Although the ideal number of players in pickleball is always two or four (or even five), sometimes you will find that three people will show up for open play. But can you play 3-person pickleball? We will go over the format and rules to play pickleball with three people, also known as Cutthroat Pickleball or Australian Pickleball.
3-person pickleball rules
To play pickleball with three people, you will have one player on one side of the net, and two players on the other side of the net.
If the team on the receiving side wins a rally, all players will rotate clockwise.
Single player (server) rules
The single player always serves.
All serving rules are the same as regular (singles or doubles) pickleball:
The server must announce the score before each serve.
The single player will only play on the side/half of the court that they serve from.
The single player must serve from behind the baseline and between the two imaginary lines extending from the sideline and center line on their side of the court (at the moment the ball is hit).
The half of the 1-person court where the server is not standing is considered out of bounds during that rally.
Double players (receivers) rules
The serve is legal if it lands in the normal boundaries of the receiving side of the pickleball court.
Hit crosscourt.
Lands within the outer edges of the baseline, center line, and sideline.
Lands outside the kitchen zone and kitchen line.
On the returns, the receiving team must keep the ball within the half/side of the court that the single player served from.
Within the sideline, center line, and baseline — and the imaginary extension of the center line through the kitchen zone to the net.
Other rules of Australian Pickleball or Cutthroat Pickleball
You can only score if you are the serving player.
Each player is scored individually. Keep track of your own points.
The first person to 11 points wins the game.
Playing pickleball with 3 people
Playing cutthroat doubles or Australian doubles in pickleball is a great drill and great way to improve your pickleball skills. Work on learning each opponent and partner and, as you play, try to adapt to what you have learned.
