Scoring rules
Golden point vs Star point: which deuce rule should you play?
Advantage can run forever. Golden point settles 40–40 with one point. Star point (FIP 2026) plays up to two advantages, then one deciding point. Short court booking? Golden point. Want something closer to classic deuce that still ends? Star point.
Every padel game can reach 40–40. What happens next depends on the deuce rule you agree on before the first serve. There are three in common use, and they change how long games last and how much pressure sits on one rally.
The three rules in one table
| Rule | At 40–40 | Longest game |
|---|---|---|
| Advantage | Win two points in a row | No limit |
| Golden point | One deciding point | 7 points |
| Star point | Two advantages, then one point | 11 points |
Advantage: the classic
At deuce, the next point gives a pair advantage. Win the following point and the game is yours. Lose it and you are back at deuce. Nothing stops a game from going round that loop many times.
It is the fairest test of who plays the big points better, but it is the hardest on your court time. One long game in a 60 or 90 minute booking can cost you a whole set.
Golden point: one rally decides
With the golden point, there is no advantage at all. At 40–40, the next point wins the game. The receiving pair chooses which player receives it, so they can put their stronger returner on that side.
- Good: games never drag, so you play more sets in the same booking.
- Good: every game has a clear finish, which keeps the score easy to follow.
- Hard: a long, even game can be lost on one unlucky bounce.
Star point: the FIP 2026 middle ground
The Star point is the deuce rule the International Padel Federation (FIP) introduced for 2026. It keeps advantage for a while, then ends the game with one point:
- First deuce: play advantage as usual.
- Back to deuce: play advantage a second time.
- Third deuce: one star point decides the game, just like a golden point.
Here is how a long Star point game can play out: 40–40 (first deuce), advantage Them, 40–40 (second deuce), advantage You, 40–40 (third deuce), star point. Whoever wins that point wins the game.
You still need to win two points in a row to finish most deuce games, but no game can run past the third deuce.
Which one should your group play?
- Short booking or a busy club night: golden point. Most games end quickly and you finish your sets.
- You want deuce games to feel earned, but also want them to end: Star point.
- Time does not matter and you love long battles: advantage.
- Tournaments and leagues: follow the organiser. Many use the golden point, and some are moving to the Star point.
Whatever you pick, agree on it before the warm-up ends. Most score arguments start with two pairs playing two different rules.
Keep track of deuces on your wrist
Counting deuces is exactly the kind of thing nobody remembers mid-rally. PadelWin supports all three rules for free: pick Advantage, Golden point or Star point when you set up a match on your Apple Watch, then tap after each point. It counts the deuces and shows ⇄ when a deciding point comes up, so the receivers know it is their choice.