INTRODUCTION
Tyson McGuffin, a prominent figure in the pickleball community, has championed the idea of “gamification” in practice sessions. Incorporating game-like scenarios into drills makes practice not only more engaging but also more effective. This post is modifying a common game to turn it more into a drill – cutthroat doubles.
CUTTHROAT PICKLEBALL
It is often hard to find drills that involve three players. More often than not, the “drills” are practice games, such as “Cutthroat Pickleball.” Cutthroat Pickleball is played as follows: one player is on one side of the net, and two players are on the other. The game begins with the single player serving to one of the two players on the opposite side. The players receiving serve must return to the side of the court where the single player is.
The origin of the term “Cutthroat Pickleball” is unclear. While some sources equate it to terms like “Australian Doubles” from tennis, which refers to player positioning, or “Canadian Doubles,” the exact reason behind the name remains a mystery. Even when someone tries to define it, they make a mistake. For example, a search online led to a misidentified image of Padel Tennis, showing a $479 Padel paddle rather than pickleball equipment.
Anyway, scoring in Cutthroat Pickleball is the same as it is in “regular” pickleball, with the server moving from side to side depending on his or her score. Only the server can win points, however, and if the server loses a point, the players rotate, with the server moving to the two-player side, and one of the players on the two-player side becoming the server.
One advantage of Cutthroat Pickleball is that you have a different partner every few points (unless one player is trouncing you). This way, you have to adapt to the style of different players, thereby increasing your awareness of, for example, court positioning.
Another advantage of Cutthroat Pickleball is that you can focus on shots that you would use in doubles, so, for example, if you prefer third shot drops, then you can concentrate on that shot without worrying about what your partner prefers. It is, after all, a drill.
Finally, the game forces you to hit to a particular part of the court, thereby honing your shot placement.
The disadvantage of Cutthroat Pickleball is that there is a lot of movement from one side of the court to the other, thereby interfering with the flow of the game.
AN IMPROVED VERSION
Why Not Call My Post “Cutthroat Doubles”?
The reason I didn’t title this post “Cutthroat Doubles” is simple: everyone knows what that is, and they might have skipped reading it. Instead, I was going to call the post “Killer Doubles” to draw attention, with “killer” being a synonym for “cutthroat,” but I passed on that title.
Anyway, what I’m proposing are a couple of modified versions of Cutthroat Doubles that move along more quickly and incorporate strategic elements. In both versions of this game, rally scoring is used, with the game played to 11 points—win by one. Unlike traditional Cutthroat Doubles, where the server changes after losing a point, in this variation, the server continues to serve until the game ends. Only then do the players rotate.
Positioning and Serving
In this Killer Doubles, the server’s position isn’t tied to the score. Instead, the server alternates sides after each point. For example, the server starts on the right side at 0-0, moves to the left at 0-1, returns to the right at 1-1, and so on.
Let me make this simpler. Assume the score is 8-7 in favor of the server. In traditional cutthroat doubles, the server would be on the right (even) side of the court. But, in these versions, the server would be on the left (odd) side of the court because 15 points have been played.
Version One: The Third Shot Drop
In the first version, the server must execute a third shot drop after the opponents return the serve. The game then proceeds as usual, with the added requirement that the two-player side must return the ball to the server’s side of the court, while the server has the entire court to work with.
This version emphasizes the serve, the return of serve, the third shot drop, and strategic play. Naturally, there will be moments when someone might question, “Is that really a third shot drop?” In such cases, you have a few options: play it out, replay the point, or penalize the server. Remember, this is a drill, and the focus should be on practice rather than winning.
Version Two: The Third Shot Drive
In the second version, the server is allowed to hit a third shot drive instead of a drop, but can also hit a third shot drop, or any other type of shot, such as a lob, that he wants to. The key is that this version of the game is less predictable than Version One.
After the third shot, the point is then played out as usual. This version allows the server to explore different strategies, helping them identify their best options and areas for improvement. If the server discovers that a third shot drive followed by a fifth shot drop, then he or she can use that type of play in the future. If, on the other hand, the server discovers that the third shot drive is not effective, he or she can work on improving that shot, or decide to mix it up.
Summary
This modified version of two-on-one pickleball is both fun and potentially exhausting. It serves as a fast-paced drill that I believe is more effective than traditional Cutthroat Doubles.