The Top 5 Deceptive Pickleball Shots to Make Your Opponents Guess Wrong Every Time
Deception is a crucial part of pickleball strategy. Mastering specialized shots that disguise your true intentions allows you to keep opponents guessing and on the defensive. Even highly skilled players can be caught off guard when presented with perfectly executed shots that seem to be setting up one way, before going another direction entirely.
Tanner Tomassi's guide explores the top 5 most deceptive and tricky pickleball shots designed specifically to fool your opponents. Executed well, these unorthodox shots at key moments can flummox even seasoned players. While they take practice to perform precisely, a mastery of just 1 or 2 can give you an edge to emerge victorious in matches.
The 5 shots are specifically selected not only for their sheer deceptiveness, but also for being achievable for intermediate level players. You won’t find unrealistic trick shots requiring professional skill. Instead, these plays leverage clever body fakes, unique footwork, selling the wrong shot setup, and precise paddle work to trick opponents. Add even one regularly to your games and watch opponents struggle to ever feel fully comfortable guessing where your next shot will end up!
1. The Kyle Yates Shot (0:12)
The Kyle Yates shot is used when you are in a long cross-court dinking rally with your opponent. After several back-and-forth dinks, your opponent will not be expecting you to change up the pattern. This is when you hit the ball down the line instead, catching them completely off guard.
The keys to properly executing this shot:
- Keep your body language and form looking relaxed, just like your normal backhand dink setup. If you get jumpy or tighten up, it will tip off your opponent that you’re about to change things up.
- It's simply a forehand swing on the opposite side of your body instead of your usual forehand side.
- Get comfortable with the movement of dropping your arm down. It might feel unnatural on your wrist at first, so practice helps.
- Disguise the shot by keeping your shoulder direction and body weight focused towards where your opponent expects the next dink to go - cross-court. Swing down the line while turned.
The beauty of this shot is that depending on where your opponents are positioned, you can direct it down the line or into open space towards the middle of the court. Save it for key moments late in a game to catch them completely off guard.
2. The “Cupped Wrist” Shot (1:49)
The cupped wrist shot also works well when dinking cross-court. Curl your wrist back like you’re about to hit the expected cross-court dink. At the last second, release your wrist and hit the ball down the line instead.
Tips for proper form:
- Sell the fake out with your body weight and shoulders turned towards the expected cross-court direction.
- On the backhand side, think of the motion like you’re rowing at the gym - initiate the swing by pulling with your elbow, lats and shoulder muscles rather than just the wrist.
- On the forehand, it’s all in the wrist - use a swiping motion to whip the ball down the line.
Practice exaggerating the shoulder movements that sell the fake out. This builds the necessary muscle memory so you can disguise the down the line shots from your usual dinks.
3. The Middle Dink Ball Fake Out (3:17)
A dink into the center of the court can be a dangerous setup for your opponents. From there, you have lots of options - speed the ball up down the middle or cross-court, continue dinking, try to hit a winner, etc.
The key is to use the prior points in the match to set up a surprise change of direction on that middle dink:
- Earlier in the match, just innocently return those middle dinks with a simple flip back over the net.
- Later when you get a middle dink, hold your swing to pause briefly.
- Then unload the ball down the line when your opponent has committed their weight towards the middle, expecting the same return.
- Disguise the down the line by keeping your swing and body language still focused in the middle, just like your previous returns.
The extra split second your opponent spends guessing which way you’ll go increases their chances of guessing wrong.
4. The Run-Around Forehand (5:19)
When exchanging backhand dinks cross-court, have your opponent hit one slightly towards your forehand side. Most would just block it back with a backhand. Instead, run around it and crush an inside-out forehand, if you can.
This is so effective because your movement around the ball will have your opponent guessing where you'll place the next shot - down the line, cross-court, middle, or even right at them.
Of course, you can also simply run around balls just to continue dinking instead of going for winners. But varying running around the ball to speed up or dink keeps opponents off balance. They won't know what to expect next.
Set up the run-around strategy by showing your willingness to run balls down earlier in the match. Now when you sprint around a ball later on, your opponent won't automatically know you’re going to speed things up - you might have run all that way just to dink! This extra split-second of uncertainty gives you the edge to catch them wrong-footed.
5. The Backhand Fade Away (7:39)
The fading backhand down the line requires first developing a strong enough two-handed backhand dink. This allows you to frequently switch between one and two-handed shots without signaling an obvious change in strategy to your opponent.
Once you’ve set up your two-hand ability:
- After several one-handed backhand exchanges, switch to the two-hand grip on the next ball.
- Sell a possible backhand speed up down the middle with your body fake - shoulders and weight turned in that direction.
- At the last second, flick your wrists and fade your body away as you drive the ball down the line instead.
This fading body movement is why this shot is so deceptive. Your opponent will already be leaning the wrong way from your strong body fake. Fading away makes it even harder for them to get a read on the ball direction.
Mastering just a couple of these shots can give you an instant edge on opponents. Mixing all five into your repertoire makes you an incredibly formidable and frustrating opponent to face! Use them wisely and have fun keeping your opponents guessing wrong all match long.
Timestamps 0:00 Intro 0:12 The Kyle Yates 1:49 The "Cupped Wrist" 3:17 The Middle Dink Ball 5:19 The Run-a-round Forehand 7:39 The Backhand Fadeaway
Deceptive Pickleball Shots Multiple Choice Quiz
1. What shot involves hitting a down the line shot unexpectedly during a long cross-court dinking rally?
a) The Kyle Yates
b) The Cupped Wrist
c) The Middle Dink Ball
d) The Run-Around Forehand
2. What key form tip is given for properly hitting the Kyle Yates shot?
a) Use an elbow pulling motion like rowing at the gym
b) Whip the wrist to swipe the ball down the line
c) Keep your body language relaxed as if hitting a normal dink
d) Fade away from the shot after contact
3. When hitting the Cupped Wrist shot, you should sell the fake out primarily using which body part?
a) Your legs
b) Your shoulders
c) Your head
d) Your wrist
4. What strategy is suggested to set up the Middle Dink Ball fake out during a match?
a) Lob middle dinks high over the opponent's head
b) Hit middle dinks down the line occasionally
c) Flip middle dinks back over the net innocently earlier in the match
d) Never return middle dinks with simple flips
5. When hitting a run-around forehand, it's recommended to:
a) Call "mine" loudly so your partner knows you have the ball
b) Always go for a hard down the line winner
c) Use it sparingly, just 1-2 times per match
d) Run around balls even just to continue dinking
6. What prerequisite skill should you have before attempting the Backhand Fade Away shot?
a) Mastering the between the legs "tweener" shot
b) Being able to dink consistently with two hands
c) Being able to sprint from corner to corner quickly
d) Hitting a reliable one-handed backhand groundstroke
7. When hitting the Kyle Yates shot, you should:
a) Use an elbow pulling motion like rowing at the gym
b) Release the wrist smoothly like hitting a normal forehand
c) Transfer your weight to the front foot
d) Keep your shoulders and body weight focused cross-court
8. To perform the Cupped Wrist shot using proper form:
a) Drop into a split step as you make contact with the ball
b) Whip the wrist sharply to swipe the ball down the line
c) Keep your grip very loose, like holding an egg
d) Use your legs and core to generate power
9. What strategy does the Middle Dink Ball fake out shot use during a match to trick your opponent?
a) Lobbing middle dinks high so they have to back up
b) Line driving middle dinks at your opponent's feet
c) Hitting occasional down the line winners off middle dinks
d) Returning middle dinks straight back, then changing it up later
10. When should you use your run-around forehand shot during a match?
a) Only when you are very close to the kitchen line
b) As often as possible to confuse your opponents
c) After intentionally hitting balls shallow to your forehand
d) Only on key points when you urgently need to win
11. What technique will best help disguise your backhand down the line on the Fade Away shot?
a) Sweeping your arm in a windshield wiping motion
b) Turning your shoulders cross-court before contact
c) Taking a big crossover step
d) Driving forward with your legs
12. What similarity should the Kyle Yates shot setup have with your normal dinking rally?
a) Keeping your hips and feet aligned to the net
b) Having more bend in your elbow on contact
c) Maintaining the same relaxed body language
d) Holding your off hand high up on the paddle grip
13. When hitting the Cupped Wrist shot, you should execute which motion to initiate the down the line?
a) Windshield wiping with your arm
b) Rowing like at the gym with your lat and shoulder
c) Rolling over your wrist and swiping quickly
d) Dropping your arm lower and sweeping high to low
14. When hitting a fading backhand down the line, you should:
a) Take a large stride into the shot and drive forward
b) Use your wrist as the primary power generator
c) Keep your shoulders aimed down the line at contact
d) Execute a strong body fake towards the opposite direction
15. What strategy can help sell your body fake on the Middle Dink Ball shot?
a) Pausing longer before making contact with the ball
b) Taking a big back-swing and following through overhead
c) Positioning your paddle out in front of your body
d) Turning your belly button towards the decoy direction
Answer Key:
- A
- C
- B
- C
- D
- B
- D
- B
- D
- B
- B
- C
- C
- D
- A
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