Americano, Mexicano and King of the Court: padel formats explained

Padel is a doubles sport, four players to a court, which is why so much of club life happens in group formats rather than in fixed pairs. If you have looked at the events calendar and wondered what separates an Americano from a Mexicano, or what happens at King of the Court, this guide explains each one: how the rotation works, how points are counted and which kind of player it suits.

Pad Thai Padel runs these formats every week in Bangkok and Bali. A typical session costs between 500 and 700 baht per player, takes 8 to 12 players and lasts 90 to 120 minutes. You do not need a partner. You sign up on your own, and the format takes care of who you play with.

The Americano is the most common social format in padel, and by a wide margin the most common event in The Padel Society network. The idea is simple. Every round you get a new partner and new opponents, and each match is played to a fixed number of points rather than to a set, so every round takes roughly the same time.

• Rotation: partners change every round, following a schedule that tries to pair you with each player once.
• Scoring: each match is played to a fixed total, for example 16, 21 or 24 points. The serve usually switches every four points so both sides serve equally.
• Result: you keep the points you and your partner won in every round. The player with the highest personal total at the end wins.

Because you score as an individual but play as a pair, the Americano rewards consistency and good communication with whoever you are partnered with. It suits anyone who wants to meet people and play a lot of padel in one evening, and it is the format most new members try first.

A Mexicano starts like an Americano but changes how the rounds are built. After the first round, the next pairings are drawn from the current standings rather than from a fixed rota. The players at the top of the table play each other, the players at the bottom play each other, and partners are typically chosen so that each match balances out, for example first and fourth against second and third.

Scoring is the same points-per-round system, and you still finish with an individual total. What changes is the feel of the evening. Matches get tighter as the session goes on, because you keep meeting players with similar results. The Mexicano suits groups with a spread of levels, and players who enjoy a competitive edge without committing to a full tournament. The SABAI SABAI Wednesday Mexicano by The Padel Society is a regular fixture in Bangkok.

King of the Court works across several courts at once. The courts are ranked from lowest to highest, and the highest is the King court. Each round is short and timed. When the round ends, the winning pair on each court moves up one court and the losing pair moves down. The aim is to be on the King court, and winning there, when the final whistle goes.

• Rotation: in the classic version partners change as you move, so you climb as an individual. In the Team King of the Court version you keep the same partner all evening.
• Scoring: whoever has more points when time is called wins the round. Some organisers give bonus points for rounds won on the top court.
• Who it suits: players who like fast, intense play and clear stakes in every round. It also sorts a mixed group by level within a couple of rounds.

At Pad Thai Padel Rama 4 the format has a local name, King of the Khlong, after the canal district the club sits in.

Not every event mixes partners. In a round robin, pairs are fixed and every pair plays every other pair, usually to a short set or to a points target. The pair with the most wins, or the best points difference, takes the title. This is the format of choice when friends want to enter together, and it is the base structure behind most league and tournament group stages.

A Team Americano sits between the two. You keep your partner, but the matches are scored Americano style, to a fixed number of points, and your pair's total across all rounds decides the result. It is a good way to test a partnership before entering a competition such as the Pad Thai Padel Championship.

Alongside the open formats, the weekly programme includes sessions built around learning rather than results.

• Guided Americano with a coach: a coach from the academy stays on court, watches the rounds and gives short pointers between matches. A Guided Ladies Americano runs on the same principle.
• First Time Padel: a beginner session that covers the basics, the walls and the underarm serve before you play your first points. Rackets and balls are provided, so you only need sportswear and non-marking court shoes.
• Certified Level Assessment: a coach-led session that confirms your level on The Padel Society scale. The bands run from Iron at 1.0 to 1.79, through Bronze at 1.8 to 2.49 and Silver at 2.5 to 3.49, to Gold at 3.5 to 4.49. A certified level means the app can place you in the right events.

Every weekly event is listed on the events page and in The Padel Society app, where you can see the format, the level range, the price and the number of places left. Sign up individually, turn up a few minutes early to warm up, and the organiser will run the rotation. If you would rather arrange your own game, the open matches board lets you post a slot or join one at your level.

Evenings are the busiest time in both clubs, so popular formats fill up early in the week. The app also tracks your level after each event, so the more Americanos and Mexicanos you play, the better your matches become.

There is no wrong place to start. An Americano is the easiest way in, a Mexicano adds a competitive edge, and King of the Court gives you an evening of short, sharp rounds. Try each one over a few weeks and you will soon know which format is yours. See what is on now on the events page or in the app, and read more in our other guides.