Should You Be Stacking in Pickleball? 5 Questions to Ask Before You Try

Positioning can make or break a doubles team, and stacking is one way to play smarter from the very first shot. This technique helps pickleball players stay in their strongest positions on the pickleball court, but it may not be the right fit for everyone.

Stacking is a pickleball strategy that is used to keep each partner on a doubles pickleball team on their respective preferred side of the court. In other words, after the serve or return of serve, you and your partner can avoid switching sides and stay on the same side of the pickleball court throughout the game. So, if one partner wants to stay on the right-hand side of the court, or vice versa, stacking can help you accomplish this.

Stacking is a strategy that can benefit pickleball players of all levels, but only if it fits your game and goals. Ask yourself these five questions to find out if stacking might be a good move for you.

1. Do you or your partner strongly prefer one side of the court?

Some players feel more confident or effective on one side, whether it’s due to their dominant hand, comfort at the net, or just better angles for certain shots. When your partner plays with the opposite hand as you (think a righty and a lefty), you will want to stack so that both forehands are in the middle of the pickleball court. It could also be that your game thrives on one side, and in that case, stacking can help you stay in your ideal position more often.

Try stacking if: You and your partner play with opposite hands, or both have a clear preferred side.
Hold off if: You’re equally comfortable switching sides and prefer to keep things simple.

2. Are your forehands stronger when they’re in the middle?

Many doubles teams stack to keep both players’ forehands in the middle of the court. This helps with court coverage, dinks, and quick hands battles at the kitchen line, especially if one player is left-handed and the other is right-handed.

Try stacking if: Your team has a “forehand in the middle” advantage.
Hold off if: You tend to overreach or confuse responsibilities in the middle zone.

3. Are you struggling to cover your partner’s (or your own) weak side?

Stacking can help you protect areas of your game that are less consistent, like a shaky backhand, slow reaction time, or trouble returning lobs. Strategic positioning can minimize how often those weaknesses are targeted.

Try stacking if: You want to hide a specific vulnerability.
Hold off if: You and your partner are both generalists and still building your fundamentals.

4. Are you good at communicating with your partner?

Stacking works best when both players are on the same page about who covers what, when to switch, and how to recover quickly after the serve or return. If communication is lacking, stacking might cause more chaos than collaboration.

Try stacking if: You and your partner talk frequently and trust each other.
Hold off if: You’re still learning how to communicate on the pickleball court or switching partners often.

5. Are you willing to learn and practice something new?

Stacking adds a layer of complexity to your positioning. It takes a few games to get used to it, and there will be missteps. If you’re up for the challenge, it could really elevate your doubles strategy.

Try stacking if: You enjoy experimenting and learning through play.
Hold off if: You’re still mastering the basics like scoring, serve/return, and footwork.

Stacking isn’t a magic solution, but it’s a tool that can help you play smarter and more strategically. If you answered “yes” to at least 3 of the questions above, give stacking a shot during your next doubles match. Start small, stay patient, and have fun with it.

If you’re ready to try stacking, or you’d like to improve your stacking skills in pickleball, check out The Pickler’s Blog, “How to Stack in Pickleball.”

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