intermediate · ~5 min read
The soft game — chiquita, lob & changing rhythm
Win with placement, not power — the chiquita, the tactical lob, and changing rhythm to unsettle opponents.
Last reviewed June 2026
In one minute
At club level, the player who controls the ball softly usually wins. The chiquita, the tactical lob, and a deliberate change of rhythm break up opponents who are set and waiting. Power comes back off the glass; softness forces errors.
Golden rule: against a pair camped at the net, slow the ball down at their feet. They have to generate all the pace — and most club players can't.
The chiquita
The chiquita is a slow, low shot aimed at the net pair's feet — usually played from mid-court or the back, sometimes off a block. Minimal pace, flat trajectory: it dies low and forces a weak, lifted reply you can then attack. Coaches often call it one of the most underrated shots at club level.
- Play it off a volley or after a bounce — cut/slice, minimal pace.
- Aim low and short, just over the net, into the corner or at the weaker volleyer's feet.
- The goal isn't to win the point — it's to get a ball you can attack next.
| When to chiquita | When NOT to |
|---|---|
| Opponents set at the net, waiting to volley | You're off-balance or stretched |
| They're hitting hard and you want to break their timing | Lob is the better reset |
| You want to force a lifted (attackable) reply | Opponent reads slow balls well and attacks them |
The tactical lob
A good lob is a weapon, not a panic shot. Two types:
- Defensive lob — deep, high, buys time to regain position. Default when in trouble.
- Attacking lob — flat and deep over a net player who's crept too close. Wins points outright or forces a weak bandeja.
Depth beats height. A lob that lands near the back wall is hard to bandeja; a high-but-short lob gets killed. Aim for depth.
Changing rhythm
The advanced intermediate skill is not playing at one speed. Mix:
- A hard volley → followed by a chiquita.
- A rally at pace → suddenly a slow, deep lob.
- Acceleration → deceleration → acceleration.
Pairs that read one tempo all match fall apart the moment you change it. Pairs that can't adjust to slow balls give you free points.
Why placement beats power
| Power | Placement |
|---|---|
| Comes back off the glass, faster | Forces movement and errors |
| Needs you to be set and balanced | Works even off balance |
| Rewards the opponent's volley | Punishes poor positioning |
The Irish indoor courts (fast, true bounce) reward controlled aggression — not raw hitting.
Try this next time
- Chiquita drill — 10 balls at the net, play chiquita every time. Watch the replies lift.
- Depth lob — 10 lobs, aim only for the back 2 m. Count how many land deep.
- Rhythm game — in a rally, deliberately play one slow ball for every three fast ones.
Watch this
The chiquita done well — from a channel we curate.
What's next
Read the match around your soft game: Reading the game. And keep the lob in context — see Improver: lob & net.