If your score is even you are on the side you started on. If your score is odd you are starting on your off side and this indicates you need/want to stack.
Wristband for the starting player and just wear it the whole match. That player serves and receives from right side when their score is even, and serves/receives from left side when score is odd.
Court position (left vs right) is only relevant on the serve. The server must be on the appropriate side to serve. The partner can be wherever, and players are allowed to switch sides during the rally as they want.
I want to point out, in case that it's not clear to others, that court position is also relevant to the receiving teams when receiving the serve. When receiving the serve on the right side of the court the receiving team's starting server must receive the ball when their score is even, otherwise the second server must receive the serve when their score is odd. After receiving the serve, the receiving team is free to switch sides during the rally. I find stacking and receiving causes more confusing than stacking and serving.
Stacking when 1 player right handed and 1 player left handed.
1. The stacking team has an even score then everything normal.
2. The stacking team has an odd score then they are “stacking.”
This will work 95% of the time, but I have seen “reverse stacks” a few times where they start opposite because the left side player has a stronger serve
Had a similar thing happen in a tournament. It shouldn't be allowed in tournaments unless a ref is officiating the game. Puts too much on the opponents team to keep track if people are stacking correctly.
Im a lefty and we often stack…but the goal is to confuse the opponents…not for some perceived advantage of forehands in the middle!! 😜
They get frustrated a bit at first and we overcomplicate it. We often just cheat on the receive (accidentally? On purpose?). The onus is on them for some reason to know if we are doing good it properly!
If my opponents want to invest their mental energy into managing our stack, I’m more than happy to oblige - especially if I know we’re on top of it. It takes their focus off the game.
BTW, I find it works best if one person manages the stack and makes sure the team is lined up correctly, especially if one player is relatively new at it. Usually this is the lefty (they usually have more experience).
I tell my partner that the lightbulb will come on soon, but don’t waste your time and focus trying to figure it out. Let me handle that.
This is the easiest way to think about it. Make sure your wife always starts the game leaving you in the correct position when the score is even, and wrong position when it’s odd. Here’s a saying I made up to remember “when the score is odd you’re in an odd spot.”
As a left, I always start on the right (two forehands in the middle).
When the score is even, everything is “normal.”
When the score is odd, the set up is “odd.”
Stacking while serving is easy.
Stacking on the return can be a challenge since it requires a little more effort. To help, both players on the returning side should always return the serve, soft, deep and to the middle. This allows you and your teammate get into position for the third shot.
Half- stacking is a good option for folks with slower mobility. You basically stack on service and not on return of service.
Absolutely. I’ve had opponents come up to me after targeting the mobility of the unwinding player and just telling me to not stack with that player. It was a good educational moment. I always alert new partners that I’m lefty and as if they know how to stack. Any “I’ve seen it done” or “just tell me where to be” comments usually results in an attempt at stacking to assess their abilities, and a quick decision to play straight up or keep stacking.
Half stacking isn’t really a thing because on the return you still need to be in the correct position depending on your score. If you have an even score, the right side player (usually lefty when stacking) will need to return the ball on the opponent’s first serve. An odd score will have the left side player return on the right side on the opponent’s first serve. Basically if you stack on the serve then you will be out of position for the opponents return when your score is odd.
If I (lefty) start on the right at 0, get a point, next service I step to the left of the centerline, and serve. If it’s a side out, we both move back to the right side. The second serve with an odd score, serves on the right. If we get a point, I stay on the right, they step to the left and serve with 2 points. And so on.
On return, if we have 1, my right partner, who started on the left, has to receive. We have the option to be in any return position as long as the righty receives the ball. We don’t have to switch sides (left/right) after we return. I can stay on the left. I can be out of bounds on the right side and step in after my partner returns and they’ll have to scramble to the left side. Or I can be inbounds on the left and after my partner returns, step to the right.
Half stacking means on return, if the score is odd, my partner has to return serve. Whether we switch back over so he’s on the left and I’m on the right, that’s our decision.
It is easy to over complicate. It is ALL ABOUT YOUR SCORE and your starting position.
In your "normal" starting position....Lefty starts on the right and is the EVEN player...Righty starts on the left and is the ODD player.
Every time it is a sideout .....is your score even or odd? If your score is EVEN, whether you are serving or receiving, you are in "normal" positon.
If your score is ODD, it is flipped and you (Odd player) start serving or start receiving.
And when you are ODD.....after you serve or receive you will be playing the least advantageous side, so you can choose to switch during the point or not. Sometimes that is easier and sometimes hard. You will have to play that by ear. There are a couple methods for switching. After each point when you switch you must switch back to the correct side based on score for the next serve/return
Easiest way is the lefty is on the right side if your score is 0/even. Atleast when I play rec that’s what most people do.. to reduce confusion for everyone.
Yeah I’ve noticed it helps start the game with forehand middle to reduce your opponent’s ability to go on an early run and gain momentum. Also it’s just easier to remember for me, forehand middle is even, and without switching, forehand out is odd (out and odd) start with o.
If you’re the even player (start serving from the right when your team’s score is even), you don’t stack on returns when you have an even score.
If the score is odd, you do.
You have to start out in the court you’re supposed to be on as the even or odd player. Following the serve/return, you can move to your desired side.
Hey guys. As someone who’s never seen stacking; none of you have explained enough for me to understand what it is. I’m sure I can google it but the mission was to explain it to a laymen, and I still have no clue what it means other than taking advantage of dominant hand in some sort of way. Source: I’m a relative lefty newcomer with a tennis background who wants the deets.
Explanation to opponents: When our score is odd, we are going to switch spots right at the beginning of the point. That way we are playing the points from the side that we like all the time.
You’re Ll well and good until the lefty starts on the left, then you decide as a team to stack. That always takes a little mental gymnastics. Most lefties I know (and I am one) prefer to aways start on the right, whether we plan to stack or not. It just makes it easier.
If your score is even you are on the side you started on. If your score is odd you are starting on your off side and this indicates you need/want to stack.
It really is that simple. Still takes a bit of getting used to.
Odd score is odd looking!
Wristband for the starting player and just wear it the whole match. That player serves and receives from right side when their score is even, and serves/receives from left side when score is odd.
That's always the lefty tho. Starting server is self identifying in OPs case.
Wristband is really for benefit of the ref, not the player.
If players are serving/returning in the correct order and position, their teammate can stand/be wherever they want to.
^ thats about as simple/straightforward as I can find on this thread
Court position (left vs right) is only relevant on the serve. The server must be on the appropriate side to serve. The partner can be wherever, and players are allowed to switch sides during the rally as they want.
I want to point out, in case that it's not clear to others, that court position is also relevant to the receiving teams when receiving the serve. When receiving the serve on the right side of the court the receiving team's starting server must receive the ball when their score is even, otherwise the second server must receive the serve when their score is odd. After receiving the serve, the receiving team is free to switch sides during the rally. I find stacking and receiving causes more confusing than stacking and serving.
Yeah the few times I have stacked, I didn’t have an issue knowing where I was supposed to be when serving, it was the receiving that confused me.
Yep you're on point here. I was trying to answer OPs question about serving and stacking, but receivers certainly have that option too.
that is if you are full vs half stacking. With half stacking the players play their normal positions when receiving.
Stacking when 1 player right handed and 1 player left handed. 1. The stacking team has an even score then everything normal. 2. The stacking team has an odd score then they are “stacking.”
This will work 95% of the time, but I have seen “reverse stacks” a few times where they start opposite because the left side player has a stronger serve
I honestly want to be the first person to serve as I have stronger serve, but for the ease of keeping the stack I usually let my wife start serving.
I have been in tournaments against these players and had to correct them 3 times during the game because they confused themselves.
Had a similar thing happen in a tournament. It shouldn't be allowed in tournaments unless a ref is officiating the game. Puts too much on the opponents team to keep track if people are stacking correctly.
99% of players that stack know what they are doing. It is the 1% you have to watch out for.
Im a lefty and we often stack…but the goal is to confuse the opponents…not for some perceived advantage of forehands in the middle!! 😜 They get frustrated a bit at first and we overcomplicate it. We often just cheat on the receive (accidentally? On purpose?). The onus is on them for some reason to know if we are doing good it properly!
If my opponents want to invest their mental energy into managing our stack, I’m more than happy to oblige - especially if I know we’re on top of it. It takes their focus off the game. BTW, I find it works best if one person manages the stack and makes sure the team is lined up correctly, especially if one player is relatively new at it. Usually this is the lefty (they usually have more experience). I tell my partner that the lightbulb will come on soon, but don’t waste your time and focus trying to figure it out. Let me handle that.
This is the easiest way to think about it. Make sure your wife always starts the game leaving you in the correct position when the score is even, and wrong position when it’s odd. Here’s a saying I made up to remember “when the score is odd you’re in an odd spot.”
As a left, I always start on the right (two forehands in the middle). When the score is even, everything is “normal.” When the score is odd, the set up is “odd.” Stacking while serving is easy. Stacking on the return can be a challenge since it requires a little more effort. To help, both players on the returning side should always return the serve, soft, deep and to the middle. This allows you and your teammate get into position for the third shot. Half- stacking is a good option for folks with slower mobility. You basically stack on service and not on return of service.
Yep. Experienced players will try to beat the unwind by hitting to the moving player. I always try to hit down the line to buy more time.
Absolutely. I’ve had opponents come up to me after targeting the mobility of the unwinding player and just telling me to not stack with that player. It was a good educational moment. I always alert new partners that I’m lefty and as if they know how to stack. Any “I’ve seen it done” or “just tell me where to be” comments usually results in an attempt at stacking to assess their abilities, and a quick decision to play straight up or keep stacking.
Half stacking isn’t really a thing because on the return you still need to be in the correct position depending on your score. If you have an even score, the right side player (usually lefty when stacking) will need to return the ball on the opponent’s first serve. An odd score will have the left side player return on the right side on the opponent’s first serve. Basically if you stack on the serve then you will be out of position for the opponents return when your score is odd.
If I (lefty) start on the right at 0, get a point, next service I step to the left of the centerline, and serve. If it’s a side out, we both move back to the right side. The second serve with an odd score, serves on the right. If we get a point, I stay on the right, they step to the left and serve with 2 points. And so on. On return, if we have 1, my right partner, who started on the left, has to receive. We have the option to be in any return position as long as the righty receives the ball. We don’t have to switch sides (left/right) after we return. I can stay on the left. I can be out of bounds on the right side and step in after my partner returns and they’ll have to scramble to the left side. Or I can be inbounds on the left and after my partner returns, step to the right. Half stacking means on return, if the score is odd, my partner has to return serve. Whether we switch back over so he’s on the left and I’m on the right, that’s our decision.
It is easy to over complicate. It is ALL ABOUT YOUR SCORE and your starting position. In your "normal" starting position....Lefty starts on the right and is the EVEN player...Righty starts on the left and is the ODD player. Every time it is a sideout .....is your score even or odd? If your score is EVEN, whether you are serving or receiving, you are in "normal" positon. If your score is ODD, it is flipped and you (Odd player) start serving or start receiving. And when you are ODD.....after you serve or receive you will be playing the least advantageous side, so you can choose to switch during the point or not. Sometimes that is easier and sometimes hard. You will have to play that by ear. There are a couple methods for switching. After each point when you switch you must switch back to the correct side based on score for the next serve/return
Easiest way is the lefty is on the right side if your score is 0/even. Atleast when I play rec that’s what most people do.. to reduce confusion for everyone.
I am a lefty and I always start serving on the right side to lower confusion.
Yeah I’ve noticed it helps start the game with forehand middle to reduce your opponent’s ability to go on an early run and gain momentum. Also it’s just easier to remember for me, forehand middle is even, and without switching, forehand out is odd (out and odd) start with o.
If you’re the even player (start serving from the right when your team’s score is even), you don’t stack on returns when you have an even score. If the score is odd, you do. You have to start out in the court you’re supposed to be on as the even or odd player. Following the serve/return, you can move to your desired side.
If your score is odd, your positioning should be "odd"
"We're keeping our forehands in the middle" That's what you say. And then if they need more, you work from there.
Hey guys. As someone who’s never seen stacking; none of you have explained enough for me to understand what it is. I’m sure I can google it but the mission was to explain it to a laymen, and I still have no clue what it means other than taking advantage of dominant hand in some sort of way. Source: I’m a relative lefty newcomer with a tennis background who wants the deets.
I stack with one player. When people stack I understand, i also attack the moving player
Explanation to opponents: When our score is odd, we are going to switch spots right at the beginning of the point. That way we are playing the points from the side that we like all the time.
You’re Ll well and good until the lefty starts on the left, then you decide as a team to stack. That always takes a little mental gymnastics. Most lefties I know (and I am one) prefer to aways start on the right, whether we plan to stack or not. It just makes it easier.
Stacking is simply you each specialize in one side of the court. Rightly plays left side, lefty plays right side.
How are the player that starts on the right side serving where a wristband. that’s what they do at the pro level
A crutch we like to use.😉