Pickleball rally scoring burst onto the scene over the last year. It’s fun. It’s fast. And it’s causing waves throughout the sport of pickleball.
Is it here to stay?
Is it gong to take over?
Should you try it?
With our complete guide to rally scoring, our hope is to help you answer some of those questions, and also to alleviate your fears.
For professional players and amateur players alike, pickleball rally scoring can be a great way to play the game.
What Is Pickleball Rally Scoring?
Pickleball rally scoring is a non-traditional type of scoring (at least in the game of pickleball) that awards a point to the winner of each rally.
In other words, you have a chance to score a point every time the ball is in play.
This type of scoring is used frequently in volleyball, table tennis, and other sports.
But rally scoring is relatively new in the pickleball world.
What Is The Difference Between Rally Scoring and Traditional Scoring?
Pickleball Traditional Scoring (Side-Out Scoring)
When you play a traditional game of pickleball, you can only score points when you are the serving team (this is called side-out scoring).
Here’s what that looks like in a game:
Let’s say you start the game off as the serving team.
You call the score of the serving team (you) and then the score of the receiving team.
Then you hit an amazing serve to the serving square on the left-side of the receiving team and a blistering rally ensues.
Back and forth. Back and forth.
Finally, your opponent smashes one into the net.
The rally is over.
In this scenario, you get one point and you also get the opportunity to serve again.
But let’s imagine the fortunes are reversed.
You serve the ball deep, and your opponent hits a hard drive back at you. You mishit it and your return lands outside the sides of the pickleball court.
Who gets the point then?
You obviously don’t get the point, but does your opponent?
Nope.
The score remains static, and the serve goes over to the other team.
If it was 4 to 2 before the rally, the score is still 4 to 2.
Pickleball Rally Scoring
Rally scoring is completely different.
Whoever wins the rally gets a point.
So if we take our previous example…
The score is 4 to 2 and you serve, but your opponent hits an amazing smash return right down the sideline.
You can’t return it, and it bounces twice on your side.
In side-out scoring, nobody gets a point (as we mentioned above).
But in rally scoring, your opponent gets the point.
The score is now 4 to 3, and you lose your serve turn.
So every rally and point counts.
Advantages and Disadvantages: Which type of scoring is the best way?
Traditional Scoring Method
Advantages:
- Momentum Swings: A serving team can get on a role and score a lot of points in a row–controlling the game. And then momentum can swing on a dime when the other team serves. That team could also go a long scoring surge. Traditional scoring can lead to continuous back and forth games. The serving team determines the pace and controls the point.
- More Freedom with Your Serve: You can take more risks with your serve in a traditional scoring game because, if you fault, you won’t lose a point. That allows you to hit the ball with harder force or to try a spin serve without worrying about the consequences (other than losing your serve).
Disadvantages:
- Slow Game Pace: Since only the serving team can score, games can get slogged down. If nobody is scoring when they are serving, the game can go on for what feels like eternity.
- Hard to Come Back: While momentum can swing quickly in traditional scoring games, it can still be difficult to make a comeback if you get down early. Since you can only score on your serve, it can be a slow-go in accumulating points.
Rally Point Scoring:
Advantages:
- Faster Games: With scoring happening on every point, rally scoring games may take a shorter amount of time.
- Every Rally Matters More: It heightens the importance of every rally since you’re not just trying to stop your opponent from scoring. You have a chance to score every time.
- Extra Suspense: As a team gets closer to winning the game, the intensity can rise since every rally is a scoring rally. In traditional scoring, you are sometimes playing defense–just trying to prevent a point. In variations of rally scoring, you are always playing offense.
Disadvantages:
- Changes The Rules: Rally scoring deviates from the traditional pickleball rules. Some pickleball players really dislike this because it can change the strategies that have been used for decades in the sport of pickleball. A pickleball enthusiast, who has been playing for awhile, likely won’t appreciate the new format.
- Helps the Trailing Team: Is rally scoring a fair method? Some claim that rally scoring helps the trailing team and hurts the winning team. If a team works to build a big lead, the trailing team is never out of the game because they can score on every rally. We think that makes the game more exciting, but many traditionalists don’t like it.
Basic Rules of Pickleball Rally Scoring
While there are some similarities between traditional scoring rules and rally scoring–such as the double bounce rule and legal serving rules–rally scoring has many new pickleball rules.
These rule changes are essential to the different format of rally scoring.
Someone Always Gets a Point
As we mentioned above, pickleball rally scoring is different than side-out scoring. The team that wins the rally gets a point–no matter who served.
That means that both the serving and receiving team can score points every time the ball is in play.
Someone gets a point at the end of each rally.
Games Are Played to a Higher Score
In traditional scoring, most recreational games are played to 11 points (win by 2).
In a rally scoring match, you can play to a higher final score, such as 15 or 21 (win by 2). The first team to that score wins.
Scoring Changes at the End of the Game
In rally scoring, you can score on every rally throughout the entire game.
But this changes on the final point.
When a team reaches game point, the rules shift back to traditional scoring for the leading team.
For example, let’s imagine you are playing to 21, and you are winning 20 to 14.
When you reach the 20th point, you will begin to play by traditional scoring rules.
Let’s picture it together…
In this scenario, you have the serve.
Time to finish your opponent off.
But you tighten up and hit a bad serve that flies out the side of the pickleball court.
In this instance, you opponent will get the point, and the serve. The score is now 20-15. You’re still winning, but they are creeping back into it.
Your opponent serves next, and you come right back and take the rally.
Do you win?
Not yet–because you don’t get a point for that rally.
Remember, once you hit 20 points, you can only score a point when you are the serving team.
Finally, on your next service rally, they pop up a return and you smash it.
Game over. 21-15.
Serving Rotation
During a rally scoring game, what is the serving rotation?
If it is a singles game, you follow the same rhythm as traditional scoring: a server will keep serving until they lose a point. Once they lose the point, the other player gets to serve.
In doubles, the serving rotation for rally scoring is different from a traditional scoring game.
As the game begins, the person on the right side of the court (even side of the court) will serve first.
If the serving team wins the point, the players would normally rotate sides and the same person would serve again–this time from the left side of the court (odd side).
But not in rally scoring.
In rally scoring, the second player (second server) takes the second serve from the left-hand side of the court (staying on their respective sides of the court).
If they win that point, it goes back to the original server on the right-hand side of the court (serving side).
If the non-serving team wins the rally, they get the point and also get the serve.
But as the serve goes to the other team, who serves first?
The player on the right side of the court.
End Change
When one team reaches 11 points in a game, the two teams will switch sides of the court.
It’s almost like halftime in a football game. You’ll swap ends of the pickleball court and finish the game.
How To Call The Score
You do not need to include the server number (third number) when you call the score in a rally scoring game.
In traditional scoring, you would call the serving team score and then the receiving team score followed by the serving position (i.e. 8-3-2).
But in rally scoring, since the players do not rotate on the serve in rally scoring, you can simply call the serving team’s score and your opponent’s score (i.e. 18-13).
Pickleball Rally Scoring Strategies
When you are playing in a rally scoring game, you should adapt your strategy.
You’re no longer playing traditional pickleball.
This game is fast-paced and, in our opinion, a bit of an adrenaline rush.
Here are 3 tips to help you dominate a rally scoring game.
1. Serve Safe
Don’t try to win the point on the serve. Hit serves that are near the middle-back section of your opponent’s serving square. Stay away from the baseline and sidelines. Since every rally results in a point, you will want to reduce your unforced errors, especially on the serve. It’s better to be conservative and live to die another day. Which brings us to the next tip…
2. Be Aggressive On Other Shots
You can still take risks. Since you don’t have to keep the serve to score points, it’s a good idea to still go for it on certain shots. Hit that smash. Try that angled volley. Get the point.
3. Use the Fast Pace
If you gain momentum in the game, get the ball and keep serving quickly, trying to keep the pressure on your opponent. Momentum can be your friend in a rally scoring game.
So keep the gas pedal down.
Transitioning from Traditional to Rally Scoring
Switching from the traditional scoring system to rally scoring can be difficult.
And many players have balked at the idea.
But with Major League Pickleball moving to rally scoring (more on this later), rally scoring is sure to become more prevalent at your local pickleball game.
If you are wanting to prepare for this transition, there are some steps you can take.
1. Learn The Rules
You will want to be very familiar with the differences between traditional and rally scoring. What are the rules of the rally scoring system? This blog article is a great step toward that.
2. Prepare Mentally for the Pace
Rally scoring does speed up the game. Slow it down mentally by focusing on every shot and taking time to regroup after a rally. If you have the serve, take a few deep breaths if you feel rushed.
Enjoy the moment.
Remember, that you are playing a game that you love. And slow it down.
3. Get In Better Shape
While its still the same game of pickleball, rally scoring seems to speed up the game with fast-paced rallies. You’ll find yourself out of breath more often. So get ahead of the curve.
Do some cardio work on the side. A mile jog. Plyometrics. A HIT workout. Something to knock off a few pounds and gives your legs and lungs a better fighting chance.
That will keep you from wearing down so you can be in the correct position on the court throughout the game.
What is MLP Scoring in Pickleball?
MLP stands for Major League Pickleball, which is the premier professional pickleball league. And Major League Pickleball sent shockwaves through the sport in 2023 when it changed its scoring format from traditional scoring to a rally point system. MLP scoring is rally scoring.
As we stated above, the number one rule of rally scoring is: at the end of every rally, someone scores a point.
But with the adoption of rally scoring in MLP, the reviews are mixed.
Some traditional pickleball players can’t stand it while newer players find it easier to learn.
Some claim there is data to back up moving to rally scoring.
But opinions are still split on MLP scoring and rally scoring.
USA Pickleball Scoring Rules
USA Pickleball scoring still adheres to the traditional scoring system.
You can only score a point if you are the serving team.
Most games are played to 11 (win by 2)
But tournament games are often played to 15 or 21 (still win by 2).
Pickleball Growth and Rally Scoring
While most Major League Pickleball events have already adopted rally scoring, the local pickleball scene has been slower to jump in.
Pickleball continues to grow rapidly.
And with the growth of pickleball, more new players are joining in from competitive sports backgrounds.
The rally scoring format provides a more competitive game with a faster pace.
As more players join the game of pickleball, courts are also becoming more and more crowded. Rally scoring leads to faster games that cycle more teams through the crowded courts.
FAQs about Pickleball Rally Scoring
How do you determine the initial server in rally-scoring pickleball?
At the beginning of rally point games, you can determine the first server with a coin flip. The winner of the flip can choose to serve first, receive, or pick their end of the court.
If you don’t have a coin, you can play rock-paper-scissors or play one rally to determine a winner.
Does rally scoring mean that a point is scored every other serve?
No. During rally scoring, a point is scored after every rally. Whoever wins the rally, gets a point–whether its the serving team or returning team.
When a player wins a rally how many points can he or she get?
You can only earn one point for every rally. Until pickleball adds a three point line because Steph Curry buys a team and pushes for it, there is no way to score more than one point at a time.
But you don’t have to wait for your serve to earn a point (like in traditional scoring).
If you win the rally, you get a point–even if you are not the serving team.
What is the opposite of rally scoring?
The opposite of rally scoring is the traditional scoring method. In a traditional scoring game, you can only score a point if you are the serving team.
If you are the receiving side, you can only defend against the serving team and try to get the serve back to your side.
For example, if a team serves to start the game and wins the ensuing rally, they go up 1-0.
If the serving team loses the rally, nobody gets a point, and the serve goes to the opposing team.
To learn more about the traditional pickleball rules, check out our Printable Pickleball Rules guide. You can even print it to take with you to the court.
Is pickleball changing to rally scoring?
Major League Pickleball has already moved to pickleball rally scoring.
Despite the fact that rally scoring has been adopted at a higher level (where there is a ton of prize money on the line), many local tournaments, pickleball clubs, and recreational play still adhere to traditional scoring.
Will they all change in the future? It’s hard to tell.
But our guess is that traditional scoring will always be used at the local level by some, though rally scoring will certainly gain some ground in this context over the next few years.
Rally scoring creates a fast pace that is attractive to some, and it makes it easier for new players to learn the game.
And with the move from the MLP, local rule updates seem inevitable.
Regardless of what the future holds, the best thing you can do for your game is to keep getting better every day.
We have an excellent guide of How To Play Pickleball Better that includes 10+ strategies and tips to take your game to the next level.