If you are new to this sport you are most likely going to experience deer in the headlight syndrome at some point when you either read or have explained the rules and scoring of PB. Could you please repeat that, wait am I supposed to be up at the kitchen line or back at the service line. Switch sides, when, was that a volley return on shot 1 or shot 2. Did you say 0-0-2, 0-1-2 or 1-0-1. What is the score anyway and why is there a kitchen on this court? Right this is exactly what is happening on top of trying to figure how to dink, rip, bang or serve the ball. It's confusing, you won't get it right away or maybe even after weeks of play. Many people I talk with still say this has to be the most confusing and sometimes frustrating part of the game. At least I have control over how good or bad I play but when it comes to service time I am looking around to see if I should be left or right, front or back and serving #-#-1 or #-#-2... Oh and you have to call out that score each time like in volley ball loud enough so the other team can hear. I've heard you can loose the service if you don't but I am not 100% certain on that.
I am going to try and break down the rules in short to the point sentences so the wordiness doesn't get confusing.
Court
Let's start with the court. Two service areas and a no volley zone called the kitchen. Don't worry about anything else regarding the court that is the design.
Starting Serve
This is an underhand shot where the paddle at no point prior to hitting the ball can be above your hips. It is a fault otherwise. Like tennis you serve cross court over the No Volley Zone not on the line. Always diagonal to the opposing team and never to the same person twice in a row. Which means during service each time you score you switch sides with your partner. When your partner serves you stand back at the service line with them. The first serve of the game starts in the right service area as the second serve (0-0-2), this is supposed to prevent the first serving team from being able to win the game. That doesn't make sense to me because in theory even starting with the second service can still win the game. If you score you switch to the left service area and continue doing that until the point is lost. If you did score the score would be 1-0-2. More on that below.
Receiving Serve
Opponent serves in the same manner from their right service area to the other side left service area with their partner back at the service line. When receiving a serve the opposing person will stand back at the service while your partner slides up to the kitchen line. Score would be if continuing from above 0-1-1. If the opposing team wins a point then your partner moves up to the kitchen line and you slide back to the service line.
Double Bounce Rule
Don't over think this just remember that after each serve the ball must bounce once on the receiving side and then again on the serving side before anyone can volley shots. A volley off the serve or a volley returned from the serve is a fault before the two bounces have occurred.
Non-Volley Zone (The "Kitchen")
Don't stand in this area it is not allowed. The only time you can be in the "kitchen" is if the ball bounces in the kitchen. You can volley at the kitchen zone as long as you are outside the kitchen. Don't fall into the kitchen with any part of your body or paddle at anytime after the volley unless the ball bounces there first. Only then are you allowed to step into the kitchen. You must immediately remove yourself after the shot. Any other circumstances would be a fault.
Scoring
No way around this one you just have to listen and learn. There are three numbers that make up the score. Number 1 is your score, number 2 is their score and number 3 is the serving position. Above you noticed that the game starts with 0-0-2 or your score 0, their score 0 and serving position 2. Remember the first service of the game starts with service number 2. If you score you switch sides with your partner and the score becomes 1 serving 0 server 2 or 1-0-2. If you fault the ball goes to the other side and the first server calls out 0-1-1 or 0 serving 1 server 1. Score, switch sides 1-1-1 or 1 serving 1 server 1. Score switch sides 2-1-1, Fault the ball goes to their partner and the score becomes 2-1-2 or 2 serving 1 server 2. Is this starting to make sense yet. Each person gets one service each round other than the first server of the game. Mentioned above... Scoring traditional goes to 11 wining by 2. Some play to 15 or 21 that is up to you. ( that's a rhyme, did you catch that? )
Line shots are considered in except the back of the kitchen line during a serve. The hardest part of this is hearing your opponent say the score. It's easy to lose track so don't be shy, if you can't hear them tell them to speak up otherwise you will just be asking them again when it is your turn to serve.
That's it in a nutshell. I am sure there are some other oddities that I have not picked up on, if you know of any that or if I missed or perhaps mis-represented any part of the scoring please let me know so I can correct it. It's bad enough without my explanation being wrong too.
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