Two on two beach volleyball is a real test of strength, coordination, and strategy with no one else to blame on the court for missed balls. There are no rotation errors so each player goes to their strengths and adjust for the opposing team during play. To add to the difficulty - SUMMER IS HOT so staying focused and hydrated is a challenge.
To serve, players are staggered to help cover the short while the server is still in back. To receive the strongest passer goes to the back, bumps to the front player who also handles any shorts and sets for the final hit. The front player also usually hugs the side line on the same side as the server and covers short (hence fast) down the line serves. Depending on the league, open hand dinks over the net instead of a hit may be prohibited. For Summer 2008 our team was "Play Barry and Jane" or PBJ for short. With a record of 5-0 we were the only undefeated (!) team in the 8 team league of Sandpile Physicist, Block-It Scientists, Lord and Taylor, LASE–Losers Always Set Everything, Spin Doctors, SHT - Science Hurt Team, Those Materialistic Kids, Thinks That Go Bump.

Most of the time the serve will go to the middle or back of the court, be passed up to the setter, and finally (i.e. ideally) the back player comes up to provide the kill hit. Good communication is important for successful play. For a good team, each player has to know where their partner is and where they will be going. For example, if the original pass leaves the back player in the sand unable to recover, the front player has to know and compensate by going over on the next hit rather than setting someone who will still be horizontal by the next hit.
For short serves, there is no time for the back player to respond so the front person takes the first pass and then the back player can hit or set depending on the position of the partner and strength of the possible next plays.

looking good BOB!

Team "Those Materialistic Kids" ready to receive

Liz, you look 25 and this is all your ball ;-)

Nice set Ed bro!

Passes like this are the reason team PBJ was undefeated Jane