Pickleball Poker is pickleball with rewards, penalties, and a little bit of poker. It was created to help players learn, develop and most of all, have fun!
It is played during a regular doubles pickleball game with side-out scoring. The goal is to win a game to 11 points (just like traditional pickleball) while enjoying in-game penalties and rewards that influence each point, helping players practice specific shots and strategic setups.
Here are the basic rules:
You play a normal game, but every side-out a new card is drawn for either team to earn. Each card has a specific shot or play that must end a rally in order to earn it. There is no limit to how many cards can be earned per side-out. For example, if the either team earns a card, a new card is drawn for play. The serving team can continue to earn cards as long as they retain the serve. The returning team can only earn a max of 2 cards on a defensive side-out before a new card is drawn due to a side-out.
The goal is to make 3 card poker hands and redeem them for in game rewards. Things like no kitchen rules, opponents can only play to 1 side of the court, or you can hit the ball as long as it's bouncing, all for limited amounts of the game like side-out or 1 server. The rewards card dictates how long a reward or penalty is enforced. If there is a fun reward that you would like to add while you are playing, we encourage you to do so. This game was made for the people and we want everyone to make it their own and have fun.
For a full set of the rules & the rules for traditional pickleball, visit this link: Pickleball Poker Full Rules