Slice or Roll the Dink: Reach → Slice, Stuck → Roll

Summary

Richard Pickleball’s choice is based on what the opponent shows you at the kitchen.

If they’re reaching, forget pace — slice it down and safe into the kitchen. If they’re shorter or not reaching and want a dead ball, roll with a bit more pace so you push them instead of feeding an easy attack.

Key takeaways

• Reaching opponent → soft slice, prioritize getting it down
• Not reaching / wanting dead → roll with pace
• Read the body first, then pick spin

Action items

• In dink warm-up, call “slice” or “roll” out loud before each ball based on partner’s reach
• Track which choice produces the weaker reply over 20 dinks