Lobs and Reset Chess
A dink-rally chess match where lobs score positional points and resets erase them — training both the timing of the lob and the discipline of the reset.
- LevelIntermediate
- Players2 Players
- Duration20 min
- EquipmentNet
Intermediate players treat the lob like a party trick — an insult to be punished, deployed only in desperation. Advanced players know better: the lob is a positional weapon, and the threat of it disciplines an opposing team that crowds the kitchen line. Lobs and Reset Chess is a two-player game that trains both faces of the shot — the offense of a well-timed lob over a forward-leaning opponent, and the defense of the dreaded overhead reset that follows when your own lob is read. The format is deliberately chess-like: slow, positional, and decided by patient maneuvering rather than a single winner. Both players start a point with a cooperative dink rally crosscourt. At any moment, either player may break the pattern by lobbing over the other's head — but only when they can articulate afterward why the moment was right: opponent leaning forward, weight committed, or a dink pulled them wide. The lobbed player must chase the ball down and, here is the crucial rule, may not counter-attack from the retrieval: their only legal response is a reset, a soft ball dropped into the kitchen that returns both players to neutral dinking. Points are scored not for winning the rally but for successful positional gains — a lob that forces the opponent to run earns a point; a reset that survives the next two dinks erases one. First to five positional points wins the game. Because outright winners score nothing, the game rewards exactly the patient, chess-match discipline that high-level pickleball actually consists of. Players discover the lob's real identity — not a haymaker but a tax on opponents who stand too close to the net with too much weight forward — and the reset's real value, which is the ability to lose a skirmish without losing the war. Twenty minutes of chess beats an hour of bang-ball for building the intermediate brain.
Equipment: You will need a net.
How to run this drill
Start each point with a cooperative crosscourt dink rally from the kitchen lines.
Either player may lob at any moment — but must be able to explain the read afterward: forward lean, committed weight, or a wide pull.
The lobbed player chases the ball and may only respond with a soft reset into the kitchen; counter-attacking from the retrieval is illegal.
A lob that forces a chase scores a point; a reset that survives the next two dinks erases one — first to five positional points wins.
Sets, reps & pass standard
Sets & reps: 3 games to 5 positional points
You're ready to move on when: The game is doing its job when lobs are attempted only on readable moments and at least half of forced resets land safely back in the kitchen.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Lobbing on rhythm instead of on reads — a lob into a balanced, waiting opponent is a free point for them.
- Trying to counter-attack the retrieval — the rule bans it because the percentages genuinely do; resets win these skirmishes.
- Forgetting the lob is a threat even when unused — holding the possibility is what keeps the opponent's weight honest.
Frequently asked questions
What equipment do you need for the Lobs and Reset Chess?
You need a net.
How long does the Lobs and Reset Chess take?
About 20 minutes, typically organized as 3 games to 5 positional points. It is rated Intermediate and works for 2 players.
What does success look like on this drill?
The game is doing its job when lobs are attempted only on readable moments and at least half of forced resets land safely back in the kitchen.