Road), or PickleChoo Apex (Henderson). Walk-ins are welcome, and you can book a lesson or WhatsApp us at +65 9029 8400. New to the sport? Start with our Complete Guide to Playing Pickleball in Singapore.
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