Handicapping
Perhaps the most significant aspect of real tennis is the handicap system. It helps ensure that players of quite differing standards may play each other, and more often than not the match result will be close.
The table shows the odds given for each difference in handicap between the players, in singles and in doubles. The majority of club competitions use the handicap system, so club and social players of all abilities, ages and sexes can play each other in competitive and enjoyable matches.
Handicap table
Effective from 1 August 2026.
How to use it: find the difference between the two handicaps in the first column (singles) or second column (doubles), then read across. The player with the higher handicap receives; the player with the lower handicap owes. Both can apply in the same match.
| Difference (singles) | Difference (doubles) | Receiving player | Owing player | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | Love | Love | – |
| 1 | 1/2 | Love | Owe quarter 15 | Or a half-bisque |
| 2 | 3 | Love | Owe half 15 | Or a bisque |
| 3 | 4 | Rec half 15 | Love | – |
| 4 | 5 | Love | Owe 15 | – |
| 5 | 6 | Rec half 15 | Owe half 15 | Receiving even games; owing odd games |
| 6 | 7 | Rec 15 | Love | – |
| 7 | 8 | Rec half 15 | Owe 15 | – |
| 8 | 9 | Rec 15 | Owe half 15 | – |
| 9 | 10 | Rec half 15 | Owe half 30 | Receiving even games; owing odd games |
| 10/11 | 11 | Rec 15 | Owe 15 | – |
| 12 | 12 | Rec half 15 | Owe 30 | – |
| 13 | 13 | Rec 15 | Owe half 30 | – |
| 14 | 14 | Rec 15 | Owe 30 | – |
| 15 | 15/16 | Rec half 30 | Owe 15 | – |
| 16/17 | 17/18 | Rec half 30 | Owe half 30 | Receiving even games; owing odd games |
| 18/19 | 19/20 | Rec half 30 | Owe 30 | – |
| 20/21 | 21/22 | Rec 30 | Owe 15 | – |
| 22/23 | 23/24 | Rec 30 | Owe half 30 | – |
| 24/25 | 25/26 | Rec 30 | Owe 30 | – |
| 26/27 | 27/28 | Rec 30 | Owe 40 | – |
| 28/29 | 29/30 | Rec 30 | Owe 15 | One serve; banned tambour |
| 30/31 | 31/32 | Rec 30 | Owe half 30 | As above |
| 32/33 | 33/34 | Rec 30 | Owe 30 | As above |
| 34/35 | 35/36 | Rec 30 | Owe 40 | As above |
| 36/37 | 37/38/39 | Rec 30 | Owe half 30 | As above, and banned hazard chases when playing off chases; service end conceded after one chase; banned chases worse than 3 & 4 |
| 38/39 | 40/41/42 | Rec 30 | Owe 30 | As above |
| 40/41 | 43/44/45 | Rec 30 | Owe 40 | As above |
| 42/43 | 46/47/48 | Rec 30 | Owe 30 | As above, except banned chases worse than chase 3 |
| 44/45 | 49/50/51 | Rec 30 | Owe 40 | As above |
| 46/47 | 52/53/54 | Rec 30 | Owe half 30 | As above, except banned chases worse than 2 & 3 |
| 48/49 | 55/56/57 | Rec 30 | Owe 30 | As above |
| 50+ | 58+ | Rec 30 | Owe 40 | As above |
Source: Real Tennis Online odds tables, effective from 1 August 2026.
What the odds mean
Doubles handicaps
In doubles each pair has a handicap of its own, based on both players' handicaps. Take the difference between the two players' handicaps, look up the amount for that difference, and add it to the lower handicap. Then compare the two pairs' handicaps using the doubles column.
Receive 15 / 30
The receiving player starts every game 15 or 30 up.
Owe 15 / 30 / 40
The owing player starts every game behind: they must win one point (two points, three points) just to get back to love.
Half 15 / half 30
The odds apply in alternate games only. Where the table says "receiving even games; owing odd games", the receiving player gets their odds in the 2nd, 4th, 6th… games and the owing player owes in the 1st, 3rd, 5th…
Quarter 15
The owing player owes 15 in every fourth game.
Bisque
A free point the receiving player can take once in each set, whenever they choose, with a few limits:
- Not during a rest.
- Not after serving a fault.
- To win or defend a chase, only when it is time to change ends. With one chase they can take it without changing ends, or after changing, but once past the net they cannot go back. With two chases the players must change ends first.
Based on the Laws of Tennis, 23.3.
Half-bisque
Can be taken to do one of three things:
- Call "chase off", cancelling a chase about to be played for.
- Cancel a first fault you have served.
- Add a second fault to one served by your opponent.
The same limits apply as for a bisque, except for adding a fault. The handicapper may instead give a half-bisque as a bisque in every other set, taken in the odd sets.
Based on the Laws of Tennis, 23.4.
One serve
The owing player gets only one attempt at each service.
Banned tambour
The owing player loses the point if their shot hits the tambour.
Banned hazard chases when playing off chases
When at the service end, the owing player cannot win a chase by setting a hazard chase.
Banned chases worse than 3 & 4 (or 3, or 2 & 3)
The owing player cannot win a chase with anything worse than the chase named, even if it is better than the chase they are playing off.
Service end conceded after one chase
The owing player concedes the service end as soon as a single chase is set.