Compete · formats · Americano
Padel Americano: the rules and the scoring.
An Americano is a social padel format: you change partner every round, and every point you win counts for you. The player with the most points at the end wins.
How it works
Six rules, one night.
- Everyone plays for themselves. Your partner changes every round.
- Each game is played to a set number of points: 16, 21, 24 or 32.
- Every point you win goes on your total, win or lose.
- You get the partner you've played with least, against the pair you've faced least.
- When there are more players than spots, whoever has played fewest rounds goes on next.
- Most points at the end wins. Level on points: most wins, then the points difference.
The first three rounds, eight players
Nobody plays with the same partner twice. Follow Ana.
| Round | Court 1 | Court 2 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ana & Ben v Cleo & Dan | Eva & Finn v Gia & Hugo |
| 2 | Ana & Cleo v Eva & Gia | Ben & Dan v Finn & Hugo |
| 3 | Ana & Eva v Ben & Finn | Cleo & Gia v Dan & Hugo |
Points, time and rounds
How long an Americano takes.
Points and time
| Points a game | Minutes a round | Rounds in two hours |
|---|---|---|
| 16 | 12 | 10 |
| 21 | 15 | 8 |
| 24 | 15 | 8 |
| 32 | 20 | 6 |
Pick the points by the time you have.
Before everyone has partnered everyone
| Players | Courts | Rounds | At 24 points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 2 | 7 | 1 h 45 |
| 12 | 3 | 11 | 2 h 45 |
| 16 | 4 | 15 | 3 h 45 |
| 20 | 5 | 19 | 4 h 45 |
| 24 | 6 | 23 | 5 h 45 |
| 32 | 8 | 31 | 7 h 45 |
At 24 points, with more than 8 players nobody partners everyone in two hours. That's why the partner you've played with least comes first.
Scoring
Points played, not first to.
Points a game means the points played in total. At 24 points a game ends 13 to 11, or 12 all. Every point you win goes on your own total, so a close loss still counts. A game can end level at 16, 24 or 32 points; at 21 it can't.
Serving
A quarter of the points each.
One way that keeps it even: each player serves a quarter of the points in turn, so 4 each at 16 points, 6 at 24 and 8 at 32. Agree it before the first round.
Team Americano
The same scoring, with a fixed partner.
You keep your partner all night, the opponents rotate, and the pair with the most points wins. On courtdemy, team nights run as Team Battle: Red v Blue, four fixed pairs a team, every Red pair against every Blue pair once.
Americano or Mexicano
Meet everyone, or play the table.
An Americano gives you the partner you've played with least, so you meet the whole room. A Mexicano pairs you by the standings, so the games get closer as the night goes on.
Run one on courtdemy
Your Americano, drawn on the day.
Players join and pay for their spot in the app. The rounds are drawn on the day on the free courts, and the table fills in as the scores come in.
Questions
Americano, answered.
How many players do you need for an Americano?
8 to 32 on courtdemy, four to a court: 8 players need 2 courts, 16 need 4.
How long does an Americano take?
Two hours fits 8 rounds at 24 points, or 10 rounds at 16.
How is an Americano scored?
Each game is played to a total number of points, and every point you win counts for you. Most points at the end wins.
Can an Americano game end in a draw?
Yes, at 16, 24 or 32 points: 8 all, 12 all or 16 all. At 21 points it can't.
What's the difference between Americano and Mexicano?
In an Americano your partner rotates by who you've played with least. In a Mexicano the table decides: after the first round, partners and opponents come from the standings.