diff --git a/src/break_out/controller/Controller.java b/src/break_out/controller/Controller.java
index 6a50979..dcbea7b 100644
--- a/src/break_out/controller/Controller.java
+++ b/src/break_out/controller/Controller.java
@@ -120,6 +120,18 @@ public class Controller implements ActionListener, KeyListener {
 				if(!game.getLevel().ballWasStarted())  game.getLevel().startBall();
 				else game.getLevel().stopBall();
 				break;
+			// arrow facing left was pressed
+			case KeyEvent.VK_LEFT:
+				// paddle shall go left
+				game.getLevel().getPaddleBottom().setDirection(-1);
+				game.getLevel().getPaddleTop().setDirection(-1);
+				break;
+			// arrow facing right was pressed
+			case KeyEvent.VK_RIGHT:
+				// paddle shall go right
+				game.getLevel().getPaddleBottom().setDirection(+1);
+				game.getLevel().getPaddleTop().setDirection(+1);
+				break;
 		}
 
 	}
@@ -131,7 +143,14 @@ public class Controller implements ActionListener, KeyListener {
 	 */
 	@Override
 	public void keyReleased(KeyEvent e) {
-
+		switch(e.getKeyCode()) {
+			case KeyEvent.VK_LEFT: // arrow facing left was released
+			case KeyEvent.VK_RIGHT: // arrow facing right was released
+				// paddle shall stop
+				game.getLevel().getPaddleBottom().setDirection(0);
+				game.getLevel().getPaddleTop().setDirection(0);
+				break;
+		}
 	}
 
 	/**
diff --git a/src/break_out/model/Level.java b/src/break_out/model/Level.java
index 3754d7f..9dce4ba 100644
--- a/src/break_out/model/Level.java
+++ b/src/break_out/model/Level.java
@@ -111,30 +111,32 @@ public class Level extends Thread implements ILevel {
 		// endless loop
 		while (true) {
 			// if ballWasStarted is true, the ball is moving
-			if (ballWasStarted) {
+			if (ballWasStarted()) {
 
 				// Call here the balls method for updating his position on the playground
-				this.ball.updatePosition();
+				getBall().updatePosition();
 
 				// Call here the balls method for reacting on the borders of the playground
-				this.ball.reactOnBorder();
+				getBall().reactOnBorder();
 
 				// if ball hits paddle (top|bottom), reflect ball
-				if(this.ball.hitsPaddle(paddleTop)) this.ball.reflectOnPaddle(paddleTop);
-				if(this.ball.hitsPaddle(paddleBottom)) this.ball.reflectOnPaddle(paddleBottom);
-				if(this.ball.hitsPaddle(paddleTop) || this.ball.hitsPaddle(paddleBottom)) {
-					this.ball.setHitState(true);
+				if(getBall().hitsPaddle(paddleTop)) getBall().reflectOnPaddle(paddleTop);
+				if(getBall().hitsPaddle(paddleBottom)) getBall().reflectOnPaddle(paddleBottom);
+				if(getBall().hitsPaddle(paddleTop) || getBall().hitsPaddle(paddleBottom)) {
+					getBall().setHitState(true);
 					// DEBUG OUTPUT
 					//System.out.println(String.format("hitstate: %s, color: %s", this.ball.getHitState(), this.ball.getColor().getRGB()));
 				}
 
 				// if ball has hit a paddle set a new random color to it
-				else if(this.ball.getHitState()) {
-					this.ball.setHitState(false);
-					this.ball.newRandomColor();
+				else if(getBall().getHitState()) {
+					getBall().setHitState(false);
+					getBall().newRandomColor();
 				}
 
-
+				// update paddles position
+				getPaddleTop().updatePosition(getBall());
+				getPaddleBottom().updatePosition(getBall());
 
 
 				// Tells the observer to repaint the components on the playground
diff --git a/src/break_out/model/Paddle.java b/src/break_out/model/Paddle.java
index f40b711..92d1ec1 100644
--- a/src/break_out/model/Paddle.java
+++ b/src/break_out/model/Paddle.java
@@ -16,6 +16,12 @@ public class Paddle implements IPaddle {
 	 */
 	private Position position;
 
+	/**
+	 * The paddles direction on the playground
+	 * only -1,0,+1 are valid values
+	 */
+	private int direction;
+
 	/**
 	 * The paddles sizing
 	 */
@@ -121,7 +127,7 @@ public class Paddle implements IPaddle {
 	 * @return direction The paddles current direction
 	 */
 	public int getDirection() {
-		return 0;
+		return direction;
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -130,7 +136,11 @@ public class Paddle implements IPaddle {
 	 * @param direction The paddles new direction
 	 */
 	public void setDirection(int direction) {
+		// normalize to valid values
+		if(direction > 0) direction =  1;
+		if(direction < 0) direction = -1;
 
+		this.direction = direction;
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -139,6 +149,22 @@ public class Paddle implements IPaddle {
 	 * @param ball The ball
 	 */
 	public void updatePosition(Ball ball) {
+		// move paddle, if it is the nearest paddle
+		if(ball.getPosition().getY() < Constants.SCREEN_HEIGHT/2.0 && getPosition().getY() < Constants.SCREEN_HEIGHT/2.0 ||
+		   ball.getPosition().getY() > Constants.SCREEN_HEIGHT/2.0 && getPosition().getY() > Constants.SCREEN_HEIGHT/2.0) {
 
+			// temporary position to modify x value
+			Position tmp = getPosition();
+
+			// modify x value; getDirection is normalized to the values {-1, 0, 1}
+			// therefore we can just multiply it with DX_MOVEMENT
+			tmp.setX(getPosition().getX() + getDirection()*Constants.DX_MOVEMENT);
+
+			// out of border boundaries
+			if(tmp.getX() <= 0) tmp.setX(0);
+			if(tmp.getX() >= Constants.SCREEN_WIDTH-getWidth()) tmp.setX(Constants.SCREEN_WIDTH-getWidth());
+
+			setPosition(tmp);
+		}
 	}
 }