How it works

One evening at the courts, start to finish. You don't need to learn anything before you go.

  1. Before you get there

    Nothing. No group to set up, no fixtures to enter, nobody to invite. Whoever gets there first can start.

  2. At the court

    The New session screen on a phone: pick Americano, Mexicano, round robin, timed or king of the court, with a short note on how each works

    One person opens pad3l and taps Create session. Pick a format, or keep the defaults. If you play in a league, pick it. Their phone, or a tablet propped by the court, becomes the board.

  3. Everyone joins

    The board before the start: a big join code and QR code, five players in with their emoji, a box to add a name without a phone, and the Start button

    The board shows a QR code and a four letter code. Players scan it, type a name and pick an emoji. That's it. Add a name for anyone without a phone.

  4. Start

    Tap Start. pad3l shows who plays with whom, who sits out first and who serves.

  5. Play and tap

    pad3l on a phone mid-round: 7 all, Alex serving, with big blue and red buttons to score the point

    After each point, someone taps the team that won it, on a phone, the board or a Bluetooth button. Wrong team? Undo. Every screen shows the same score.

  6. pad3l calls the changes

    The board at the end of a round: Round 1 done, Dev sitting out, and a Start next round button

    When it's time to change ends or start the next round, every screen says so and scoring waits until someone confirms. It shows who serves first and where everyone stands next.

  7. Plans change

    The Players sheet on the board mid-session: Nina just added, Dev sitting out with a Remove button, and the rest on court

    A friend turns up late: add them and they're in the next round. Someone has to go: take them out when their round ends. pad3l re-plans the rest, and keeps the sit-outs fair.

  8. The end

    The board at the end of a session: Tom takes it, a podium, then trophies like Houdini, On Fire and The Wall with the winners' names

    The board shows the podium, then hands out the trophies one by one: the Phoenix for the comeback, the Heartbreaker for the narrow losses, the Wooden Spoon for someone. Court still free? Play another round. Otherwise the results go to your league and a recap card is ready for the group chat.

Want the detail?

The guide covers every setting, the buttons and leagues.

Read the guide Questions