For players
Which format is which
Ten formats, one page per division. Here is what each one feels like to play, and how big a field it wants.
- 1
Where to read this in the app
On the New tournament form, the How it works link next to Format opens the guide for the format you picked. On any bracket page, the How it works pill in the header does the same.
- 2
Rotating Doubles and Mixed Doubles
You get a new partner every round; the app spreads partners, opponents, courts and byes evenly. Standings are individual, and the playoff pairs the top players 1+2, 3+4 and so on. Mixed Doubles works the same but every team is one man and one woman, so it needs at least two of each. Best with 4–6 players per court.
- 3
Fixed Doubles and Singles
Fixed Doubles: you keep your partner all day and every team plays every other team once; standings are by team. Singles: one-on-one, everyone plays everyone. With an odd count, one team or player sits out each round. Top seeds go to the playoff. Aim for 4–6 teams per pool, or 2–4 singles players per court.
- 4
King of the Court
Four players per court playing doubles. Win and your pair moves up a court; lose and you move down. Partners reshuffle each round and Court 1 is the King's Court. No set number of rounds; the organizer presses Next round until they call it. The Leaderboard ranks by wins, then point difference. Needs a multiple of four players.
- 5
Ladder League
Players are seeded by rating into boxes of 3–5. Each session you play singles against everyone in your box. Between sessions the box winner moves up a box and the last place moves down. Runs week after week; there is no finish line by design.
- 6
MLP, 3-player and 4-player
Team format with rally scoring to 21, win by 2. 3-player (one woman, two men) plays a best-of-three series: Mixed #1, Mixed #2, Men's Doubles. 4-player (two and two) plays Women's, Men's, Mixed #1 and Mixed #2; first to three game wins, and 2–2 goes to a DreamBreaker, a rotating singles game to 21. Pools first, then the top two per pool go to a knockout. Wants 4–8 teams, an even number.
- 7
Pana Draft and Flex
Pana Draft: four-player teams (P1 captain to P4 anchor) play four doubles games to 11 in set pairings; first to three wins, 2–2 is a tie in pools and a two-phase DreamBreaker in the semis and final. Best with 6, 8 or 12 teams. Flex League is roster-only today: you keep the list of players and record results your own way.
Not sure? Rotating Doubles with 8–12 players and two courts is the friendliest first tournament.
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