Pickleball Basics · 9 of 10
Game Strategy
Play smart, not just hard!
What Wins Games?
Pickleball rewards placement over power. The team that gets up to the kitchen line together — and keeps the ball low and soft — usually beats the team swinging hard from the back.
Your softest shot is your smartest: a dink is a gentle shot that arcs over the net and drops into the other side's kitchen, where nobody can smash it. Mix dinks with patience and the other team makes the mistake first.
Smart Play, Plain and Simple
- ✓Keep volleys low — low balls can't be smashed back
- ✓Aim for the open court, not right at a player
- ✓Use dinks — soft shots that drop into the kitchen
- ✓Move as a team — up together, back together
Quick Facts
- ✓Where rallies are won: At the kitchen line
- ✓Best target: Open court and their feet
- ✓Power vs placement: Placement wins
Curious what level you'd be?
Answer 12 quick questions and get your level (2.5 to 5.0), your weakest shot, and a plan built around both. Free, about two minutes.