What is a Kitchen? + Pickleball Terms for Beginners

Basic Pickleball Terms

1. Kitchen (Non-Volley Zone) – The area within 7 feet of the net on both sides where players cannot volley the ball.
2. Dink – A soft shot that lands in the opponent's kitchen, used for strategic play.
3. Volley – Hitting the ball in the air before it bounces.
4. Drive – A powerful shot hit with speed, often used to pass opponents or create errors.
5. Lob – A high, arching shot intended to push opponents back towards the baseline.
6. Drop Shot – A soft shot that lands just over the net in the opponent’s non-volley zone.
7. Third Shot Drop – A common strategic shot where the serving team hits a soft drop shot after the return of serve to transition to the net.
8. Erne – A shot taken outside the non-volley zone (kitchen) while standing near the sideline, allowing an aggressive angle.
9. ATP (Around-the-Post) – A shot that goes around the net post without crossing over it.
10. Let – When a serve clips the net but still lands in the correct service box (some leagues have removed the let rule).
11. Fault – Any rule violation that results in losing a point or serve.
12. Side Out – When the serving team loses its turn to serve, and the other team gets the serve.
13. Two-Bounce Rule – The rule that requires both teams to let the ball bounce once before volleying.

Serving & Scoring Terms

14. Serve – The shot that starts each rally, hit underhand with a paddle.
15. Ace – A serve that is untouched by the receiver.
16. Sidearm Serve – A serve where the paddle moves sideways; must still be underhand.
17. Spin Serve – A serve with added spin to make it harder to return.
18. Paddle Face – The hitting surface of the paddle.
19. Paddle Grip – The way a player holds the paddle, affecting control and power.
20. Scoring Format – Typically, games are played to 11 points, and a team must win by two.

Strategy & Gameplay Terms

21. Stacking – A positioning strategy where teammates switch places to optimize their strengths.
22. Poach – When one doubles partner moves to take a shot intended for the other partner.
23. Soft Game – A playing style that relies on dinks, drop shots, and patience rather than power.
24. Rally – A continuous exchange of shots between teams before a point is won.
25. Momentum Shift – When one team gains control of the game after a strong run of points.