If you've watched competitive doubles pickleball, you may have noticed something unusual: instead of each player staying on the side you might expect, both partners sometimes begin on the same side of the court before quickly moving into position.
That's called stacking, a doubles strategy that allows partners to spend more time playing on their preferred sides of the court.
And no, it's not the same as paddle stacking. Paddle stacking is commonly used during social play to organize who gets on court next. Stacking during a game is all about positioning and using your team's strengths more effectively.
Here's how it works.
What Is Stacking in Pickleball?
In doubles pickleball, stacking is a positioning strategy where both partners temporarily line up on the same side of the court before or after a serve or return.
Once the ball is in play, the players move into their preferred positions.
Why do this?
Under normal doubles positioning, players change sides of the court depending on the score and who is serving. But partners don't necessarily perform equally well from both sides. Stacking allows a team to maintain preferred positioning while still following the correct serving and receiving order.
Why Do Pickleball Players Stack?
The biggest reason is simple: to put both players in positions that complement their strengths.
For example, a right-handed player with a strong forehand may prefer playing on the left. From there, their forehand naturally covers more of the middle of the court and can be used to attack balls that might otherwise fall between the two players.
Their partner may be more comfortable controlling the right side, setting up points and creating opportunities for the more aggressive player to attack.
Stacking can help a team:
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Keep players on their preferred sides
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Put stronger forehands toward the middle
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Create clearer roles between partners
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Play to individual strengths
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Reduce exposure of weaker shots
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Maintain more consistent positioning throughout a match
It isn't necessarily about having one "better" player. It's about finding a court setup that allows both partners to contribute effectively.
Stacking with a Left-Handed and Right-Handed Player
One of the most common reasons teams use stacking is when a left-handed player partners with a right-handed player. Imagine a right-handed player positioned on the left and a left-handed player positioned on the right. Both players now have their forehands toward the middle.
This can create a strong attacking setup because either player can potentially use their forehand to take balls through the center of the court. Without stacking, normal serving rotations may periodically place both players with their backhands toward the middle instead.
By stacking, the partnership can maintain its preferred forehand-middle setup more consistently.
How to Stack When Serving
Stacking while serving is relatively straightforward.
The player whose turn it is to serve must still serve from the correct service position according to the score. Their partner, however, can position themselves outside or alongside that service area.
For example, imagine your partner must serve from the right side, but after the serve you want your partner playing on the left and yourself playing on the right.
Your partner serves from the correct position while you begin outside the right sideline.
Once the serve has been made, you both move into your preferred positions and continue the rally normally. The important thing to remember is that stacking does not change the serving order. Players still need to serve from the correct side according to the score.
How to Stack When Returning
Stacking on the return requires a little more movement and communication.
The correct receiver must still return the serve. However, once the return has been hit, the partners can move into their preferred positions.
One approach is to begin already stacked. For example, if your partner is receiving from the right side but you ultimately want to play on the right, you can position yourself outside the right sideline near the kitchen while your partner prepares to return.
Once the return is made, you move onto the right side while your partner transitions across to the left. The challenge is getting into position quickly without leaving too much open court for your opponents to attack.
Using Signals to Stack
Some teams prefer not to make their intended movement obvious before the return.
Instead, the player positioned at the kitchen can use a hand signal behind their back to tell their partner whether the team will switch positions after the return.
Teams can develop their own signals, but the important part is that both players understand the plan before the ball is served.
Communication becomes particularly important when stacking because both players may be moving at the same time. Without a clear understanding of who is covering which area, stacking can create more problems than it solves.
Do You Need to Stack?
Not necessarily. Stacking is a strategy, not a requirement.
If you and your partner are comfortable playing both sides of the court, traditional positioning may work perfectly well. In fact, learning to play effectively from both the left and right sides can help you become a more versatile pickleball player.
But as partnerships become more established, players may discover that certain combinations work better.
Perhaps one partner is particularly effective at creating attacks from the left. Maybe the other excels at resets, dinks and setting up points from the right. Or perhaps you're a left-handed and right-handed combination that wants to keep both forehands in the middle.
That's when stacking becomes another strategic option.
Communication Makes Stacking Work
The positioning itself isn't particularly complicated. Remembering where you're supposed to be while serving, returning, and keeping track of the score can be.
Before trying stacking in a competitive match, practice the movements with your partner.
Agree on:
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Which player prefers each side
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When you'll stack
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How you'll communicate switches
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Who covers the middle while transitioning
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Where each player moves after the serve or return
The more familiar the movement becomes, the less you'll have to think about it during a point.
Find the Position That Works for Your Team
Stacking isn't about making pickleball more complicated. It's about putting you and your partner in positions where you can play your best pickleball.
For some teams, that means keeping a powerful forehand in the middle. For others, it's about creating clearer attacking and supporting roles or maintaining a comfortable left-right partnership.
You don't need to stack every point, either. Some teams use a full stack, while others stack only in certain rotations when they want to return to their preferred positions.
Ultimately, the best doubles strategy is one that both partners understand and can execute confidently.
New to pickleball and still getting familiar with serving, scoring, and court positioning? Start with our Beginner's Guide to Pickleball Rules before introducing more advanced doubles strategies into your game.