Game formats

Rotating partner round robin

Also called a switch round robin or a social round robin.

Doubles where you get a new partner every round and play against as many different people as possible. Standings are per player.

Good for: Club nights, mixers and drop-in play where people come on their own.

Doubles rotating round robin

Also called a set partner or fixed partner round robin.

You keep the same partner for the whole event and your team plays every other team. Standings are per team.

Good for: Pairs who signed up together, and pool play before a bracket.

Singles round robin

One against one, everyone plays everyone.

Good for: Small singles groups and singles pool play.

King of the court (singles ladder)

One against one on numbered courts. Win and you move up a court, lose and you move down. Court 1 is the King's Court. With an odd count one player stands by each round and rotates back in.

Good for: Competitive nights where people want to climb.

Rotating partner ladder

Four players per court play three short games so everyone partners everyone once. The top player on each court moves up, the bottom player moves down.

Good for: Doubles nights where players come on their own but still want to climb.

Doubles rotating ladder

The same partners all night; your team moves up or down a court together.

Good for: Pairs who want a ladder.

Can't play (ladder forfeit)

If a player has to leave mid-ladder, their unplayed games that round go to the other side (11–0 in a game to 11), and they sit out the next round. They're back in the round after.

Good for: Keeping the ladder moving when someone has to go.

Pool play + single elimination

Teams play a round robin inside their pool, then the top teams from each pool go into a knockout bracket. Pick Top 2 per pool for a final, Top 4 for semifinals and a final.

Good for: Tournaments and any event that wants a playoff.

Single elimination

Lose once and you're out.

Good for: Short events with lots of teams.

Double elimination

You're out after your second loss; losers drop into a back-draw bracket.

Good for: Tournaments that want everyone to play at least two matches.

Moneyball

Pools to 11, then everyone goes into a single-elimination bracket to 15 with a best-of-three final, for cash payouts.

Good for: Money events.

Team league (MLP style, doubles or teams)

Teams play each other over several weeks. Each match is several games (for MLP: women's, men's and two mixed, with a DreamBreaker to settle a 2–2 tie).

Good for: Season-long play run through a club.