Four players per court, and at least 4 players in total for a game of doubles. The ideal count is a multiple of 4 that fills your courts (8 for 2 courts, 12 for 3, 16 for 4), so nobody sits out.
One player over (5, 9, 13, 17 and so on) means 1 sits out each round, and it takes as many rounds as there are players for everyone to sit out once: 9 rounds for 9 players.
Quick reference by courts
For each number of courts: the player count where everyone plays, and the counts where 1, 2 or 3 sit out each round, with the round by which everyone has sat out once.
| Courts | Nobody sits | 1 sits | 2 sit | 3 sit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 playerseveryone plays | 5 playersall sat once by round 5 | 6 playersall sat once by round 3 | 7 playersall sat once by round 3 |
| 2 | 8 playerseveryone plays | 9 playersall sat once by round 9 | 10 playersall sat once by round 5 | 11 playersall sat once by round 4 |
| 3 | 12 playerseveryone plays | 13 playersall sat once by round 13 | 14 playersall sat once by round 7 | 15 playersall sat once by round 5 |
| 4 | 16 playerseveryone plays | 17 playersall sat once by round 17 | 18 playersall sat once by round 9 | 19 playersall sat once by round 7 |
| 5 | 20 playerseveryone plays | 21 playersall sat once by round 21 | 22 playersall sat once by round 11 | 23 playersall sat once by round 8 |
| 6 | 24 playerseveryone plays | 25 playersall sat once by round 25 | 26 playersall sat once by round 13 | 27 playersall sat once by round 9 |
| 7 | 28 playerseveryone plays | 29 playersall sat once by round 29 | 30 playersall sat once by round 15 | 31 playersall sat once by round 11 |
| 8 | 32 playerseveryone plays | 33 playersall sat once by round 33 | 34 playersall sat once by round 17 | 35 playersall sat once by round 12 |
Full table: 4 to 32 players, 1 to 8 courts
Each cell shows how many sit out each round, how many play, and how many rounds (rds) it takes until everyone has sat out once. A dash means there aren't enough players to fill that many courts; the extra courts stay empty, so read the cell to its left.
| Players | 1 court | 2 courts | 3 courts | 4 courts | 5 courts | 6 courts | 7 courts | 8 courts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | All play4 play | Not enough players for 2 courts | Not enough players for 3 courts | Not enough players for 4 courts | Not enough players for 5 courts | Not enough players for 6 courts | Not enough players for 7 courts | Not enough players for 8 courts |
| 5 | 1 sits4 play · 5 rds | Not enough players for 2 courts | Not enough players for 3 courts | Not enough players for 4 courts | Not enough players for 5 courts | Not enough players for 6 courts | Not enough players for 7 courts | Not enough players for 8 courts |
| 6 | 2 sit4 play · 3 rds | Not enough players for 2 courts | Not enough players for 3 courts | Not enough players for 4 courts | Not enough players for 5 courts | Not enough players for 6 courts | Not enough players for 7 courts | Not enough players for 8 courts |
| 7 | 3 sit4 play · 3 rds | Not enough players for 2 courts | Not enough players for 3 courts | Not enough players for 4 courts | Not enough players for 5 courts | Not enough players for 6 courts | Not enough players for 7 courts | Not enough players for 8 courts |
| 8 | 4 sit4 play · 2 rds | All play8 play | Not enough players for 3 courts | Not enough players for 4 courts | Not enough players for 5 courts | Not enough players for 6 courts | Not enough players for 7 courts | Not enough players for 8 courts |
| 9 | 5 sit4 play · 2 rds | 1 sits8 play · 9 rds | Not enough players for 3 courts | Not enough players for 4 courts | Not enough players for 5 courts | Not enough players for 6 courts | Not enough players for 7 courts | Not enough players for 8 courts |
| 10 | 6 sit4 play · 2 rds | 2 sit8 play · 5 rds | Not enough players for 3 courts | Not enough players for 4 courts | Not enough players for 5 courts | Not enough players for 6 courts | Not enough players for 7 courts | Not enough players for 8 courts |
| 11 | 7 sit4 play · 2 rds | 3 sit8 play · 4 rds | Not enough players for 3 courts | Not enough players for 4 courts | Not enough players for 5 courts | Not enough players for 6 courts | Not enough players for 7 courts | Not enough players for 8 courts |
| 12 | 8 sit4 play · 2 rds | 4 sit8 play · 3 rds | All play12 play | Not enough players for 4 courts | Not enough players for 5 courts | Not enough players for 6 courts | Not enough players for 7 courts | Not enough players for 8 courts |
| 13 | 9 sit4 play · 2 rds | 5 sit8 play · 3 rds | 1 sits12 play · 13 rds | Not enough players for 4 courts | Not enough players for 5 courts | Not enough players for 6 courts | Not enough players for 7 courts | Not enough players for 8 courts |
| 14 | 10 sit4 play · 2 rds | 6 sit8 play · 3 rds | 2 sit12 play · 7 rds | Not enough players for 4 courts | Not enough players for 5 courts | Not enough players for 6 courts | Not enough players for 7 courts | Not enough players for 8 courts |
| 15 | 11 sit4 play · 2 rds | 7 sit8 play · 3 rds | 3 sit12 play · 5 rds | Not enough players for 4 courts | Not enough players for 5 courts | Not enough players for 6 courts | Not enough players for 7 courts | Not enough players for 8 courts |
| 16 | 12 sit4 play · 2 rds | 8 sit8 play · 2 rds | 4 sit12 play · 4 rds | All play16 play | Not enough players for 5 courts | Not enough players for 6 courts | Not enough players for 7 courts | Not enough players for 8 courts |
| 17 | 13 sit4 play · 2 rds | 9 sit8 play · 2 rds | 5 sit12 play · 4 rds | 1 sits16 play · 17 rds | Not enough players for 5 courts | Not enough players for 6 courts | Not enough players for 7 courts | Not enough players for 8 courts |
| 18 | 14 sit4 play · 2 rds | 10 sit8 play · 2 rds | 6 sit12 play · 3 rds | 2 sit16 play · 9 rds | Not enough players for 5 courts | Not enough players for 6 courts | Not enough players for 7 courts | Not enough players for 8 courts |
| 19 | 15 sit4 play · 2 rds | 11 sit8 play · 2 rds | 7 sit12 play · 3 rds | 3 sit16 play · 7 rds | Not enough players for 5 courts | Not enough players for 6 courts | Not enough players for 7 courts | Not enough players for 8 courts |
| 20 | 16 sit4 play · 2 rds | 12 sit8 play · 2 rds | 8 sit12 play · 3 rds | 4 sit16 play · 5 rds | All play20 play | Not enough players for 6 courts | Not enough players for 7 courts | Not enough players for 8 courts |
| 21 | 17 sit4 play · 2 rds | 13 sit8 play · 2 rds | 9 sit12 play · 3 rds | 5 sit16 play · 5 rds | 1 sits20 play · 21 rds | Not enough players for 6 courts | Not enough players for 7 courts | Not enough players for 8 courts |
| 22 | 18 sit4 play · 2 rds | 14 sit8 play · 2 rds | 10 sit12 play · 3 rds | 6 sit16 play · 4 rds | 2 sit20 play · 11 rds | Not enough players for 6 courts | Not enough players for 7 courts | Not enough players for 8 courts |
| 23 | 19 sit4 play · 2 rds | 15 sit8 play · 2 rds | 11 sit12 play · 3 rds | 7 sit16 play · 4 rds | 3 sit20 play · 8 rds | Not enough players for 6 courts | Not enough players for 7 courts | Not enough players for 8 courts |
| 24 | 20 sit4 play · 2 rds | 16 sit8 play · 2 rds | 12 sit12 play · 2 rds | 8 sit16 play · 3 rds | 4 sit20 play · 6 rds | All play24 play | Not enough players for 7 courts | Not enough players for 8 courts |
| 25 | 21 sit4 play · 2 rds | 17 sit8 play · 2 rds | 13 sit12 play · 2 rds | 9 sit16 play · 3 rds | 5 sit20 play · 5 rds | 1 sits24 play · 25 rds | Not enough players for 7 courts | Not enough players for 8 courts |
| 26 | 22 sit4 play · 2 rds | 18 sit8 play · 2 rds | 14 sit12 play · 2 rds | 10 sit16 play · 3 rds | 6 sit20 play · 5 rds | 2 sit24 play · 13 rds | Not enough players for 7 courts | Not enough players for 8 courts |
| 27 | 23 sit4 play · 2 rds | 19 sit8 play · 2 rds | 15 sit12 play · 2 rds | 11 sit16 play · 3 rds | 7 sit20 play · 4 rds | 3 sit24 play · 9 rds | Not enough players for 7 courts | Not enough players for 8 courts |
| 28 | 24 sit4 play · 2 rds | 20 sit8 play · 2 rds | 16 sit12 play · 2 rds | 12 sit16 play · 3 rds | 8 sit20 play · 4 rds | 4 sit24 play · 7 rds | All play28 play | Not enough players for 8 courts |
| 29 | 25 sit4 play · 2 rds | 21 sit8 play · 2 rds | 17 sit12 play · 2 rds | 13 sit16 play · 3 rds | 9 sit20 play · 4 rds | 5 sit24 play · 6 rds | 1 sits28 play · 29 rds | Not enough players for 8 courts |
| 30 | 26 sit4 play · 2 rds | 22 sit8 play · 2 rds | 18 sit12 play · 2 rds | 14 sit16 play · 3 rds | 10 sit20 play · 3 rds | 6 sit24 play · 5 rds | 2 sit28 play · 15 rds | Not enough players for 8 courts |
| 31 | 27 sit4 play · 2 rds | 23 sit8 play · 2 rds | 19 sit12 play · 2 rds | 15 sit16 play · 3 rds | 11 sit20 play · 3 rds | 7 sit24 play · 5 rds | 3 sit28 play · 11 rds | Not enough players for 8 courts |
| 32 | 28 sit4 play · 2 rds | 24 sit8 play · 2 rds | 20 sit12 play · 2 rds | 16 sit16 play · 2 rds | 12 sit20 play · 3 rds | 8 sit24 play · 4 rds | 4 sit28 play · 8 rds | All play32 play |
Playing is always 4 per court in use. Everyone else sits out, chosen so that sit-outs never differ by more than one between any two players. Try any combination on the sit-out board.
Picking a good number
- A multiple of 4 that fills your courts is ideal (8 on 2 courts, 12 on 3, 16 on 4). Everyone plays every round.
- One over (5, 9, 13, 17): 1 sits out each round. Each person sits out rarely, but a full cycle is long: 13 players on 3 courts take 13 rounds for everyone to sit once.
- Two over (6, 10, 14, 18): 2 sit out each round, and everyone has sat out once in half as many rounds as there are players.
- Three over (7, 11, 15, 19): 3 sit out each round. One more player would fill another court, if you have one.
- More courts than players can fill: the extra courts stay empty. 9 players can fill only 2 courts.
- One court for a big group: more people sit than play, and some players will sit two rounds in a row. A second court changes the night more than anything else.
How many rounds?
To give everyone at least one sit-out, play at least as many rounds as the number in the table. Sit-outs come out exactly even when rounds × players sitting per round is a multiple of the player count: 9 players on 2 courts after 9 rounds, or 10 players on 2 courts after 5 or 10 rounds. Otherwise some players sit out one more time than others. That's why Sitout ranks standings by win rate, not total wins.
How to plan a round robin for your group
Count your courts
Each court holds 4 players for doubles.
Count your players
Players on court = 4 × the courts you can fill. Everyone else sits out each round.
Check the table
Look up your players and courts to see how many sit out each round and how long until everyone has sat out once.
Choose the number of rounds
Pick enough rounds for everyone to sit out at least once. For exactly even sit-outs, make rounds × sitting per round a multiple of the player count.
Choose sit-outs fairly
Fewest sit-outs sits next. On a tie, whoever sat longest ago, then roster order.
Questions about player counts
How many players do you need for a pickleball round robin?
At least 4, for one game of doubles. A multiple of 4 that fills your courts is ideal: 8 for 2 courts, 12 for 3, 16 for 4. Any other count works too; the extra players sit out each round in a fair rotation.
What's the best number of players for 2 courts?
Eight, so everyone plays every round. Nine also works well: 1 sits out each round, and in 9 rounds everyone sits out once. With 10, 2 sit out each round; with 11, 3 do.
How many players for 3 courts?
Twelve fill 3 courts with nobody sitting. With 13, 1 sits out each round; with 14, 2; with 15, 3. Sixteen players fill a fourth court if you have one.
Can you run a round robin with 5 players?
Yes. Four play and 1 sits out each round, and after 5 rounds everyone has sat out once.
What about 6 or 7 players on one court?
With 6, 4 play and 2 sit out each round, and everyone has sat out once after 3 rounds. With 7, 3 sit out each round. After 3 rounds everyone has sat out once and two players have sat out twice.
What if we have more courts than we can fill?
Use as many courts as you can fill with 4 players each and leave the rest empty. For example, 9 players on 3 courts play the same as 9 players on 2 courts.