Hey,

A friend of mine, Adam Drysdale (who runs a Pickleball Academy for Kids), recently suffered a wrist injury, which meant he had to put down his pickleball paddle for a while.

Except… he didn’t want to do that.

Instead, he decided to force himself to learn to play left-handed. So, he entered a 4.5/5.0 mixed doubles tournament. Oh, and his playing partner was seven months pregnant…

It’s a wild story, and he wanted to share it with the pickleball world. So, if you’d like to read about what he learned switching to his non-dominant hand and how he and his pregnant partner performed…

You can check it out here:

5 Chess Strategies to Become a Smarter Pickleball Player

Pickleball and chess might seem worlds apart, yet both games require sharp strategy and mental agility. Let’s explore five strategies borrowed from chess that can give you an upper hand on the pickleball court!

1. Master Positional Awareness ♟️

In chess, top players fight for control over the center of the board, setting themselves up for future success.

Similarly, in pickleball, gaining control over the kitchen line is vital. Here’s how positional awareness plays out:

• Position Matters: Whether you’re at the baseline defending or at the kitchen attacking, your court position directly impacts your shot options. Poor positioning can lead to costly mistakes.

• Off-Balance Advantage: Keep your opponents off-balance to disrupt their game. By moving your dinks around—sometimes hitting wide, sometimes to the middle—you can break their rhythm and force errors.

• Distance as Defense: Push opponents off the kitchen line with well-placed lobs over their weak shoulder, causing them to hit defensively. This tactic often results in weak returns, setting you up for a strong counter.

2. Focus on Openings: The Serve is Your First Move 🤓

Just like a grandmaster in chess, your serve in pickleball sets the tone for the point.

Here’s how to serve with intention:

• Serve Deep: A deep serve keeps your opponents further from the kitchen, preventing them from taking the best position on the court.

• Embrace Variety: Switch up your serves—go deep and center, short and wide, or high and middle. This unpredictability forces more errors from opponents and keeps them guessing.

• Change Angles: A wide serve can force opponents into tricky positions, leaving gaps for you to target with your next shot.

3. Sharpen Your Pattern Recognition Skills 🔪

Chess players excel at recognizing patterns, and this skill is just as powerful in pickleball.

Noticing common setups helps you anticipate your opponents’ moves and plan your responses. Here’s how to use patterns to your advantage:

• Observe Shot Sequences: A wide dink often leads to an Around the Post (ATP) opportunity, while a down-the-line dink usually prompts a cross-court reply.

• Anticipate Opponent’s Next Move: If your opponent speeds up a cross-court shot, prepare for the ball to come back toward your partner, creating a predictable triangle effect.

• Trust Your Instincts: The more patterns you recognize, the more intuitive and strategic your play will become.

This is why we created a Pattern Recognition Library INSIDE ThatPickleballSchool to teach the most common patterns that happen in every game.

4. Build End Game Expertise 🏁

In chess, the end game is all about precision and strategy. Similarly, closing out a pickleball game requires maintaining focus and controlling your impulses. Here’s how to master your endgame:

• Resist Unnecessary Risks: When you’re close to winning, don’t experiment with risky shots. Stick to the strategies that brought you the lead.

• Catalog Successes and Failures: Throughout the game, mentally track what’s working (slow kitchen play, targeting backhands) and what’s not (low ball speed-ups). This will guide you in high-pressure moments.

• Stay Steady Under Pressure: Take a deep breath, stick to your strengths, and let past successes guide your decisions.

5. Know Yourself and Your Play Style 🔎

A deep understanding of your own strengths and weaknesses can elevate your game. Here’s how self-awareness can shape your pickleball success:

• Leverage Your Strengths: If you’re aggressive, like Anna Leigh Waters, use your strengths to attack from any spot on the court. If patience is your game, follow Ben Johns’ approach, wait for openings, and capitalize on opponents' mistakes.

• Adapt to Your Limitations: Self-awareness lets you pick shots you’re confident in, helping you avoid unnecessary errors.

By incorporating these chess-inspired strategies, you’ll approach each game with a new level of insight and confidence.

Who knows? You might just leave your opponents with no choice but to whisper… “Checkmate.” 😆

PB Vision: The Ultimate Pickleball Analytics App

Yesterday, I announced an amazing new partnership with PB Vision and ThatPickleballSchool.

Today, I want to tell you more about them…

PB Vision was crafted by dedicated pickleball enthusiasts exclusively for the community. It’s not adapted from other sports or based on generic insights—each feature captures pickleball’s unique dynamics, providing analytics that truly elevate your game.

🎥 Capture Your Game Anywhere
With PB Vision, you can easily record matches on your phone or at a PB Vision-enabled facility. Just upload the footage, and our advanced computer vision tech analyzes every rally, shot, and movement, giving you in-depth insights.

📈 In-Depth Analytics for Serious Players
PB Vision goes beyond basic stats with tools like the 3D Shot Viewer, Court Coverage Heat Maps, Automatic Highlights, and Kitchen Arrival Percentage tracking. These detailed metrics reveal trends and opportunities to improve, tailored specifically to pickleball.

👫 Free Access for Friends
Tag friends in your videos to let them view and analyze your game at no cost, encouraging collaborative growth and mutual improvement.

🚀 Start Your Free Trial Today
Try PB Vision with three free uploads to experience the impact of advanced pickleball analytics. Each game becomes a learning opportunity, whether you’re reaching for new heights or simply enjoying the game more. Join PB Vision and unlock the next level of pickleball insights.

If you want to learn more about them, click the button, and it will take you to their website.

Inside ThatPickleballSchool

Want to see a sneak peek into the future of ThatPickleballSchool?

Presenting the TPS Roadmap:

If that gets you pumped, I hope to see you inside when we open back up in December.

-Kyle