Oh the kitchen! While the rule book refers to it as the non-volley zone, it is more commonly referred to by pickleball players affectionately as the kitchen. It is also the most important concept for beginners to understand before they begin playing.
If you are just starting out, there is one basic rule you absolutely must know.
But there is so much more to the kitchen than meets the eye.
Even experienced players often make these mistakes.
After over year of playing with my friends and family, I hadn’t even learned some of these lesser known kitchen rules.
So whether you are brand new to the game or a seasoned veteran, there is almost certainly more to learn about the non-volley zone.
What is the Kitchen?
The kitchen is a seven by twenty foot box located on either side of the net. It is technically called the non-volley zone. I will interchange these throughout so don’t get confused. They are the same thing.
No one really knows where this nickname came from. Both badminton and shuffleboard have areas called the ‘kitchen’ but they are not similar to the pickleball kitchen.
The non volley zone is what makes pickleball so unique and separates it from all other racket sports.
Players have a love-hate relationship with this part of the court surface. It makes pickleball a one of a kind experience while also creating some of the most challenging dynamics for players to contend with.
Most of the strategy in game is based around the kitchen and the majority of matches are played right behind at the non volley line. This is the line on the edge of the kitchen furthest from the net the marks the boundary between the kitchen and the service box.
And its the pickleball rules surrounding the kitchen make this spot the ideal place to return shots from.
Most Important Kitchen Rule
No Volley’s in the Kitchen
It is called the non-volley zone for a reason. When standing in the kitchen a player cannot hit a volley back toward their opponents court.
If you are standing in the kitchen you must let the ball bounce before you can hit the ball back at the opposing team.
What is a Volley?
A volley shot is when you hit the ball out of the air before the ball bounces.
You can generate a lot of power and force when hitting a volley shot. An opposing player may be too slow to react. A good volley is generally a difficult shot to defend which is why player’s avoid hitting the ball too high into the air, so their opponent can’t slam the ball back at them.
What if my foot is on the line?
*Sigh* Yes! Even if your foot is on the non volley line you are considered to be standing in the kitchen. This was always a source of controversy when I started playing. Line rules like this are different in every sport, but touching the non volley line in pickleball is considered to be in the non volley zone.
Why is this a rule?
Why is there a no volley zone in the pickleball rules? Well, let’s just think about this for a second.
Imagine how a match would function without this. Say the other team is the serving team. They serve to you. You return the shot from the back line and begin a rally.
Suddenly, they run all the way up and stand right in front of the net. They can then slam every shot you have right back at you and have almost unlimited angles to hit the ball at making it out of reach where you can’t get it. This would make the game virtually unplayable and would be no fun.
Pickleball wouldn’t be the same without the kitchen.
More Complex Kitchen Rules
Even people with experience on the pickleball court will break these lesser know rules often. For some of these, it’s unlikely most people are even aware of them unless they’ve played in a competitive setting.
Kitchen Rule 1: Serving
When serving you have to hit the ball directly into the service box. If the ball bounces in the non volley zone or on the non volley line that is a fault. Every serve must clear the kitchen.
Kitchen Rule 2: Other non-volley zone contact
This is when the kitchen rules start getting particularly weird.
If you are standing behind the non volley line and hit a volley back at the other team, but in your follow through your hat falls off your head and into the non volley zone, that is a fault.
Yes.
The same thing applies if you drop your paddle, or your glasses, or your keys fall out.
I know it sounds crazy, but if any item touching you falls into the non volley zone in the volley motion or after the follow through, that is a fault. It doesn’t matter that your body itself is still behind the kitchen line.
There is an even more bizarre extension of this rule.
If a player’s partner is standing in the non volley zone and touches you when you are standing outside of the non volley zone while you hit a volley, the play is declared dead. Believe it or not that too is a fault.
I’ve yet to see this one happen when playing doubles but I’m sure its a rule for a reason.
Right?
Kitchen Rule 3: Momentum carries into the non-volley zone
Let’s do another scenario.
You are in the middle of a rally with the other team. You have just hit a shot from deep behind the service line. Your opponent hits a high return lob, and you charge forward for a volley and slam it back at them. But wait, the end of the shot carries you over the kitchen line into the non volley zone. This is a fault.
I know. I know.
This is the most common rule I see broken in a pickleball game. Beginner and even sometimes intermediate pickleball players don’t realize what they are doing. It’s very counterintuitive.
If when hitting a volley a player’s momentum takes them into the non volley zone, they’ve faulted, even when the ball hit your paddle before you entered it.
That’s why you always have to be careful when your forward momentum takes you towards the net if you’re attempting to volley.
Kitchen Rule 4: Re-establishing outside the non-volley zone
So how do we stop ourselves from committing all these faults?
Well one way to start is learning to re-establish yourself outside of the non-volley zone.
If your opponents hit the ball in the air while you’re standing in the kitchen, there is still a way to volley it. You can jump backwards and land with both feet outside the kitchen. This resets your position. Volleying is now a perfectly legal shot here because you have completely re-established yourself outside the kitchen.
Only getting one leg back outside while the other one is in the air is still technically in the non volley zone.
Kitchen Rule 5: Standing in the Kitchen
You can stand in the kitchen!
I know we’ve gone on and on about what not to do with regards to the kitchen. Some people get the idea that you can never be in the kitchen, but that is completely fine.
It just isn’t a great idea.
You are at your most vulnerable when standing in the non-volley zone. It severely limits your arsenal offensively. You can usually only hit a dink shot with the ball bouncing. Your opponent won’t give you a shot with a chance to re-establish yourself. And it makes it very difficult to react. Your opponent could always hit a hard volley right at you and you can’t get out of the way.
Player’s are much better off standing right behind the kitchen line, a strategy in pickleball commonly referred to as ‘toeing the line‘.
Kitchen Rule 6: Jumping around the kitchen
One of the most fun and risky shots in pickleball is called an Erne.
Named after the player who invented it. It involves jumping over the kitchen line but towards the out of bounds lines on the side and volleying the ball from a sharp angle. You can see a brief video of it below.
Technically you started outside of the non-volley zone behind the line and then jumped over the side of it so it’s a legal shot. You never actually end up in the playing surface of the kitchen.
This shot can be very difficult to defend but also puts you way out of position. On the one hand the angles generate by these shots are usually hard for opponents to get to. On the other hand if they do get to it you are standing off the playing surface completely out of bounds and probably won’t recover to return another shot.
Final Thoughts
Now you know everything there is to know about the kitchen rules!
These non volley zone rules are some of the most important in the game. And while many of them seem nitpicky, without the kitchen, pickleball wouldn’t be the game so many of us have grown to love.
If you liked this article or learned something new, make sure check out the rest of our site. We have something for almost every level of pickleball player whether you’re still learning basic rules and techniques, looking for strategies to win more matches, or finally ready to purchase your first paddle.