Quick answer: The right side in pickleball is not the passive side. For two right-handed partners, the right-side player guards the middle with a backhand, keeps the ball in play, and sets up the left-side forehand with cross-court dinks and well-timed speed-ups. The rules only fix where you stand on the serve and the return. After that, you can play whichever side suits you.
The 30-second version
- There is no weak side. Pick the side that fits your best dink and how much court you can cover.
- The rulebook lets you choose. Rule 5.B.4 puts no limit on where you stand once the serve and return are hit.
- Don’t glue yourself to the line. When your partner has the ball, one step back buys reaction time.
- The middle is the low part of the net. 34 inches at the center, 36 at the sidelines.
- Agree on the middle ball before the first serve. It takes ten seconds.
Ask at any open play in New England who wants the right side and you’ll usually get a shrug. Most of us were taught that the stronger player takes the left and the right-side partner just keeps the ball in. That advice is out of date. This guide covers what the right side in pickleball really asks of you, what the rulebook says about choosing a side, and three drills to get better at it. It leans on a recent lesson from pro Allyce Jones, plus the rulebook and some court arithmetic of our own.
What does the right side in pickleball player actually do?
The right-side player keeps rallies alive, protects the middle and creates chances for the partner on the left to finish. It is a building job, and the best players treat it as offense that happens one shot earlier.
The clearest recent explanation comes from Allyce Jones, a pro who specializes in the right side. In a video lesson with Mari Humberg, written up by The Dink on October 5, 2026, Jones says there is no better side, only the side that matches your strengths. She describes two styles of right-side player:
- The aggressor, who sits tighter to the middle, plays up on the line and looks to attack.
- The ball-maker, who makes a high share of shots and lets the left side finish.
Her point is that you need both, and you switch between them based on the ball in front of you.
Which side should you play, right or left?
You should play the side where your best dink goes cross-court and where you can reach the balls that side is responsible for. Handedness decides most of it. Stand on the right as a right-hander and your forehand faces the sideline while your backhand faces the middle. Stand on the left and it flips.
| If this is you (right-handed) | Lean toward |
|---|---|
| Your forehand cross-court dink is your steadiest shot | Right |
| You have a strong backhand dink and backhand drive | Left |
| You struggle to reach wide backhands and middle balls | Right |
| You want the forehand in the middle to finish points | Left |
| Both wings are solid | Try both and count which one creates more chances |
Height matters too. Jones is 5 foot 2, and she points out that a smaller player on the left has to cover the wide backhand and the middle, which is a lot of court. That’s a big reason she plays right. If you’re left-handed, most of this reverses, and our guide to playing with a lefty partner walks through it.
Do the rules let you pick a side?
Yes, the rules let you pick a side for everything except the serve and the return. This is the part most rec players never look up. Two rules in the 2026 USA Pickleball rulebook do the work:
- Rule 5.B.3 ties the correct serving and receiving positions to your team’s score. The starting server is on the right when the score is zero or even, and on the left when it is odd.
- Rule 5.B.4 says that except while serving and receiving, there is no restriction on the position of the players, as long as they stay on their own end of the net while the ball is live.
Put those together and you get stacking. The correct server serves and the correct receiver returns, and then both of you slide to the sides you like. Jones and Humberg stack on every point for exactly this reason. Our stacking guide has the footwork, and if the other team does it to you, here is how to defend against stacking. New to the even and odd rule? Start with pickleball scoring explained.
One caution of our own. Stacking costs you if it makes you late on the return or the fourth shot. Practice the switch until it is automatic, and if it feels rushed, stay put for that rally.
Where should the right-side player stand?
The right-side player should stand at the kitchen line when the ball is on their side and one step behind it when their partner is the one dinking. Staying frozen on the line the whole point is the most common mistake on this side.
- Ball in front of you: up at the line, paddle out front.
- Partner dinking cross-court: one step back. If the ball pops up and gets attacked, that step is your reaction time. We did the math on this in how far behind the kitchen line to stand.
- Ball pulled wide to your partner: slide toward the middle with them so the gap between you doesn’t open.
Here is why the middle deserves the attention. The court is 20 feet wide, so each partner owns 10 feet. The net is 36 inches high at the sidelines and 34 inches at the center (Rules 3.B.6 and 3.B.7). The middle is the lowest part of the net and the spot where two players have to decide who swings. For a right-hander on the right, that ball arrives on the backhand. A compact backhand block is the first skill this side needs. More on spacing in our court positioning guide.
Who takes the middle ball from the right side?
With two right-handers, the left-side player’s forehand takes most middle balls by default, but the better rule is that whoever set up the pattern gets the ball. That second part is how Jones and Humberg play it. If your partner pushed an opponent into a corner and the reply floats back to the middle, your partner is already reading that shot. Taking it from them breaks their timing.
The exception is a ball you can take clearly earlier. If you can step in and redirect it before your partner could, go. We broke down the full decision in who takes the middle ball. Whatever you choose, say it out loud before the game. Our partner communication guide has the short list of calls.
How do you attack from the right side?
You attack from the right side with the forehand, either as a sharp cross-court dink or as a speed-up that sends the reply to your partner. Both use the geometry this side gives you.
- The cross-court dink. Kitchen line to kitchen line is 14 feet straight ahead. From your right corner to the far opposite corner it is about 24.4 feet. That is 74 percent more court to land the ball in, over the low part of the net. See how to dink and the wide dink.
- The forehand speed-up. Jones’s favorite pattern is a forehand speed-up at the opponent in front of her. She says the ball comes back to her partner’s forehand for the finish. One player starts the attack and the other ends it.
- Move to find forehands. Jones shifts sideways so that more balls arrive on her forehand instead of her backhand.
Earn the speed-up first. A ball below net height is still a dink. Our guide to winning hands battles covers which balls to attack.
Does the right side change in mixed doubles?
Yes, it changes, and the adjustment is mostly about how much of the middle you leave for your partner. Jones says she stands about a foot farther from the centerline in mixed than in women’s doubles, so her partner has room to swing at middle balls without running into her. In women’s doubles she plays tighter, takes more middle balls and attacks more often. Neither is right for every team. Notice which partner you have today and set your spacing to match.
What drills build a better right side?
Three short drills cover the three skills this side asks for, and each one needs only a partner and half a court.
- Middle backhand blocks. Stand on the right at the kitchen line. Your partner feeds firm balls at your left hip from across the net. Block each one back low with a short backhand. Do 3 sets of 15.
- Step off, step in. Three players. Your partner dinks cross-court with the opponent. Each time the ball goes to your partner, take one step back. Each time it comes to you, step in and dink. Play 5 minutes without thinking about winning.
- Start it, finish it. Four players dink. The right-side player speeds up a forehand at the opponent directly ahead. The left-side partner hunts the next ball with a forehand. Play to 7, then swap sides.
There are more in our pickleball drills library.
How does this work at open play?
At open play you rarely get to choose your partner, so the useful habit is a ten-second talk before the first serve. Ask two questions: do you have a side, and who has the middle. Most New England open play rotates partners every game, at town courts in summer and in school gyms and clubs once the weather turns. A partner who has been asked will almost always tell you.
If you want a regular game to practice one side, our New England court directory and indoor pickleball guide list where to play. For a trained eye on your positioning, find an instructor in our coaching directory.
Frequently asked questions
Is the right side the weaker side in pickleball?
No. The right side has a different job, not a smaller one. The right-side player protects the middle, keeps rallies alive and sets up the partner on the left.
Can you always play the right side in pickleball?
Yes, with stacking. Rule 5.B.3 fixes where the server and receiver stand based on the score, and Rule 5.B.4 puts no restriction on player positions for the rest of the rally.
Should a right-handed player play the right or left side?
It depends on your shots. A steady forehand cross-court dink suits the right. A strong backhand dink and a forehand you want in the middle suit the left.
Who takes the middle ball in doubles?
With two right-handers the left-side forehand takes most middle balls. A better rule is that the player who set up the pattern takes it. Agree before the game starts.
Should the right-side player stay at the kitchen line?
Not the whole point. Stand at the line when the ball is in front of you and take one step back when your partner is dinking cross-court.
Sources: The Dink, The Right Side Rules Most Pickleball Players Never Learn (October 5, 2026), on a video lesson by Mari Humberg with Allyce Jones; 2026 USA Pickleball Official Rulebook, Rules 3.A.1, 3.B.6, 3.B.7, 5.B.3 and 5.B.4. Distances are our own arithmetic from the rulebook court dimensions. By Jason Regan, USA Pickleball Ambassador, Leominster, MA.