How to Beat Pickleball Players Who Stand Behind the Kitchen Line

When Your Opponent Plays Two Feet Behind the NVZ: Tactical Adjustments
In competitive pickleball, the difference between winning and losing often comes down to minor positional adjustments and shot selection. One common strategy among experienced players—especially those at intermediate and advanced levels—is to position themselves two feet behind the Non-Volley Zone (NVZ), or “kitchen” line. This tactic allows for greater flexibility in handling both dinks and drives.

However, when opponents adopt this specific stance, it opens up opportunities—if you know how to exploit them.
Understanding the Two-Foot Gap
To begin, it's important to understand why players choose to stand two feet behind the NVZ. By retreating slightly, they gain:

More reaction time against fast volleys and aggressive topspin shots.

Protection from being caught in the kitchen during fast exchanges, especially if they accidentally step forward.

Better balance and footwork for defending against balls with heavy spin or pace.

However, this position is not without vulnerabilities. They are no longer commanding the net—which is critical in pickleball—and any hesitation or misstep can open them up to precise tactical pressure.

1. Target Their Feet Relentlessly
One of the simplest but most effective tactics is to aim your shots at their feet. When a player is standing two feet behind the NVZ, they are in a sort of no-man’s-land—not quite at the net, not quite at midcourt. This makes them especially vulnerable to low, skidding balls that arrive around their shoes.

From this position:

They must decide whether to volley (awkward at foot level) or let the ball bounce.

Both choices are difficult. A volley at the feet is hard to control; letting it bounce means they need to hit a half-volley, which is risky.

Their timing is often compromised.

Delivering shots directly at the feet, particularly with a bit of topspin, can force errors or weak returns—both of which set you up for a putaway.

2. Use Sharp-Angled Dinks
Crosscourt dinks, especially those that hug the net and land wide, are a devastating weapon against opponents who are standing a bit too far off the line. These dinks:

Force the opponent to move diagonally and forward, creating discomfort.

Often pull them out of position, opening up the middle or the opposite sideline.

Reduce their ability to recover quickly, especially if the ball spins off their paddle.

You don’t need to hit a winner here. Instead, think of angled dinks as a setup—something that draws them out, forcing a poor return or giving you space to attack next.

3. Drive Deep Into Their Body or Backhand
When you’re playing against someone positioned behind the NVZ, the temptation is to go for highlight-reel winners. Resist it. Instead, focus on controlled, deep drives that:

Land in the transition zone between the baseline and the kitchen.

Are aimed at their backhand side (often weaker).

Or go directly at their chest or dominant shoulder—a tough zone for paddle maneuverability.

What you’re doing here is pushing them further back while rushing their decision-making. If you can follow it up by approaching the net, you’ll gain the upper hand by establishing yourself at the most dominant part of the court.

4. Employ Effective Drop Shots
Drop shots can be a nightmare for an opponent hanging back behind the NVZ. Why?

They must cover ground quickly to reach the ball.

They're forced to hit upward, often giving you a high return to attack.

Their momentum often carries them into the kitchen, requiring extra effort to reset.

To be effective, your drop shots should:

Clear the net by just a few inches.

Land in the front third of the kitchen.

Be disguised until the last moment, keeping your opponent guessing.

This tactic works especially well when alternating with drives and deep dinks—keeping the opponent in a constant state of motion and confusion.

5. Disrupt Rhythm With Variety
Even the best-positioned player will crumble under sustained variation. Don’t let your opponent settle into a predictable rhythm. Instead:

Vary the spin on your shots (use slice, topspin, and flat).

Change speeds, mixing in soft shots and harder ones.

Switch between crosscourt and down-the-line patterns.

Use lob serves or topspin lobs to push them even deeper.

The objective is to make them constantly adjust their footwork, paddle position, and mindset. Players behind the NVZ often rely on consistency. Take that away, and they lose their comfort zone.

6. Watch for Positional Mistakes
Standing two feet off the kitchen line is not a bad idea by itself—but only if the player is fast, balanced, and prepared. Many players:

Don’t recover to the line quickly after being pulled forward.

Stay too far back on dinks, giving up the advantage.

Fail to anticipate a drop shot or short angle.

Pay close attention to:

When they’re slow to recover after a wide dink.

If they lean back on returns—attack them then.

Whether they drift deeper as rallies go on.

Look for patterns and exploit them repeatedly.

7. Communicate with Your Partner
In doubles, all of this becomes more potent when you and your partner are on the same page. Discuss:

Who takes center balls when the opponent is pulled wide.

When to poach if they’re retreating or stepping back.

How to rotate if you expose one side of the court during angled dinks.

Playing against a team that hangs back is easier when both you and your partner are strategically synchronized.

8. Psychological Pressure Pays Off
Players who deliberately stand off the line often do so out of habit or discomfort. They may have been burned by NVZ violations or net kills in the past. That means they’re already playing defensively—your goal should be to keep them there.

Every time you:

Force them to run forward for a drop shot,

Make them lunge for a low ball at their feet,

Or drive them further off the line,

You reinforce their hesitance. Over time, they may start making riskier plays just to regain balance. That’s when errors creep in—and that’s when you capitalize.

Final Thoughts
When your opponent positions themselves two feet behind the NVZ, they’re giving up valuable court space—sometimes unknowingly. As a smart, tactical player, this is your invitation to take control of the rally.

By targeting their feet, using sharp-angled dinks, dropping balls just over the net, and varying your shot selection, you can keep them off balance and on the defensive. Over time, these small, well-planned actions will yield big rewards—whether that’s in winning points, drawing errors, or dominating the net.

In pickleball, every inch matters, and understanding how to exploit even a two-foot gap can be the difference between holding the advantage and giving it away.