What We Cover This Episode
Stacking comes up constantly in rec play, and most players either resist it, misunderstand it, or simply never try it. Michael and Mircea break down why you should at minimum stack on serve, how to think about court positioning based on skill sets, and why ego is quietly costing recreational players games every single day.
Key Takeaways
Why players resist stacking (and why those reasons don't hold up)
- "My backhand is just as good as my forehand" is almost never true
- Common objections: too complicated, not fast enough to switch, messes up the return
- The cost of staying wrong-sided is almost always higher than the discomfort of learning
The lefty-righty problem
- A lefty on the left creates two backhands in the middle, one of the most exploitable situations in doubles
- Middle, middle, middle. Every single ball. It's a cash register at most rec levels
- The fix is simple: lefties on the right, forehands in the middle
The one scenario where there is no excuse not to stack
- On serve, stacking requires zero movement complexity. You just stand on the correct side before the point starts. There is no reason not to do this
How to think about which side each player should be on
- Ask your partner which side they prefer before you start
- Match the stronger or more dynamic player to the left side so they can dictate angles and control the middle
- Hide weak forehands by keeping that player on the right, where their partner can cover the middle
- Exception: if a player's backhand is a weapon, you may want that weapon sitting in the middle instead
Conor Garnett and the pro game
- Conor typically plays the left side, in part because at the pro level, precise dinking can avoid his backhand entirely, making it more valuable to protect from the outside
- His pairing with Roscoe Bellamy works because Roscoe's reach clogs the middle and takes pressure off that dynamic
Mircea's partnership with Jose DeRisi
- Mircea plays right, Jose plays left, based on complementary strengths
- Mircea's defense and forehand options suit the right side; Jose's skills are better expressed from the left
- They adjust situationally, including half stacking when an opponent has a big serve
Using stacking to break momentum
- Lost four to six points in a row? Switch sides, even temporarily
- The change in look alone tends to break runs, regardless of the tactical reason
Half stacking explained
- Stack only on serve, not on return
- A good entry point if full stacking feels overwhelming
- The returner controls whether to call off the switch, not the player at the kitchen
How to start if you've never stacked
- Pick a preferred side. If you start there, stay. If you start on the other side, scoot over
- You do not need pro-level athleticism, fancy signals, or perfect execution
- You need: commitment, communication, and repetition
- Practice it in rec play before bringing it into a tournament
Reference Episodes
Episode 28: "Should You Stack More Than You Are in Pickleball?" covers the full mechanics, including regular stacking, half stacking, three-quarter stacking, where to return, and court movement patterns.
Sponsor
CRBN Pickleball. Use code 4O2P at crbnpickleball.com for a 10% discount.
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