7 Simples Rules to Begin

Ready to learn how to play LiteBall? Whether you’re a complete beginner or an experienced player looking to refresh your skills, we’ve got you covered with our quick guide. Just follow these 7 simple rules, and you’ll be playing in no time.

Rule Nº1: Each point starts with a serve

The game of LiteBall—and every point—starts with the serve. The player on the right side of the court, facing their opponents, takes the first serve. You serve diagonally to your opponent, into the right or left service area…

Only one serve per point is the rule. The server drops the ball and strikes it below the waist before the ball touches the ground with an upward motion. The serve must clear the no-volley zone (including the line) to count.

Rule Nº2: Your serve must be below the waist

A LiteBall serve must be hit with an underhand stroke with contact below the waist. Your arm should make an upward arc when you hit the ball. The goal of the LiteBall serve is to put the ball in play. This is very different from a tennis or padel serve, where the goal is to serve aggressively to try to win the point.

Rule Nº3: Each point continues until a fault is committed

After the serve, the play continues until a “fault” is committed. A fault ends a point. In LiteBall, there are essentially 3 types of faults:

The serve does not clear the no-volley zone (including the line).
A shot is hit out of bounds—landing behind the baseline or outside the sideline.
A shot is hit into the net.

It’s worth noting that there is no “let” in LiteBall, meaning if a serve touches the net, there is no replay. The ball is in play when it lands in the correct box.

Rule Nº4: You cannot volley in the No-Volley Zone (NVZ)

The 2.10 m zone on each side marks the No-Volley Zone. This means you can never hit a volley—a shot hit in the air—while any part of your body is in the No-Volley Zone. Or even on the line of the No-Volley Zone. And you also cannot follow through into the no-volley zone after a volley.

Why this rule? Once you’ve played, you’ll see that players at the net have a significant advantage. They can hit any ball that is high enough with a “smash” downward. This shot puts opponents on the defensive.

Rule Nº5: You can hit groundstrokes into the No-Volley Zone

If your opponent hits a short shot that lands in the No-Volley Zone, called a dink, you can step in and hit from the no-volley zone. Dinks are defensive shots and one of the most important elements of LiteBall strategy. Often, the best thing to do after moving into the no-volley zone to perform a dink is to return the ball to your opponent’s No-Volley Zone.

Rule Nº6: The ball must bounce on both sides before a team can volley

Before a player can hit a shot in the air (a volley), the ball must bounce at least once on each side. This rule allows the serving team to move back to the baseline at the start of play. Without this rule, the serving team could easily rush the net and gain an unfair advantage every time. The returning team would struggle to regain the serve and score points.

Rule Nº7: Standard play with 1 Unique Advantage and Golden Point

In a standard game, points are scored as follows, and the point is always announced by the server who serves first:

No Point: “Zero”
First Point: “15”
Second Point: “30”
Third Point: “40”
Fourth Point: “Game”
If each player or team wins three points, the score is “Deuce.”
After “Deuce,” the next point is called “Advantage” for the player or team that wins it.
If the same player or team wins the next point, they win the “Game.”
Otherwise, both players or teams go back to “Deuce.”
In this case, the “Golden Point” is played.
The player or team chooses the side to serve the “Golden Point.”
The player or team that wins the “Golden Point” then wins the “Game”.