TallynightHow to keep score in Spikeball
Spikeball, also called roundnet, uses rally scoring: every rally wins a point for one team, whoever served. Casual games go to 21, and you have to win by 2. Tournaments often play shorter games, to 15 or 11, usually as a best of three.
- Players
- 2 against 2
- Who wins
- First to 21, 2 clear
- Scoring
- A point every rally, whoever served
- Tournaments
- Games to 21, 15 or 11, often best of three
How a rally is scored
Every rally ends with a point for one team. After the serve, each team gets up to three touches to hit the ball back onto the net.
| What happens | Result |
|---|---|
| The serving team wins the rally | 1 point. The server swaps places with their partner and serves again, to the other opponent |
| The receiving team wins the rally | 1 point, and the serve passes to them |
| A team can't hit the ball back onto the net within three touches | 1 point to the other team |
| The ball hits the rim or the ground | 1 point to the other team |
| The server makes two faults in a row | 1 point to the receiving team |
A game goes to 21 and has to be won by 2, so at 20 all you play on until one team leads by 2. Tournaments can also set a hard cap: with a cap at 25, the next point wins at 24 all.
Who serves
Toss a coin or play rock, paper, scissors. The winner chooses to serve or receive, or picks the starting positions.
The server serves to the player straight across the net, who is the only one allowed to receive it. A server who wins the point swaps places with their partner and serves again, now to the other opponent.
When the receiving team wins a point, the serve passes to them. Partners take turns each time their team wins the serve back, so all four players serve over a game. A quick check: when a team's score is even, its server starts to the right of their partner, and when it's odd, to the left.
Calling the score and faults
Before each serve, the server calls the score, their own team's first, so 8, 6 means the serving team has 8.
Each serve gets two tries. A fault on both gives the point, and the serve, to the receiving team. Rule sets differ on the details of what counts as a fault, such as how high a serve can go, so agree on them before you start.
In official play, players move round one position every five points to share out the sun and wind. It doesn't change the score.
Tournament formats
- Games to 21, 15 or 11: the event chooses, and all are won by 2 unless there's a cap.
- Best of three: the first team to win two games takes the match.
- Hard cap: a score, set before play, where the next point wins whatever the lead.
A scoring example
The first rallies of a game. Team A, Ana and Ben, serves first, against Cleo and Dev of Team B.
| Rally | Server | Rally won by | Score, A to B |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ana | Team A | 1 to 0 |
| 2 | Ana, to the other receiver | Team B | 1 to 1 |
| 3 | Cleo | Team B | 1 to 2 |
| 4 | Cleo, to the other receiver | Team A | 2 to 2 |
| 5 | Ben | Team A | 3 to 2 |
| 6 | Ben, two faults | Team B | 3 to 3 |
| 7 | Dev | Team B | 3 to 4 |
Seven rallies, seven points: one for every rally, whoever served. Each time a team won the serve back, the partner who hadn't served last took over, so Ben followed Ana and Dev followed Cleo.
Keep score for Spikeball in Tallynight
Spikeball isn't one of Tallynight's built-in games yet, but the built-in Pickleball game keeps score the same way: games you have to win by 2. Pick Pickleball, type Spikeball as the game's name, then set Points per set to 21 and Sets to One. For a tournament match, choose 15 or 11 and Best of 3.
Add each team as a player, tap the star to add it to your favourites, then Start game. Tap + on a team's tile for every rally it wins. The tips under How scoring works are pickleball's, and Tallynight doesn't track who serves, so keep calling the score before each serve.
- A new game starts by itself when one is won by 2
- Games won on each team's tile
- One game, best of three or best of five
- Add each team as a player
Questions
How do you score Spikeball?
With rally scoring: every rally wins a point for one team, whoever served. Games go to 21, and you have to win by 2.
What do you play to in Spikeball?
21, won by 2, in most casual games. Tournaments often play to 15 or 11, and set the length before play starts.
Do you have to win by 2 in Spikeball?
Yes, unless the event sets a hard cap. At 20 all, play on until one team leads by 2. With a cap at 25, the next point wins at 24 all.
Who serves next in Spikeball?
If the serving team wins the point, the same player serves again, to the other opponent. If the receiving team wins, the serve passes to them, and partners take turns each time their team wins it back.
Is Spikeball the same as roundnet?
Yes. Roundnet is the name of the sport, and Spikeball is the brand whose sets made it popular.
What happens if you miss two serves in Spikeball?
Two faults in a row give the point to the receiving team, and with it the serve.