Pickleball Scoring Rules: Side-Out vs Rally, Games to 11, 15 or 21
How LeagueOrbit scores pickleball: side-out or rally scoring, games to 11, 15 or 21, win by 2, and the match formats.
The names and results shown are made up (the Maple Street Pool League is a demo organization).
LeagueOrbit follows the USA Pickleball rulebook for how a game is won. You choose the game when you set up a league format or a tournament; it tells everyone how each game is played.
Choose the game
There are six games to pick from:
| Game | Scoring | |---|---| | Game to 11, win by 2 | Side-out | | Game to 15, win by 2 | Side-out | | Game to 21, win by 2 | Side-out | | Game to 11, win by 2 | Rally | | Game to 15, win by 2 | Rally | | Game to 21, win by 2 | Rally |
Side-out scoring
Only the serving side scores a point. In doubles the score is called as three numbers: the serving side's score, the receiving side's score, and whether the first or second server is serving. The side that serves first in a game starts with one server only, so the first call is 0-0-2. In singles the score is two numbers.
Rally scoring
Every rally scores a point, whichever side served. The score is called as two numbers, and the receiving side can win the game on a rally. Rally scoring follows USA Pickleball's provisional rally scoring rule.
Win by 2
A game is won by the first side to reach the target (11, 15 or 21) with a lead of at least 2. There is no cap: if the score is 10-10 in a game to 11, play goes on until one side leads by 2, such as 12-10 or 15-13.
Matches and formats
A match is one game or several, all under the same game. The match goes to the side that wins the games it needs first (2 in a best of 3).
League nights start from a preset, which you can change in the format editor:
- Doubles: best of 3 games to 11.
- Singles: best of 3 games to 11.
- Doubles: one game to 11.
- Team of 4: 2 doubles, one game to 11 each, a point per game.
Tournaments set the games to win for each round.
What is recorded
The match sheet records who won each game. A game scored on the pickleball scoreboard also keeps its rallies, so the score and the rally numbers are kept too; the scoreboard also counts timeouts. Faults and line calls are not recorded. Players see their pickleball rating, games and matches won and lost, and their rally numbers in My stats: see Pickleball Rating and Statistics.
To record a match you played, open Add a match in Pickleball, choose the game and enter the games each side won:
Zoomed picture: Add a match in Pickleball: the game Pickleball, games to 11, the opponent Bo Baker and Cy Cole, and the games each side won, 2 and 1
Your pickleball results then show in My stats:
Zoomed picture: Pickleball in My stats: 3 matches won and 1 lost, 7 games won and 4 lost, 4 matches
More about LeagueOrbit Pickleball, with screenshots and pricing: pickleball.leagueorbit.com.