How to Play Pickleball Left-Handed: Maximize Your Lefty Advantage

William Iliff

Creative Director

Last Edited

Oct 18 2024

Crash with Your Forehand

As a lefty, you get to position your forehand where many teams feel safest—the middle of the court.

A typical defensive play is to return to the left side, forcing a player into a weaker backhand. But with you on the left, you bring your forehand to the center, which allows your team to “crash” from both sides effectively.

Imagine you’re at the net, ready to poach:

Opponents will be nervous about dropping or driving toward the middle
Your forehand is locked and loaded

Perfecting your forehand drive isn’t just about personal points; it’s about setting your partner up for easy finishes, ensuring your team always has a go-to play.

Shut Down with Your Backhand

It’s not all about the forehand though. A strong lefty backhand can close off entire areas of the court.

As a lefty, you naturally cover the middle with your forehand. That means your backhand’s job is to take care of sideline defense.

Your goal is to master the backhand counter so thoroughly that opponents can only attack one awkward spot—your chicken wing (the vulnerable zone around your elbow).

Anything outside of that zone is either your partner's ball or will be stuffed back by your solid defense.

The Deadly Cross-Court Dink

Lefties have an easier time pulling off those nasty cross-court dinks with topspin off their backhand side.

If you can develop this shot, you’ll put your right-handed opponent's forehand on notice. They won’t want to engage in these long rallies because they’re tricky, tiring, and difficult to escape from.

Once you force them out of position, you can open up space in the middle and even set up an erne for your partner.

The Fourth Shot is Your Friend

Your middle coverage as a lefty doesn’t stop after the serve.

Any high ball that pops up in the middle of the court? That’s all you. As your partner is hustling up to the kitchen line, take ownership of these floaters and put them away.

This role is similar to how a right-side player might help their left-side teammate, but as a lefty, you can surprise opponents by crashing and smothering attacks from both sides of the net.

Mastering the Art of Stacking

The word "stacking" scares off a lot of players, but it's a must-learn tactic for left-handed players.

Whether you're serving or returning, stacking allows your team to ensure that both forehands (righty and lefty) are positioned in the middle.

This maximizes your team's strength and limits your opponents' attack options. It's not just a positioning trick; it's a weapon that takes time to master, but the rewards are massive.

Why Two Forehands Dominate the Game

One of the greatest advantages of a lefty-righty partnership is having two forehands in the middle.

When opponents hit to the center (the most common target), they face your strongest shots. That’s why top-level pickleball pros, including Ben Johns, have predicted that future champions will be lefty-righty combos.

The ability to consistently apply pressure with forehands from both sides can leave opponents scrambling.

If your opponents don’t adjust, they’ll likely find themselves making errors, especially in dinking battles. The forehand dominance you create also leaves more room to set up surprise attacks, like an Erne.

The Takeaway

Mastering how to play pickleball left-handed means embracing the strengths that come with it.

Your forehand becomes a game-changer in the middle, your backhand is the gatekeeper to the sidelines, and smart positioning and stacking will open up the court in ways your opponents don’t see coming.

Lefties might be rare, but when they play to their strengths, they’re deadly. So, get out there and unleash the power of your left-handed game.

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