How to run a round robin
In a round robin everyone plays everyone else once. It is the fairest format there is: nobody goes home after one bad match, and the table at the end reflects a whole evening or season of play. It is also the format that most often runs late, because the number of matches grows much faster than the number of players. This guide shows how to work out whether a round robin fits your time, how to build the schedule, and how to settle the ties that always seem to happen.
How many matches?
With n players or teams, a single round robin has n × (n − 1) ÷ 2 matches. With an even number of entries everyone plays in every round, so there are n − 1 rounds. With an odd number, one entry sits out each round (a bye), so there are n rounds.
| Entries | Matches | Rounds | Matches per entry |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 6 | 3 | 3 |
| 5 | 10 | 5 | 4 |
| 6 | 15 | 5 | 5 |
| 7 | 21 | 7 | 6 |
| 8 | 28 | 7 | 7 |
| 10 | 45 | 9 | 9 |
| 12 | 66 | 11 | 11 |
Doubling the field from 6 to 12 more than quadruples the matches, from 15 to 66. That is the single most important number to check before you promise players a round robin.
Will it fit in the time you have?
A rough estimate: matches ÷ courts × minutes per match, plus a few minutes per round for changeovers. But a round can never be faster than its slowest court: with 8 players there are 4 matches in each round, so with only 2 tables every round takes two match slots.
Example: 8 players, 2 tables, best-of-three games taking about 20 minutes. Seven rounds of two slots each is 14 slots, or about 4 hours 40 minutes. Too long for a club night. The same 8 players in two groups of four play 6 matches per group, 12 in total: 6 slots, about 2 hours, with time left for a final. When the arithmetic doesn't work, split the field into groups followed by a knockout.
Making the schedule: the circle method
The standard way to pair everyone fairly is the circle method. Write the entries in two rows. Keep the first entry fixed and rotate everyone else one place clockwise after each round. Each column is a match.
For six players, A to F, it gives this schedule (it is the same method our tournament manager uses):
| Round | Match 1 | Match 2 | Match 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A v F | B v E | C v D |
| 2 | E v A | F v D | B v C |
| 3 | A v D | E v C | F v B |
| 4 | C v A | D v B | E v F |
| 5 | A v B | C v F | D v E |
Every pair meets exactly once, and nobody plays twice in a round. With an odd number of entries, add a dummy entry called "bye": whoever is drawn against the bye rests that round. It also helps to alternate who is listed first, which the schedule above does, because in some sports the first-named player serves or chooses ends first.
A few practical tips:
- Put the strongest entries' meeting late in the schedule, so the title is decided at the end rather than in round one. With seeds 1 and 2 as A and B, the method above does this automatically: A v B is the last round.
- Publish the whole schedule before play starts, with the court for each match, so players know when to warm up.
- If someone has to leave early, move their matches forward rather than letting them forfeit.
Choosing a points system
| System | Win – draw – loss | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Three for a win | 3 – 1 – 0 | Football, hockey, netball leagues: rewards winning over drawing |
| Two for a win | 2 – 1 – 0 | Older league tables, many school competitions |
| Two for a win, one for playing | 2 – (–) – 1 | Table tennis leagues: a loss still earns a point, which rewards turning up |
| Wins only | 1 – 0 – 0 | Racket sports with no draws; sort by wins, then the tie-breaks below |
Decide the system before the first match and print it on the draw. Changing it afterwards always upsets someone.
Breaking ties
Ties are common in small round robins. The most widely used order is:
- Points (or wins).
- Head-to-head: the result between the tied entries. With two entries level, the winner of their match goes above.
- Score difference in the matches between the tied entries, then in all matches (goals, games or sets won minus lost).
- Score for: the most goals, games or points won.
- If still level, a play-off or a toss.
A three-way tie is where most arguments start. Suppose A beat B, B beat C and C beat A, and all three won their other matches. Head-to-head doesn't separate them: each has one win and one loss against the other two. So you look at the games between the three of them only:
| Player | Results against the other two | Games won – lost | Difference | Place |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | beat B 3–1, lost to C 2–3 | 5 – 4 | +1 | 1st |
| B | beat C 3–1, lost to A 1–3 | 4 – 4 | 0 | 2nd |
| C | beat A 3–2, lost to B 1–3 | 4 – 5 | −1 | 3rd |
The games difference between the three of them puts A first, B second and C third. Had two of them still been level, games won would decide next. Write the order down in advance, apply it mechanically, and show the working on the results sheet: most disputes disappear when players can see the sums.
Double round robin and home-and-away
In a season-long league, entries usually meet twice, once at each venue. That doubles the matches: 8 teams play 56 league matches over 14 rounds. Use the same circle schedule for the first half, then repeat it with home and away swapped.
Walkovers and withdrawals
Agree before the event what a walkover is worth, for example the maximum score (3–0 in games, or a set number of goals). If an entry withdraws partway through, a common rule is: if they have played fewer than half of their matches, all their results are removed; otherwise their remaining matches are walkovers to their opponents. Either way, decide it before the first match.
Run it with the tournament manager
Our free tournament manager builds the circle schedule for you, once or home-and-away, keeps the table with your choice of points and tie-breaks, puts matches on courts with an order of play, and lets players follow the standings on their phones. Referees can score each match in our scoring apps with a match code, and the result goes straight into the table.