How to run a rotating-partners round robin
- Type the players, one per line (4 to 24), and the number of courts you have.
- Leave Rounds empty to get enough rounds for each player to partner as many different people as possible, or enter your own number.
- Press Make schedule. Each round shows who plays on which court and who sits out. Use the arrows or Full screen to put the current round on a TV or tablet by the courts.
- Type each game’s score as it finishes. The player standings update, are saved in your browser, and show up in the printout and CSV.
How the rotation works
You give the page your player list and courts. For each round it first decides who sits out, choosing the players who have sat out least. It then builds the 2 vs 2 games, trying to avoid repeat partners first and repeat opponents second. For 4, 5, 8, 9, 12, 13, 16 and 17 players with enough courts it uses a fixed perfect design, shuffled so each event looks different. For other even groups where everyone plays, it uses a circle rotation so every player partners every other player once. Otherwise it shuffles, swaps players between teams to lower the number of repeats, and keeps the best result from many tries.
For pickleball, tennis, padel, and badminton
- Open play and club nights. Players of all levels get a new partner every round, and no one waits longer than anyone else.
- Tennis, padel, and badminton doubles mixers. The scores are plain numbers, so enter games, sets, or points.
- Leagues and fundraisers. Print the schedule, or download a CSV, so each court has a sheet.
Want fixed teams that all play each other instead? Use the round robin generator, which also handles courts, times, and standings. Need to split a crowd into balanced teams first? Try the team generator.
Frequently asked questions
What is a pickleball round robin with rotating partners?
A social format for doubles. In each round the players are split into games of two against two, and the partners change from round to round. Because everyone plays with and against different people, it works well for open play, clinics, and club mixers. It’s a common way to run a social event rather than an official tournament format, so groups adjust the details.
How many players and courts do I need?
At least 4 players and 1 court. Each court holds one game of 4 players. With more players than the courts can hold, the extra players sit out and the sit-outs rotate.
Does anyone sit out more than others?
No. The page picks the players who have sat out least so far, so nobody sits a second time before everyone has sat once, and sit-out counts never differ by more than one.
Will I ever get the same partner twice?
It avoids repeats whenever it can. With 4, 5, 8, 9, 12, 13, 16 or 17 players and enough courts for everyone who isn’t sitting out (1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4 and 4 courts), a full set of rounds is a perfect rotation: every player partners every other player exactly once and plays against each of them exactly twice. For other group sizes the page works by trial and improvement: it keeps repeats low and early rounds are repeat-free, but it cannot promise zero repeats in longer schedules.
How are opponents chosen?
After partners, the page tries to match you against players you have faced least, so people meet a wide mix of opponents.
How are the player standings ranked?
By games won, then point difference, then points won. Each player gets the result of every game they played, so partners share a win or a loss, and the standings show who won most across all their partners.
Does this work for tennis, padel, or badminton?
Yes. Any doubles sport where two play two works: tennis, padel, badminton, table tennis doubles, and even cornhole or volleyball pairs. The scores are just numbers, so use games, sets, or points.
Can I put it on a TV at the courts?
Yes. Press Full screen to show the current round’s courts in large type, and use the arrow buttons or the left and right arrow keys to move to the next round.