Playing pickleball with a less skilled partner can test your strategy, patience, and adaptability. Whether you’re in a casual game or a slightly more competitive setting, it’s important to balance helping your partner improve while keeping the match competitive.
Here’s a deep dive into the strategies, tips, and technical advice to help you navigate these situations with grace and skill.
1. Communication: The Foundation of Good Doubles Play
Open communication is essential for a successful game, especially when your partner is less experienced. Discuss expectations, court coverage, and shot selection before the game to avoid confusion on the court.
Key points to discuss:
- Poaching strategy: Ask your partner if they’re comfortable with you poaching or if they want to handle more shots themselves.
- Shot responsibilities: Clarify who will take middle shots, especially on fast volleys or down-the-line drives.
One player shared their experience: “At first, I wasn’t sure whether to poach or let my partner take more shots. But after we talked it through, the game flowed more smoothly, and I could help them out without taking over.”
2. Adapting Your Strategy: Cover More Court but Stay Balanced
When paired with a less skilled player, you’ll often need to adjust your strategy to cover more of the court and compensate for their weaknesses. However, over-poaching or “hogging” the court can frustrate your partner and hinder their growth.
Here are some practical strategies to support your partner while maintaining a competitive edge:
- Crowd the middle: Position yourself closer to the centerline, especially if your partner struggles with quick reaction shots. This allows you to cover more ground, intercepting fast drives or difficult angles.
- Pro Tip: Poach more aggressively on third and fifth shots, especially if your partner has trouble controlling their returns.
- Control the pace of the game: If your partner struggles at the kitchen line or with volleys, avoid fast-paced exchanges. Focus on dinks, drops, and resets to slow the game down and give them time to adjust.
- Third Shot Drop: Use this shot to control the pace and transition from defense to offense. The soft landing forces the opponents to hit up, giving your partner more time to react.
- Reset shots: Practice resetting fast balls into the kitchen, neutralizing the opponents’ attacks and giving your partner time to recover.
A frequent tactic among more skilled players is to switch to a more defensive mindset.
One player explained: “I stay at the baseline or transition zone, anticipating pop-ups or mistakes at the net. It gives me a chance to work on defensive shots like resets while also helping my partner stay involved in the game.”
3. Smart Poaching: When and How to Do It
Poaching—stepping in to intercept a ball intended for your partner—can be effective but should be used selectively. Over-poaching can discourage your partner or even make the game less enjoyable for them.
Here’s when and how to do it effectively:
- Situational poaching: Step in more during high-stakes moments, like when you’re down by several points or the opponents are targeting your partner too heavily. This helps keep the game balanced and competitive.
- Avoid predictable poaching: Don’t poach every time; mix up your strategy to keep your opponents guessing. For instance, poach on return shots or cross-court dinks, but let your partner take easier balls to build their confidence.
Advanced Poaching Tip: When you’re at the net, poach aggressively on any high third-shot drop that lands near the middle. Opponents may try to exploit the weaker partner, so be ready to intercept and finish the point.
4. Focus on Your Partner’s Growth and Confidence
One of the key challenges in playing with a less skilled partner is balancing your own competitive drive with helping them improve. Allow your partner to take shots—even if they miss—so they can learn and gain confidence.
Encouragement Tips:
- Compliment good shots: Even if your partner struggles, praise their effort and highlight any successful shots they make.
- Stay positive: Keep the mood light. Jokes like “Hey, stop picking on my partner!” can make your partner feel less targeted while subtly signaling to opponents to mix up their shots.
Pro Tip: If your partner struggles with shot placement, suggest aiming for safer areas like the center of the court. This reduces the risk of unforced errors while keeping the ball in play.
5. Technical Adjustments Based on Your Partner’s Skill Level
Adapting your technique to complement your partner’s skill level is crucial in mixed-level play.
Here are some advanced strategies and technical adjustments:
- Shot Placement: Hit your shots to areas of the court that benefit your partner. If you place your shots closer to their forehand, for example, they’ll have a better chance of returning the ball effectively.
- Serve and Return Strategy: When serving, stand near the middle and target opponents’ backhands for weaker returns, helping your partner. On returns, cover more ground if they target your partner’s weak side by returning cross-court and closing in at the net.
6. Manage Expectations and Keep It Fun
While it’s tempting to focus entirely on winning, remember that pickleball is a social game, especially in casual or rec play. Managing your expectations will help you and your partner enjoy the game more.
Tips for managing expectations:
- Set small goals: Instead of aiming to win, set mini-goals like “Let’s avoid getting pickled” or “Let’s aim for 5 points.” This takes the pressure off and makes the game more enjoyable for both players.
- Practice patience: Accept that your partner may make mistakes, and use the opportunity to work on your own skills, such as patience, shot accuracy, and defense.
A player shared this strategy: “When I’m playing with a less skilled partner, I focus on sharpening my soft game—like dinks, resets, and third-shot drops—so the game remains beneficial for me.”
Growing Your Game While Helping Your Partner
Teaming up with a less experienced partner might feel tricky at first, but it’s actually a great chance to fine-tune your own skills, build stronger teamwork, and keep the game positive.
Open communication, smart strategy adjustments, and supporting your partner’s growth can turn any game into a rewarding experience for both of you. After all, pickleball is about having fun, improving, and building community—not just chasing wins.
Bonus Tip: Use these games to experiment with new shots or strategies you wouldn’t normally try in a higher-stakes match. You might just find a new go-to move while helping your partner along the way!
