Doubles strategy
Pickleball Shake and Bake
The shake and bake is the aggressive alternative to the third shot drop, one partner drives to force a pop-up, the other crashes the net for the put-away. High risk, high reward. When executed with timing, it ends rallies fast.
The concept
The Shake
One partner drives the third shot hard at the opposing net player, targeting their body to force an upward pop-up.
The Bake
The other partner crashes the net, poaches the pop-up, and puts it away for a winner.
How to execute the shake and bake
Set it up with the return
The ideal shake and bake happens when the opponent returns short, a mid-court ball you can drive aggressively. A deep return makes the drive harder and gives the net player more time to react.
The driver drives hard at net player
Server (or partner) drives the third shot hard and low, aimed at the non-dominant hip or shoulder of the opposing net player. The goal is to force an upward pop-up, not to win the point outright.
The poacher reads the drive
The driver's partner watches the drive and reads where the opponent will return it. As the drive crosses the net, the poacher crashes forward or moves to the predicted poach spot.
The poacher puts it away
The poaching partner volleys the pop-up for a winner. The put-away should be angled or down the middle, not at the player who just popped it up (they're already in a defensive position).
Communication is critical
The driver must communicate 'going' before driving, and the poacher must commit to the crash. Half-committed shake and bakes result in neither player being in position, the opponent resets and you're both caught mid-court.
When to use (and avoid) it
Short return of serve
Best time, you have a better driving angle and the opponent has less time to react
Opponents struggle with fast balls
Drives create weak pop-ups you can capitalize on
You need to create urgency
Late in a tight game, shake and bake can break a defensive pattern
Deep return of serve
Avoid, longer drive is easier to handle, poacher has more recovery time to deal with
Opponents have fast hands at net
Avoid, they will redirect at your advancing partner
Poor coordination with partner
Avoid, requires practiced timing between driver and poacher
How to defend the shake and bake
Keep the return deep
The deeper your return lands, the further the server must drive from. Long drives are easier to handle and give you more reaction time.
Paddle up and in ready position
If a drive is coming, your paddle needs to be up and in front, absorb it like a block, not a swing.
Redirect at the driver's feet
Aim your block return at the driver's feet, they are running forward into no-man's land. A low ball at their feet forces a difficult pickup.
Lob over the poacher
If the poacher crashes hard, a high defensive lob over their head resets the point. Requires good lob execution but punishes an overly aggressive poacher.
Attack the driver directly
If you can, return the drive back hard and low at the driver who is still transitioning, they are caught moving forward from the baseline.
Frequently asked questions
What is the shake and bake in pickleball?
The shake and bake is a doubles pickleball strategy where the serving team drives the third shot hard at the opposing net player (the shake) instead of dropping it, then the non-driving partner rushes the net to poach and put away the forced pop-up (the bake). Instead of the standard third shot drop approach, one partner attacks aggressively while the other crashes forward to capitalize on a weak return. It is a high-reward, higher-risk alternative to the conservative drop-and-advance approach.
When should you use the shake and bake?
Use the shake and bake when: you and your partner are well-coordinated (the timing must be practiced), the return of serve is short (mid-court) giving you a good driving angle, you want to disrupt opponents who are strong at the soft game, or you need a point quickly (late in a close game). Avoid it against players who are fast at the net and handle drives well, they will simply redirect your drive and attack your advancing partner who is caught in no-man's land.
How do you defend against the shake and bake?
Defend the shake and bake by: keeping your return of serve deep (close to the baseline, making the drive harder and longer), keeping your paddle up and in ready position to absorb the drive, taking the ball early and redirecting it back at the driver's feet (not their partner who is poaching), or lofting a high defensive lob over the poaching partner. The most effective defense is a deep return that forces the drive from further back, the closer to the net the server is when driving, the more dangerous the shake and bake becomes.
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