Pickleball Strategy - A Guide to 3.5 and Beyond book cover

Pickleball35 Book

Pickleball Strategy – A Guide to 3.5 and Beyond

A comprehensive 300+ page pickleball strategy book and reference for competitive and aspiring 3.5+ players.

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A pickleball strategy book for smarter decision-making

Pickleball35 was created to help aspiring players reach and exceed the 3.5 level by playing more strategically.

Pickleball is a game that rewards smart decisions as much as athletic ability. Many recreational players feel stuck, often losing to opponents they believe they should beat or struggling against fast, aggressive play.

This pickleball strategy book focuses on positioning, shot selection, rally development, and decision-making during real doubles play rather than detailed stroke mechanics.

If you're looking to win more points through better choices, smarter positioning, and a clearer understanding of how rallies develop, this book was written for you.

Inside the Book

  • 100+ strategy and mindset topics illustrated with court diagrams
  • Serve, return, third shot, transition zone, dinking, and mental game
  • Beginner primer and essential pickleball fundamentals
  • Clear explanations focused on positioning and decision-making
  • Practical guidance for players working toward 3.5+

A Reference You'll Return To

Unlike books meant to be read once and set aside, Pickleball Strategy – A Guide to 3.5 and Beyond is organized so each section can stand on its own.

Whether you're learning the fundamentals or refining advanced strategy, the book is designed to be revisited as your understanding of the game grows.

Revisit specific situations before and after you play, using the book as a practical reference whenever you need it.

Explore the Complete Table of Contents

With more than 100 strategy scenarios and articles organized into progressive learning modules, this book is designed to serve as both a learning guide and a long-term reference.

300+ pages 100+ strategy topics Illustrated scenarios

Contents

  • Introduction
  • Pickleball Skill Levels – Why They Matter
  • The 3.5+ Player Mindset
  • 3.5 Level – How to Know If You're There
  • Transition to Strategy: From Mindset to Execution
  • The Serve Basics (2.0–3.0 Level)
    • Pickleball Serve Overview
    • Serve Consistency
    • Good Outcome of a Deep Serve
    • Common Serve Mistakes to Avoid
    • Serve Options – Volley and Drop
    • Pickleball Serve Legality
    • Serving Under Pressure
    • Serve Offensive Positioning
    • Serve Defensive Positioning
  • Advanced Serve Strategy (3.5+ Level)
    • Pickleball Stacking
    • Serve Stacking
      • Setup with Mixed-Handed Offensive Players
      • Stacking Movement on the Serve
    • Defensive Stacking
      • Mixed-Handed Defenders Without Stacking
      • Stacking Movement on the Return
    • Advanced Serves – Targeting and Spin
      • Targeting the Backhand on Your Serve
      • Adding Spin to Your Serve
      • The Lob Serve: Keep Them Guessing
  • Serve Return Basics (2.0–3.0 Level)
    • Pickleball Serve Return
    • Return of Serve – Pre-Shot Thoughts
    • Focus on Your Early Advantage
    • Serve Return Control
    • Serve Return – Advance to the Kitchen
    • Serve Return Freeze – Don't Do This
    • Serve Return – Handling Spin Serves
    • Mastering the Serve Return – Consistency First
  • Advanced Serve Return (3.5+ Level)
    • Serve Return – Targeting
      • Targeting Two Right-Handed Opponents
      • Targeting Mix-Handed Opponents
      • Targeting Two Forehands in the Middle
      • Targeting Against a Team That is Stacking
    • Serve Return – Using Spin
    • Pickleball Spin Physics
      • Top Spin Physics
      • Back Spin Physics
  • The Third Shot Basics (2.0–3.0 Level)
    • Third Shot Options
      • Third Shot Drop
      • Third Shot Drive or Drip Shot
      • Lob Shot
    • Third Shot Progression
    • Third Shot Communication
    • Third Shot – Stepping In With Your Forehand
    • The Third Shot Drive
    • The Third Shot Drop
    • The Third Shot Drop – Don't Give Up
    • The Lob Shot
    • The Overhead Smash – Close the Deal
    • The Angle Smash Shot
    • The Lob Switch
  • Advanced Third Shot Strategy (3.5+ Level)
    • Poaching in Pickleball
      • Poaching the Third Shot
      • Poach Switching
      • Poach Mistake
    • Poaching Personalities
    • The Shake and Bake
    • The Drive and Reset
    • Pinching the Middle
    • Blocking a Drive
    • Third Shot Drop – Targeting
      • Target the Backhand Foot
      • Target the Player in Front of Your Partner
      • When Both Forehands are in the Middle
      • No Forehand in the Middle
    • Third Shot Drop – Advancing to the Kitchen
      • Mistake: Third Shot Drop Rushing In
    • The 5th and 7th Shot Drop
    • Moving in the Transition Zone
    • Third Shot Drop – Move Forward Together
    • Third Shot Drop – Put Away
    • Drop Shot Mistake – Drawing Your Opponent In
    • Drop Shot Defense
      • Volley Back the Third Shot Attempt
      • Dink Back the Third Shot Drop Attempt
      • Drop Shot Defense Mistake – Backing Up
      • Volley Decisions
    • The Reset Shot – Your Defensive Lifeline
  • Dinking Basics (2.0–3.0 Level)
    • Dinking Overview
    • Footwork and Tethering
    • The Cross-Court Dink – Your Best Option
    • Attacking a Bad Dink
    • 3 Common Dinking Mistakes
      • Lack of Patience
      • Broken Tether
      • Caught in the Kitchen
  • Advanced Dinking Strategy (3.5+ Level)
    • Volley Dink
    • The Dink Fake – End the Dink Rally
      • Put Away Shot
      • Dink Fake
    • Dink Fake Lob
    • The ATP (Around the Post)
    • The Erne
  • Bonus Content: Additional 3.5+ Player Mindset Articles
    • Seeing the Court as a 3.5+ Player
    • The Journey Through the Transition
    • Patience in Pickleball
    • The Power of Resilience in Pickleball
    • The Power Player Challenge
    • From Tennis to Pickleball
    • How the Rules Shape Pickleball Strategy
    • Partner Etiquette
    • Opponent Etiquette
    • Playing Up, Playing Down
  • Pickleball Primer
    • Brief History of Pickleball
    • Pickleball Rules
    • Paddle Grips – The Basics
    • Footwork – The Split Step
    • Game-Ready Routine
    • Skinny Singles – How to Play and Why
    • Pickleball Skill Levels Defined
    • Understanding the DUPR Rating System
    • Common Pickleball Terms
  • Conclusion – Celebrating Your 3.5 Milestone

Reviewed by The Kitchen (thekitchenpickle.com)

“The Kitchen Team has reviewed the book and it gets our stamp of approval as a clear and comprehensive guide that covers all aspects of the game. While designed for players with some experience, it offers value to players at all levels.”

– The Kitchen Team

Preview the Strategy Library

Browse more than 100 pickleball strategy scenario previews covering serve, return, third shot, transition zone, dinking, and mental game. Most previews feature strategy diagrams and connect back to the complete strategy found in the book and app.

Explore the Strategy Library →

Prefer Interactive Learning?

The Pickleball Strategy app is based on the same strategy framework and lets players work through animated scenarios in a structured, interactive format.

View the App →

Get the complete strategy reference

Pickleball Strategy – A Guide to 3.5 and Beyond is available on Amazon.

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