What Is An Ernie In Pickleball? A Breakdown Of The Rules & Strategies

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Understanding the Pickleball Ernie

Pickleball is a popular sport that combines elements of badminton and table tennis. It’s played on a small court with wooden paddles and a perforated plastic ball. The game has recently become increasingly popular, but some terms used in pickleball may be unfamiliar to newcomers. One such term is an “Ernie,” which often leaves beginners scratching their heads wondering what it means. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at what exactly an Ernie is in pickleball and how it relates to the game.

What Is An Ernie?

An Ernie is a term used for when one player strikes the ball twice consecutively in order to win the point. This type of shot occurs when the player hits the ball back towards his or her opponent yet manages to hit it again before the other person can return it back over the net—hence why it’s called an “Ernie” (referring to two consecutive strokes). When successfully executed, this move generally results in winning points for your team or yourself as your opponent will likely not have enough time to properly return it back over the net since you’ve already hit it twice by then!

Strategic Value Behind Ernies

The key behind successfully executing an Ernie lies within proper timing and accuracy. You must anticipate where your opponent will strike their paddle so that you can be ready ahead of time—this requires both skillful strategizing and quick reflexes! Furthermore, hitting across two contact points instead of just one increases velocity; thus increasing its power while decreasing its spin potential (which makes returning shots more difficult). Using Ernies strategically can give you quite an advantage against opponents who may not anticipate them coming as quickly!

Conclusion: Utilize Your Skillset For Maximum Effectivity

When playing pickleball competitively, understanding how Ernies work isn’t just important – mastering them could potentially make all the difference between winning or losing matches! By combining both skillful strategizing with quick reflexes/timing into one single move – players can easily gain advantages against opponents who are less seasoned or experienced than themselves! Be sure practice regularly so that you too can utilize this powerful technique during pickup games or tournaments alike – good luck out there everyone!