About Pickleball Defined

Pickleball Defined is a reference site. One page per question, and every answer shows its basis.

The answer comes first

Every page opens with the answer in a few sentences. The reason, the example, and the exception come after it. You should never have to scroll past an introduction to find out whether a call was a fault.

Every answer shows its basis

Rules answers cite the exact rule number from the current USA Pickleball Official Rulebook and paraphrase it in plain English. The rulebook is always the final authority. Gear answers separate measured specifications from manufacturer claims. Strategy answers name the situation they apply to and the tradeoff they carry.

Reviewed on the rulebook's cycle

USA Pickleball revises its rulebook every January, and rule numbers move. Every rules page carries a last-reviewed date and the rulebook edition it was checked against. When a rule change touches a page, the page is updated and the change is noted.

Corrections

When a page gets something wrong, we correct it openly and say what changed. If you spot an error, tell us and we will check it against the rulebook.