Everything You Need to Know About Stacking in Doubles Pickleball

Some intermediate and advanced competitive pickleball players use a court positioning strategy called "stacking" to keep the strongest forehand in the center of the court (or both forehands in the center of the court with a right-handed and left-handed doubles team). If you watch pro matches you've likely seen stacking strategy in action. 5.0 player Glen Peterson demonstrates what stacking is, why you would use it, and how to do it with your partner. This is a great way to take your doubles play to a higher level.
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[@janetallen5078]

We have evolved! I’m sending this out immediately to all our players…a year ago, saying STACKING would have caused HIVES, now we are ready! Many thanks! And, yes, we will encourage practicing stacking before using it in a tournament. Play with JOY.

[@jamiedunn4286]

I dislike stacking tremendously. First, you are admitting you are weak with the backhand. Why not improve your backhand instead. I love playing against teams that stack because I hammer the ball back deep to the backhand side while my opponent is trying to get back to their position. They usually stop stacking after they see it's not working after a few points.

[@fredstevens8724]

So true - I've stopped stacking in the middle of many games because things got muddled; however, there must be a reason pros stack - and it's not "for the sake of stacking." It's to gain a competitive advantage. BTW, beginning in 2024, teams are no longer penalized because of a stacking error. It is up to the judges to correct the problem. I think this was a good move.

[@yogiberra808]

Can I always stay on the right on defense, I'm a lefty, or do I need to be on the side that the score dictates me to be on when the other team is serving? For instance, I'm a lefty, and I always serve first, so I know when the score is an even number for us, I'm on the right.

[@fredstevens8724]

You can stay on the right the entire time - including when you serve on the left side with your partner lined up to the left of you. Then, of course, you both slide right!

[@yogiberra808]

@@fredstevens8724 I have since learned that you can play wherever you want. But the correct person has to serve and receive, but no penalty for doing it incorrectly. If the other team catches it before the point is over, it's a do over.

[@thomasc1671]

Yes but as the video shows, when your score is odd you need to receive serve on the left side and then advance to the right side as your partner will be occupying the left.

[@fredstevens8724]

Yes, I meant you (the lefty) can always be positioned on the right relative to your partner.@@thomasc1671

[@jamiedunn4286]

I dislike stacking tremendously. First, you are admitting you are weak with the backhand. Why not improve your backhand instead. I love playing against teams that stack because I hammer the ball back deep to the backhand side while my opponent is trying to get back to their position. They usually stop stacking after they see it's not working after a few points.

[@fredstevens8724]

Yes, I can see your point; however, if you are right handed playing with a lefty, you sometimes will inevitably be playing with both of your forehands to the outside - not good.

[@agasher001]

100% agree. Plus, in mixed doubles there seems to be a chauvinistic mindset of "I'm the guy, so of course I should be in the add court to showcase my phenomenal forehand prowess". If you need to stack, work harder on your craft, don't rely on crutches like this.

[@DannyBPlays]

It's not admitting a weakness, it's acknowledging a strength. Also with co-ed the man will nearly always have a stronger forehand so should stack accordingly. If it was easy to exploit like you're saying, the pros wouldn't do it

[@jamiedunn4286]

@@DannyBPlays Good points. I'd like to say a couple things though. I see many times on the pro circuit where they get beat while unwinding the stack. I also see the men overplaying and taking 2/3 to 3/4 of the court, even when the woman is playing better than the man. It's piggy and looks overbearing. But hey, that's their living. I like to give my female partner her half of the court and then we both have a good time.