← Grumpy Pickleballer/ Stacking

🥒 Stacking

Keeping each player on their preferred side, whatever the score. An advanced skill: you probably won't use it at crew or rec play, but you'll see it.

Who's who on this page. R is the player who wants to play the right side. L is the player who wants the left. In a lot of stacks that's about keeping both forehands in the middle, or putting a lefty and a righty on their best sides.

In doubles, where you stand depends on your score. At an even score you're both on your starting sides. At an odd score you've swapped. Stacking is how a team gets around that: you line up so each player can get back to their preferred side right after the serve or the return. Talk it through with your partner before the game. It only works if you both know the plan.

On the return

Our score is even: business as usual. R on the right, L on the left. Whoever the serve comes to stays back to return it; the partner is up at the kitchen line.

Our score is odd, serve comes to our right: L starts at the right baseline and R starts at the left kitchen line. L returns and immediately heads to the left side. As soon as the return is clear, R slides right toward the middle and protects L's approach to the line.

Return, odd score, serve to the right: L returns from the right baseline then crosses to the left kitchen line; R slides from the left kitchen line to just right of the middle. NET KITCHEN BASELINE LEFT RIGHT R L

Odd score, serve to the right. L returns and crosses left; R slides right to cover the approach.

Our score is odd, serve comes to our left: R starts at the left baseline and L starts at the right kitchen line. R returns and immediately heads to the right side. As soon as the return is clear, L slides toward the middle and protects R's approach to the line.

Return, odd score, serve to the left: R returns from the left baseline then crosses to the right kitchen line; L slides from the right kitchen line to just left of the middle. NET KITCHEN BASELINE LEFT RIGHT L R

Odd score, serve to the left. R returns and crosses right; L slides left to cover the approach.

On the serve

Our score is even: business as usual. Each of you serves from your normal spot.

Our score is odd, serving from the right (R's home side, L's serve): you both start on the right side, with L serving. After the serve, L moves left along the baseline and R moves into position on the right. You're both back and ready for the return.

Serve, odd score, from the right: R and L both start on the right. L serves, then moves left along the baseline while R takes the right. NET KITCHEN BASELINE LEFT RIGHT L R

Odd score, serving from the right. L serves, then slides left; R takes the right.

Our score is odd, serving from the left (L's home side, R's serve): you both start on the left side, with R serving. After the serve, R moves right along the baseline and L moves into position on the left.

Serve, odd score, from the left: R and L both start on the left. R serves, then moves right along the baseline while L takes the left. NET KITCHEN BASELINE LEFT RIGHT R L

Odd score, serving from the left. R serves, then slides right; L takes the left.

Then: drive or drop?

Once the stack has sorted itself out, you're hitting the third shot. As a rule of thumb, you've got three good options:

  1. At the player still moving up.Catch them on the move. If they pop it up, drop into the kitchen and get to the line. If they drive it back, either drive at the player already at the line or start dropping and moving forward.
  2. A drive at the player already at the line.The goal is to make the fourth shot, their return, an easier ball to drop into the kitchen. Try not to drive a second time.
  3. A drop into the kitchen.If the return is short, drop it into the kitchen or push the approaching player back.

Getting forward after the third shot is its own skill; Positioning Basics covers why the serving team starts on defense and how to move up together.

Every stacking team runs its own version. This is the one I play; work out yours with your partner before the first serve. Not affiliated with doyouevendinkbro.com. I've spoken to him about it, but he insists we're partners. We have never been seen in the same room.