What Is a Bert Shot in Pickleball?

A Bert is an advanced doubles shot where the non-Erne player — the partner whose side the ball is NOT traveling toward — crosses in front of their partner to execute an Erne-style volley from the opposite side of the court. It is the Erne performed by the “wrong” partner, and it requires quick communication, coordination, and precise timing between doubles partners.

Bert vs. Erne: What's the Difference?

The Erne and the Bert are closely related but performed by different players. In the Erne, the player on the side the ball is coming to positions beside the net post and volleys wide. In the Bert, the OTHER partner crosses the entire court in front of their partner to hit that same wide volley from the opposite side. Think of it as a cross-court Erne.

Shot	Who hits it	Required movement
Erne	Player on the side the ball is traveling toward	Slide or jump to the near post
Bert	Player on the OPPOSITE side from where the ball is traveling	Cross in front of partner to the far post

How the Bert Works

During a dinking exchange, the ball is being played cross-court toward one player’s side. Instead of that player hitting an Erne, their partner — who is on the other side of the court — reads the pattern early, calls the shot, and runs around the outside of the kitchen to reach the wide volley position on the opposite side.

Communication first: The player executing the Bert must call it — say “Bert” or “I got it” clearly so their partner knows to step back and give them room.
Read the pattern early: The Bert requires anticipating the cross-court dink before it's hit. You need to start moving before the ball crosses the net.
Run around the kitchen: The player crosses in front of their partner and runs around the end of the NVZ to reach the wide position beside the opposite post.
Volley from outside the NVZ: Same rules as the Erne — feet must be outside the kitchen. Land outside the court boundary after contact.
Partner adjusts: The player whose side was just vacated needs to slide toward center to cover the court.

Is the Bert Legal?

Yes — the Bert is completely legal by the same rules that govern the Erne. The player must not step in or touch the NVZ before, during, or after the volley. Feet must be established outside the kitchen (landing on or past the sideline, outside the court) when contact is made. The ball must land in the opponent's court.

Note

The Bert is one of the highest-risk, highest-reward plays in doubles pickleball. It leaves your side of the court temporarily uncovered, so it must be executed with clear communication and good timing. Used incorrectly, a Bert attempt gives your opponents an open court to exploit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is it called a Bert?

The shot takes its name from the Sesame Street character Bert — the companion to Ernie (Erne). Since the Bert is the partner shot to the Erne, naming it after Bert was the natural choice in the pickleball community.

Is the Bert used at the professional level?

Yes — the Bert appears in professional doubles matches, though it’s less common than the Erne because of the coordination required and the court coverage risk it creates. At the pro level, partners have practiced together enough to execute it reliably in specific situations.

How do you defend against a Bert?

The same way you defend against an Erne — vary your dinks. Don’t only dink cross-court in a predictable pattern. A straight-ahead dink down the line is the most effective counter: the Bert player has vacated their side of the court to go for the wide position, leaving it wide open for a well-placed line dink.

Questions about pickleball shots and techniques? Email [email protected].