8-Player Round Robin: 6 Rotating, 2 Stay-Together
An 8-player round robin where one fixed duo anchors Court 1 while six players rotate around them across seven rounds.
The 8-Player Stay-Together Round Robin (Type 39) is designed for groups where two players want to practice as a fixed tournament duo, while six other players rotate partners normally across seven rounds.
How the Format Works
- Fixed Team (Slots 1 & 2): Play every round together as a team on Court 1.
- Rotating Players (Slots 3–8): Switch partners every round according to the mathematical schedule.
- Courts & Rounds: Exactly 2 courts, 7 rounds, 14 total games.
- Court Utilization: 100% court utilization with zero bye rounds.
The Complete 7-Round Schedule Matrix
Slots 1 and 2 are anchored on Court 1 throughout all seven rounds:
| Round | Court 1 (Stay-Together Court) | Court 2 (Rotating Court) | Match Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round 1 | (1 & 2) vs (3 & 4) | (5 & 6) vs (7 & 8) | Slots 3 & 4 face the stay-together team first |
| Round 2 | (1 & 2) vs (5 & 7) | (3 & 8) vs (4 & 6) | Cross-tier split on Court 2 |
| Round 3 | (1 & 2) vs (4 & 8) | (3 & 5) vs (6 & 7) | Partnership swap on Court 2 |
| Round 4 | (1 & 2) vs (3 & 5) | (4 & 7) vs (6 & 8) | Midway mark (every player at 4 games) |
| Round 5 | (1 & 2) vs (6 & 8) | (3 & 7) vs (4 & 5) | Third cross-court rotation |
| Round 6 | (1 & 2) vs (4 & 7) | (3 & 6) vs (5 & 8) | Penultimate round |
| Round 7 | (1 & 2) vs (3 & 6) | (4 & 8) vs (5 & 7) | Final match completing the 7-game cycle |
Mathematical Properties of the Schedule
Because fourteen games against the stay-together team cannot divide evenly among six rotating players, the schedule distributes matches as follows:
- Facing the Team: Four rotating players face the stay-together team exactly twice. Slots 3 and 4 face them three times, never in back-to-back rounds.
- Rotating Partnerships: Every rotating player partners with each of the other five players at least once (two pairings repeat once).
- Rotating Opponents: Every rotating player faces each rotating peer across the net at least once.
Standings & Ranking
All eight players appear on a single leaderboard ranked by individual winning percentage and point differential. Because Slots 1 and 2 share every match result, the stay-together team always finishes tied in the standings.
Next Step
To set up this format, create a new round robin from Events and select 8 Player RR 6 Rotate 2 Stay Together from the format dropdown.