Every event in Slams starts with the same question: which format fits what you want to organise? A relaxed club afternoon calls for something very different from a season-long competition. Slams supports all the common formats for padel, tennis and pickleball, and for each format the system automatically handles the schedule, the courts and the live standings. On the all formats page you'll find a complete overview with an explanation of each format.
The three families
Most formats fall into one of three groups. Once you know which group you're in, the rest is a matter of fine-tuning.
Social and rotating
Everyone plays with and against everyone else, with changing partners. Perfect for a club day or company event where the atmosphere matters more than crowning a winner.
- Americano: random pairings each round, individual points total.
- Mexicano: the same idea, but after round 1 the pairings are set based on the current standings, so matches become more evenly balanced.
- Mix Americano and Mix Mexicano: every pair consists of one man and one woman. If you'd rather play with your regular partner, choose the team variant (Team Americano or Team Mexicano).
Dynamic and active
Lots of movement, short matches and constant court changes.
- King of the Court: winners move up to the king's court, losers drop down. Non-stop action across multiple courts.
- Beat the Box: players sit in small boxes and climb or drop based on their results, until everyone is playing at their own level.
Competitive and season-long
For serious tournaments and competitions that run over a longer period.
- Tournament (groups and knockout): teams play a group phase and, optionally, a knockout stage afterwards. See also creating your first tournament.
- Team Clash: fixed teams compete against each other, ideal for club vs. club.
- League: a season competition with fixed playing rounds and an ongoing ranking.
- Ladder: players challenge each other and swap positions. It runs throughout the season and updates the rating automatically.
Three questions to point you in the right direction
Still not sure? Run through these three questions and the choice usually makes itself:
- How many players are taking part? Small groups (8 to 12) run perfectly on Americano or Mexicano. Larger numbers lend themselves to a group tournament or Beat the Box.
- Fixed teams or changing partners? If partners change, you're in the social family. If people stick with their regular partner, look at the team variants, Team Clash or a group tournament.
- How long does it last? An hour or an afternoon suits a one-off tournament. A full season calls for a League or Ladder.
Still not certain? Use the decision guide
On the formats page there's a decision guide that asks exactly these three questions and gives you an immediate recommendation, with the best match at the top. Want to see a format in action first? Take a look at the demo.
