1. Decide who competes together
For singles, count individual players. For fixed doubles, count teams: 16 players make eight teams. A fixed-team round robin keeps those partners together throughout the event. Rotating partners is a different scheduling problem; do not use fixed-team match counts as a promise of individual partner rotation.
2. Calculate the matches
A single round robin with n entrants has n × (n − 1) ÷ 2 matches. Each entrant plays n − 1 times. Six teams produce 15 matches and five matches per team. Eight teams produce 28 matches and seven matches per team. Ten teams produce 45 matches, which may be too much for a short club session.
For an even number of entrants, a round can pair everyone once. Eight teams need seven rounds of four matches. With four courts, all four matches can run together. With two courts, each round needs two waves, and teams may wait between matches.
3. Choose a scoring format and time allowance
Agree on scoring before registration. Courtira supports a single game to 11, 15 or 21, or best of three games to 11, with games won by two. These are app options; your competition may have its own eligibility, officiating or sanctioning requirements.
As a planning example, seven rounds at an estimated 20 minutes each need 140 minutes on four courts for eight teams. The 20 minutes is an assumption, not a guaranteed game length. Add time for check-in, warmups, changing courts, rest and games that run long.
4. Make standings and communication clear
Tell players how standings and ties will be handled before the first game. Explain where to find the schedule, who records a result, and how a wrong score gets corrected. Avoid announcing a winner before checking that every scheduled match has a result.
5. Run the event in Courtira
Select pickleball, singles or doubles, round robin and your match format. Add entrants, review the generated matches, and assign courts and times. Record scores as matches finish so participants can follow the standings. For a Community event, organizers can share permitted score-entry and scheduling work with participating members.
When the group is too large
Consider smaller groups followed by knockouts, or another format that fits your available courts. Splitting eight teams into two groups of four reduces group play to 12 matches; adding semifinals and a final brings the total to 15. It also changes the experience: teams no longer play every other team.
Compare the tradeoffs in our tournament-format guide, review entrant and division limits, or explore sport-specific scoring options.