May 25, 2026

66: Stacking Revisited - Why You Should Stack More in Pickleball, at ALL levels.

29 minutes

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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By Michael O'Neal & Mircea Morariu

4.8

361361 ratings