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Kitchen rules

Pickleball / Popular

The non-volley zone rules that new players get wrong most often.

What coaches agree on

  • The kitchen line itself counts as the kitchen, and so does anything touching you when you volley — your paddle, a hat, even a dropped wristband.
  • If you've had to step into the kitchen for any reason, such as backing off the line to chase down a lob, plant both feet fully outside it again before you volley the next ball.
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Common mistakes

  • Players hit a completely legal volley from behind the line, then let their momentum carry them onto the line or into the kitchen afterward — that's still a fault no matter how much time passes, unless they stop and regain their balance first.
  • Many players think they can't step into the kitchen until the ball bounces, or can't enter it at all, so they hang back and end up rushing shots they could have played calmly by just stepping in.