Lefties. They are among the most irksome and awkward opponents to face and it often feels like everything is frustratingly backwards when you come up against them. The good news is they are far more fun to play with, than against. If you are lucky enough to be a lefty or have a left-handed partner, you want to maximize this enormous advantage by employing a specific strategy to increase the strength of the team unit. Efficient teamwork is important for any partnership, but it can be made even smoother by getting full use out of having a lefty. Assuming that most players reading this know what stacking is and how to do it, (positioning each team member on one specific side on every point) we will dig into why stacking the lefty on the right side gives your team a big advantage in a variety of ways.

As players rise to a higher level, they become aware that the most commonly hit attack is the one through the middle. But even when a hole is opened in the middle when one player is pulled wide, it becomes doubly difficult for the opponents to sneak an attack through the center with their partner covering the extra space with the added reach of a forehand.

Poaches in transition can be made with the forehand from either side. This is especially effective during a shake and bake combination (3rd shot drive followed by 5th shot poach) when you are attempting to apply maximum pressure on your opponents by setting up your partner to intercept the opponent’s reply to your drive. The added reach and power supplied by a forehand coming across the court is a significant advantage when poaching.

Covering cross-court lobs is far easier. The highest percentage lob for your opponents is the one hit cross-court, since they are hitting to the greatest distance of court. This shot is negated from both angles when you have a lefty/righty since you can both cover lobs over your partner’s head with a standard overhead instead of a backhand overhead. And in the event you are forced to run down a lob off the bounce, you will be retrieving the lob with the easier forehand stroke.

Isolating a corner is easier. The isolation strategy is one that is commonly employed to pick on the weaker member of the opposing team. To make this strategy most effective, it is preferable to have the player cross-court from the targeted opponent to take more of the setup shots to keep their partner from shifting out of the perfect countering position directly in front of the targeted opponent. Either player can make use of their forehand from the center, which opens up more possible angles, spins, and attacks, and allows them to squeeze the middle and begin to hover closer to the targeted corner. Having the option to employ this tactic equally in either direction is a major advantage.

It is easiest to cut the corner to execute an Erne with the added wingspan of a forehand. Balls hit further from the sideline can become Erne opportunities and you can wait longer to jump the kitchen. You also have the option to Erne with your backhand side which is preferable in some cases to make contact as you reach in front of your body. Whether hitting the Erne with your forehand or backhand, it is ideal to have your paddle-side hand to the inside of the court.

Having the paddle side hip on the inside of the court makes attacking the body more difficult. One of the most difficult attacks to defend consistently is the attack being hit into your vulnerable paddle side hip/shoulder from directly in front of you. This jamming shot is largely negated by forcing the opponent to hit the attack across your body, rather than into it, in order to target your chicken wing. By being able to hit the ball as it comes across your body with the wider coverage of a backhand volley, you afford yourself more safety from the awkward jamming shot. This is further accentuated by players often forgetting that the vulnerable paddle side hip is reversed when facing a lefty.

Cleaning up after aggressive initiations made by your partner is easier. Whether it is shifting over the center line to finish off the point when your partner executes an Around The Post, an Erne, or a speed up combination, it is always easiest to cover their side with the added reach and power of a forehand.

Since lefties are almost always paired with a righty—and with all the above reasons to place them on the right side—they are nearly always positioned on their preferred right side. This constant preference for the right makes lefties gain far more experience and comfort there than on the left. Repeatedly seeing the angles of the court from one specific perspective makes a difference, and players should be matched to the side they specialize in whenever possible.

Covering middle balls when your partner is having an off day is easier. Everyone has off days from time to time and if your partner is struggling to consistently execute something like a 3rd shot or you simply want to set them up for a shake and bake poach, you have the ability tohelp them out by shifting over with your forehand to take manageable balls. By having a second option on middle balls, your team is less likely to suffer from rough patches in play.

The previous points address the positives of stacking the lefty, but it is every bit as important to note the reverse of the positives, a.k.a. the adverse effects of not stacking. Without stacking, you end up with less reach in the middle with two backhands, more difficulty isolating a corner effectively, backhand poaches on shake and bakes, less effective Ernes, less possible coverage of your partner’s side during ATPs, Ernes, cross-court lobs, or 3rd shots, the opening of more effective attacking angles to the body for the opponents, and the vulnerability of leaving the lefty on a side that is foreign to them. All the negatives of not stacking, weigh just as heavily as the positives of stacking. So, with all these reasons in mind, start leveraging those pesky lefties by positioning them where they ought to be. It will be a lot more fun for your team and a lot less fun for your opponents.

If you enjoyed this breakdown and want to stay ahead on everything happening in the world of pickleball, make sure to subscribe to my newsletter. You’ll get in-depth analysis, behind-the-scenes insights, and exclusive updates delivered straight to your inbox—so you never miss a chance to keep learning, improving, and growing in the game.