Pickleball point patterns: sequences that win points, with drills
Proven doubles patterns: dink cross-court then attack down the line, pull wide then hit the middle, pin one side then switch, drive the middle on the third, and keep the ball on one player. Drills for 3.5 to 4.5+.
For players rated 3.5+
When to use it
A pattern is a short sequence where one shot sets up the next: it moves a player, opens a gap or forces a weak reply, and the following shot goes where the setup opened. At 3.5 and above, single good shots rarely win the point; the shot before them does.
Learn a few patterns well rather than many loosely. Agree on them with your partner, practise the setup as much as the finish, and keep a reset ready for when the setup doesn't work. Every pattern is a percentage play, not a sure thing.
The point patterns toolbox
Patterns worth having. Each one has a setup that moves the other team and a finish that goes where the setup opened.
At the net
Cross, then line
PushDink cross-court until one sits up, then speed it up down the line, at the player straight across from you, who has less time to react.
Wide, then middle
PushPull a player wide with an angled dink. Their partner tends to shift over to cover, and a gap opens in the middle: send the next one there.
Pin, then switch
PushKeep dinking to one side of a player, usually the backhand, until they lean that way. Then go to the other side, where they've stopped looking.
From the back
Drive the middle
TopspinOn the third, drive through the middle. Both players can hesitate over who takes it, and a weak reply sets up a drop or a drive on the fifth.
Deep, then short
PushKeep the other team back with a deep return or a deep volley, then drop the next one short so they have to hit up from the transition zone.
Any time
Play one player
PushKeep the ball on the player who is less comfortable or out of position. Their partner drifts over to help, and opens their own side.
Drills, stage by stage
Learn the setup
With one partner, groove the setup shots that move a player: the pinning dinks and the switch.
- The setup has to move the player, so aim it: width and depth, not just over the net.
- Switch only when the setup worked. Otherwise run it again.
- Dinks only here; the attacking finishes come in the four-player drills.
- Skinny singles: straight ahead on one half.
1.Pin, then switch
With a partner3.5Trains moving a player with your dinks, then going where they've stopped looking.
A dinks to B's backhand side…Backhand · Topspin · Closed face - Dink straight ahead with your partner on one half.
- Send three or four dinks to your partner's backhand side, close to the sideline.
- When they start leaning that way, dink to their forehand side instead. Swap roles every rally.
Reps: 3 rounds of 3 minutes
Move two players
One player runs a pattern against two, with time to see the gap open.
- Watch the partner, not just the ball: the gap opens where they move from.
- The middle when they split, the angle when they pinch in.
2.Wide, then middle
Three players3.5Trains opening the middle by pulling one player wide.
A pulls C wide with an angled dink; D slides over to cover…Topspin · Closed face - You play one side alone at the kitchen line; two players play the other.
- Pull one of them wide with an angled dink, close to their sideline.
- Watch their partner slide over to cover; send the next dink into the gap between them.
Reps: 3 rounds of 2 minutes
Run it live
Call a pattern before the point and run it in a real rally.
- Agree on one pattern before the point.
- Run the setup two or three times if it needs it.
- If the other team doesn't take the bait, reset and play the point.
3.Cross, then line
Four players4.0Trains the most common net pattern: a patient cross-court dink, then a speed-up down the line.
A and D dink cross-court…Topspin · Closed face - Both teams at the kitchen line. Dink cross-court with the player diagonally opposite.
- When a cross-court dink sits up, speed it up down the line, at the player straight across from you.
- The other team blocks and plays on; a point won with the pattern scores 2.
Reps: Games to 11
4.Drive the middle
Four players4.0Trains the third-shot drive through the middle and the drop that follows the weak reply.
A serves; D returns deep and comes to the line…Topspin · Closed face - Play from the serve. On the third, the serving team drives through the middle of the receiving team.
- If the reply comes back weak or short, drop the fifth into the kitchen and move in together.
- Swap serve every 5 points; count how often the middle drive forces a weak reply.
Reps: 4 rounds of 5 points
5.Play one player
Four players4.0Trains keeping the ball on one player, and seeing the gap when their partner comes over to help.
A and B keep every ball on C…Topspin · Closed face - Before the point, one team picks a target player on the other side.
- Keep every dink on that player. When their partner drifts over to help, dink into the side they left.
- Swap targets each game.
Reps: Games to 11
6.Call the pattern
Four players4.5+Trains running a pattern on purpose, with a partner who knows it's coming.
A and B have called 'wide, then middle'.Topspin · Closed face - Before each point, the serving team quietly picks one pattern: cross then line, wide then middle, pin then switch, or drive the middle.
- Play the point. A point won with the called pattern scores 2.
- If the setup doesn't work, reset and play on; the point still counts 1.
Reps: Games to 15
Common mistakes
- Going for the finish before the setup worked. If the player didn't move, run the setup again.
- A setup that doesn't move anyone. Aim it: wide, deep or at the feet.
- Running the same pattern every point. Good teams learn it; mix two or three.
- Forgetting your partner. Tell them the pattern, so they cover the reply it invites.
- Forcing it. A pattern is a percentage play; when the other team doesn't bite, reset.
What to work on at your level
| 2.5–3.0 | Not yet: get comfortable with dink and speed-ups first. |
|---|---|
| 3.5 | Learn two setups: pin one side then switch, and pull wide then go to the middle. |
| 4.0 | Run cross-then-line at the net and drive-the-middle from the back, and know when to abandon them. |
| 4.5+ | Call patterns with your partner before the point, mix them, and spot the one the other team is weakest against. |
Paddles that help
Patterns are doubles tactics, and an all-round, stable paddle lets you play both the soft setup and the firm finish.
Best Pickleball Paddles for DoublesCommon questions
- What is a pattern in pickleball?
- A short sequence where one shot sets up the next: it moves a player, opens a gap or forces a weak reply, and the following shot goes where that setup opened.
- What is the most common pattern at the net?
- Dinking cross-court and attacking down the line. The cross-court dink is the safer, longer shot; when one sits up, the speed-up goes straight ahead at the player across from you, who has the least time to react.
- Why hit to the middle?
- A ball between two players can make both hesitate, and it takes away the sharp angles they could hit back. It's a common target for third-shot drives and putaways.
- How many patterns should we practise?
- Two or three, well. Agree on them with your partner, practise the setups as much as the finishes, and mix them so the other team can't predict you.
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