This is What Good Poaching in Pickleball Looks Like
Last Edited
Sep 24 2024
Category
Instruction
"Poaching" in pickleball has almost become a bad word, one meant to insinuate a player should have trusted their partner. But the decision to poach or leave a ball doesn't really have anything to do with trust...at least, it shouldn't.
There ARE situations where the player with a strong putaway or other shot should take the ball. And, in case you weren't aware, it's perfectly legal to do so.
The problem arises when a particular partner recklessly takes a ball just to crush it.
So, here are a few examples of great pickleball poaching and some takeaways about why it was a strategic move.
Using Your Backhand to Poach a Forehand
In this clip, Tyson McGuffin (viewer's right side of court) poaches the fifth shot for a hard drive at the Johns brothers (viewer's left).
Note, Tyson used his backhand to poach from his partner, who would have been using their forehand to hit the shot.
There could be a number of reasons for this, but the best explanation is that he'd been observing the Johns bros and, specifically, Collin, who ends up sending his return long after Tyson's drive.
Tyson specifically targeted Collin's backhand after he'd crept up closer to the kitchen line than his partner had.
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By firing a strong backhand volley at Collin from up in the court, Tyson was trying to apply pressure, whereas his partner would have been making a more defensive shot from further back.
The Takeaway: If you can apply more pressure on a shot than your partner can, poaching may be beneficial.
Poaching to Keep An Opponent Back
Ignore the high-caliber players in this point for a moment. What really matters is that both teams are stacking, but one team takes advantage of court positioning better than the other.
Team A (further side of court from viewer) and Team B (closest to viewer at start of clip) both need to unwind from a stacked position. Team A serving; B returning.
Team B obviously has one player at the kitchen already, which presents some unique advantages:
- Team A's server needs to scoot across at the baseline to unfurl her stack; while Team B's player at the kitchen can scoot partially over, straddling the line while waiting to see how Team A hits their third shot
- In this case, Team A's third is a high, floating drop to the kitchen...
- ...Meanwhile, Team B's teammate is in the middle of unstacking and coming up to the right
- So: Team B's player at the kitchen already (Christian Alshon) has the chance to place a cross-court drive right at Team A's server's feet, a difficult shot to return while in transition
The Takeaway: Watch how your opponent hits their third shot. If on the fourth shot you're at the kitchen already and can keep one of your opponents further back (and/or place the ball at their feet) by getting to the ball sooner than your partner, do it.
General Pickleball Poaching Tips
As you can see in the examples above, poaching isn't really about how much more power the poacher has than their teammate or how much "better" they (think they) are.
Instead, good poaching is about positioning and shot advantages.
Doubles pickleball isn't a 50/50 sport, at least not competitively. The forehand-in-the-middle rule we're all used to hearing really doesn't apply in some situations.
When to Poach:
Opponent’s Weak Return: If you spot a floater headed for your partner and you’re in a better position to attack, poach! By cutting off the ball early, you can disrupt their rhythm and pressure them to hit more difficult shots.
Partner's Out of Position: When your partner is further back (like after a deep third-shot drop), poaching can be crucial. Moving across allows you to maintain pressure at the net while buying time for your partner to re-position.
Pressure Defense: Is your partner being targeted in a dink battle? Step in to relieve them, especially if their backhand or weaker side is being exploited. Poaching here disrupts the opponents’ strategy and shifts focus.
Forehand in the Middle: If your forehand covers the center, take command! Poaching with your forehand gives you reach, power, and mobility—turning neutral points into aggressive opportunities.
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When to Avoid Poaching:
Out of Position: If your poach leaves your side of the court open, don’t take the bait. Only poach if you’re certain the shot will pressure your opponents or close the point.
Recreational Play: Not every match is about winning at all costs. In casual play, over-poaching can ruin the fun for others. Make sure your partner is on board with your plan.
Partner is Stronger on That Shot: Sometimes your partner has a better angle or is more in tune with that particular point. Trust them to execute. The goal is to score, not steal glory!
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