How to play pickleball with three players

Because sometimes it's difficult to find four crazy people.

In a nutshell

To play pickleball with three players, the most common method is to play " Cutthroat or Australian Pickleball" where one player serves against two on the other side of the net; if the serving player wins the point, they stay on that side, but if they lose, they rotate positions clockwise, essentially becoming the new "single" player against the doubles pair.

Key Points

Positions: Two on one side, the solo player on the other side. The single-side player only must cover the half of the court that they are serving from (which means that the return shot needs to land in that half). Any hits to the non-serving side during that point is out of bounds.
One player serves: The single player always serves the ball.
Serving: Same rules as the typical game - Start on the right side (even side), win the point, then serve from the left side (odd). So, the solo player is the only one who serves from different sides. Easy for the server to remember from where:
- If your score is even, then you serve from the right. If your score is odd, then you serve from the left. How easy is that!
- Remember the doubles pair NEVER serves.
Doubles side defends against the server: The two players on the other side of the net need to work together to return the serve and win the rally.
Rotation on loss: If the serving player loses the point, they rotate clockwise to the other side of the court, becoming part of the doubles pair.
Scoring: Only the serving player can score points. Scores are called Player 1 – Player 2 - Player 3 - each one on its own!
Winning: The first person to 11 points wins. All other rules remain the same.

Tips and Variations

Full court play: Some variations allow the doubles side to play on the entire court, while others may restrict them to only defending one half of the court depending on the server's position.
Rotating positions: Players should rotate positions after a certain number of points to ensure everyone gets a chance to serve and play against different opponents.
Serving: The serving player may have one or two faults depending on what is pre-determined by the players.

Final thoughts

No matter how you play cutthroat, just remember: pickleball is about fun, friends, and maybe a little bit of friendly trash talk. So keep swinging, keep laughing, and never forget—everyone’s a winner when snacks are involved! There’s something oddly satisfying about the “pop” sound of the ball meeting the paddle. Be warned: that sound is known to cause sudden bursts of joy, competitive spirit, and the inexplicable urge to play “just one more game.”

References:

● Play Pickleball .com at https://www.playpickleball.com/play-pickleball-3-people-cutthroat-australian-rules/

● Backyard Buffs at https://backyardbuffs.com/2022/08/22/pickleball-with-3-players/

● Nicol Pickleball at https://nicolpickleball.com/blogs/nicolpickleball-main-blog/can-you-play-pickleball-with-3-players?srsltid=AfmBOooXihPXb0lEFNdvYBffZhVqVyo9u-6RxQW7i8lctoxZOFuO6G99

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