When you’re trying to play a game of pickleball doubles, sometimes it doesn’t work out with the number of players available. Whether you’re waiting on your fourth or they’re not able to show up for whatever reason, you can still have a good game of pickleball. Here is one fun way that you can play pickleball with three players and do so competitively and fairly.
How To Play Pickleball With Three Players
The Court
The pickleball court will be the same. But since it will be two versus one, the lone player (Player 3 in the illustration) will only have to cover their half side of the court. The two players on the other side (Player 1 and Player 2) can only hit the ball to the half side of the court that Player 1 is in.
If you have portable line markers or sidewalk chalk in your pickleball bag, it would be helpful to draw a small line in the kitchen. Otherwise, you will have to draw an imaginary line in your head. Player 3, however, will have the whole court that the two opponents are on just like a regular pickleball doubles game.
The Rules
The rules for this particular game of pickleball with 3 players mostly remain the same. However, there are no teams. The goal of the game is to get to 11 points so whoever gets that first will be the winner. The side with the two players will never get the service. Only the lone player can serve and score. Players will rotate clockwise when the lone player or Player 3, loses their serve.
Player 3 will start the game and serve from the right side of the court. If they score, they will move to the left side of the court, and Player 1 and Player 2 will have to hit to the left side of the court. This is the same concept as a pickleball singles game.
Once the lone player or Player 3 loses the serve, they will rotate off that side and become Player 1. Player 1 will rotate to become Player 2 and play on the left side of the court. Player 2 will now become Player 3 on the other side of the court and serve from the right side.
With each rotation, players will pick up from the point that they left off as the lone player or Player 3. So a player with an even score will always serve from the right side and an odd score will always serve from the left side. This will continue until one of the players reaches 11 points, win by 2.
The Strategies
As the lone player, you have a whole court to work with! Play the way you would normally play a game of pickleball doubles and make your opponents move. You will also only have to worry about one side of the court. That means you don’t want to overreach. Take a step on each side to cover your forehand and backhand. Then, recover to your stable position to be ready for the next shot.
If you’re one of the two players, treat the game like a game of skinny singles. Each shot will require more precision and control while you still have to cover the whole court on your side with your partner at the time. So it can actually be a bit more challenging even though you have another person.
Even if your opponent only has to cover half of the court, make them still uncomfortable by making them move with each return. Aim at each corner so that they constantly have to move and recover to their ready position.
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