If your opponents have decided to stack, try to make their stacking strategy as difficult as possible. This is easier when your opponents are the receiving team, rather than the serving team, as a serving team that is stacking only has a step or two to switch sides. However, the same cannot be said for a receiving team that is stacking. To challenge a receiving team that is stacking or using hand signals and switching, try the following tips:

1. Do not let all of the movement of the stacking team distract you. Focus on the pickleball and pick a spot on your opponents’ side of the court to hit the pickleball. Ignore any distracting movements by your opponents. This is especially important when you are facing a team that switches and fake switches randomly.

2. Serve wide to your opponents. In other words, hit your serves near the sideline of your receiving opponent. This will cause your receiving opponent to be pulled off the court, which, in turn, will open up the opposite side of the court on your third shot because your receiving opponent will struggle and have to take a few extra steps to get across the court and in the proper position after striking the return of serve.

3. Hit your third shot down the sidelines. When your opponents are stacking on the return of serve, they generally have to hustle to the proper position after hitting the return of serve. Make your opponents really struggle by driving the third shot down the sidelines of the side of the court where they are trying to run to. This will be especially effective if you start the point with a wide serve, as your opponents will have to take a few extra steps to get across the court.

Key Takeaways:

1. To challenge your opponents that are stacking or switching:

a. Ignore all of your opponents’ movement and focus on hitting your best shot;

b. Serve wide to open up the court; and

c. Consider driving your third shot down the sideline that your opponents are running toward, especially if you hit a quality wide serve to start the point.