10 Proven Ben Johns Strategies You Can Steal Right Now

The GOAT doesn't need to hit harder or faster than everyone else. He just makes better decisions, executes them more consistently, and never gives his opponents an easy point.

Ben Johns has been the world's number one pickleball player since around 2016, and for good reason. His game isn't flashy or overly aggressive. Instead, it's built on a foundation of strategic simplicity, relentless consistency, and near-flawless execution.

The Pickleball Playbook channel recently broke down 10 core rules that Johns uses in nearly every match, and they're worth studying if you want to elevate your game.

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1. Never Attack Too Early

This is the foundation of Johns' entire approach. Just because you can attack doesn't mean you should. Modern pickleball has become more aggressive, but Johns proves that patience still wins.

He waits for the right setup, the right moment, and the right opportunity before going for a winner. Most amateur players attack every third ball out of habit. Johns attacks when he's earned it.

2. Don't Overplay One Pattern

Predictability is the enemy. If you drive every third ball, your opponents will adjust. If you drop every third ball, same problem. Johns mixes his shots based on the situation.

A deep return? Drive it to set up an easier drop. A short return? Drop it to buy time. He also reads his opponents during warm-ups, using fake speed-ups to see where they load, then exploiting that weakness during the match.

3. Stay Connected to Your Partner and the Ball

Think of an invisible string connecting you, your partner, and the ball. Wherever the ball goes, you follow. This simple mental image transforms court positioning.

Your goal is to keep your chest aligned with the ball's location while your partner covers the middle. Johns makes this look effortless because he's drilled it thousands of times. When you follow the ball, you'll cover shots you never thought were possible.

4. Take Away Your Opponent's Weapons

At amateur levels, most players have a weaker backhand. Target it relentlessly. But Johns goes deeper. He studies opponents during warm-ups to identify their true strengths and weaknesses, then forces them to play away from what they do best.

He'll even stand on his opponent's side of the court to make them feel like they have more space than they actually do, then punish the pop-ups that result.

5. Own the Middle

The middle of the court is the most valuable real estate in pickleball. The net is lowest there, and it's the easiest place to hit. Johns spends far more time in the middle than most players, and he doesn't care about the center line. It's imaginary. If the ball is coming to the middle, he takes it, regardless of whose "side" it technically is.

6. Never Miss an Opportunity to Attack

When the ball is high, Johns swings. But here's the key: he only gets high balls because he's set them up through movement and strategy. He uses bait balls, slightly popping the ball up to make opponents feel like they should attack, then he's ready for the counterattack. He's never just hitting dead dinks. Every shot has a purpose.

7. Run Plays

Plays give you predictable outcomes. If you hit the shot here, your opponent typically hits it there, and you're ready for the putaway. Johns drills constantly, at least five days a week for multiple hours. That's his full-time job, but even a few hours of drilling per week will transform your game. Plays, or patterns, are what separate pros from semi-pros.

8. Recover and Hover

When Johns is on offense, he recovers toward the ball and hovers near the kitchen line, ready to attack. When he's on defense, he backs up to give himself space and time to react. This constant movement between offense and defense keeps him in control. He's never caught flat-footed.

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9. Don't Attack Alone

Your partner needs to know what you're doing. Johns communicates constantly, both on and off the court. When you play with the same partner regularly, you start to recognize the shots they'll attack versus the ones they'll dink. That communication is what separates winning teams from losing ones.

10. Cover Your Opponent's Easiest Shots

Johns uses a simple system with his partner: anything to the left of his partner's left shoulder is his ball. His partner covers their side. This removes guesswork and makes it nearly impossible for opponents to find an open court. By controlling the middle and covering the easiest shots, Johns and his partners leave their opponents with nowhere to go.

The Bigger Picture

What makes these 10 rules so powerful is that they're not complicated. They're not flashy. They're just fundamentally sound pickleball.

Johns doesn't need to hit harder or faster than everyone else. He just makes better decisions, executes them more consistently, and never gives his opponents an easy point.

If you apply even a few of these principles to your game, you'll notice an immediate difference in your results.