PicklePal
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24 players, 5 courts

With 24 players and only 5 courts, 4 players sit out each round — and that’s exactly where most rotation charts get unfair. PicklePal rotates the sit-outs so everyone rests the same number of times, never twice in a row, while still cutting repeat partners and balancing teams. Here’s a fair 8-round example.

What this setup looks like

Players · Courts
24 · 5
Sit out / round
4
Games / player
6–7
Max repeat partner
1

Plan the night

How many rounds fit at roughly 12 minutes per game (game to 11 plus court switch).

SessionRoundsTotal gamesPer player
60 min 5 25 4.2
90 min 7 35 5.8
120 min 10 50 8.3

Sample 8-round rotation

4 sitting out each round, on a fair rotation.

1 Round 1
Court 1
8P8
5P5
vs
6P6
16P16
Court 2
20P20
21P21
vs
13P13
9P9
Court 3
17P17
24P24
vs
12P12
23P23
Court 4
22P22
7P7
vs
18P18
11P11
Court 5
14P14
10P10
vs
15P15
19P19
Resting P1 · P2 · P3 · P4
2 Round 2
Court 1
17P17
3P3
vs
18P18
14P14
Court 2
13P13
19P19
vs
23P23
15P15
Court 3
16P16
12P12
vs
10P10
2P2
Court 4
11P11
22P22
vs
1P1
21P21
Court 5
24P24
4P4
vs
20P20
9P9
Resting P5 · P6 · P7 · P8
3 Round 3
Court 1
23P23
4P4
vs
15P15
3P3
Court 2
16P16
5P5
vs
7P7
13P13
Court 3
22P22
18P18
vs
6P6
19P19
Court 4
8P8
24P24
vs
2P2
17P17
Court 5
20P20
1P1
vs
21P21
14P14
Resting P9 · P10 · P11 · P12
4 Round 4
Court 1
19P19
18P18
vs
24P24
20P20
Court 2
2P2
11P11
vs
4P4
9P9
Court 3
17P17
21P21
vs
3P3
6P6
Court 4
10P10
12P12
vs
23P23
5P5
Court 5
22P22
1P1
vs
7P7
8P8
Resting P13 · P14 · P15 · P16
5 Round 5
Court 1
8P8
1P1
vs
3P3
9P9
Court 2
13P13
15P15
vs
24P24
12P12
Court 3
7P7
11P11
vs
23P23
10P10
Court 4
4P4
14P14
vs
22P22
5P5
Court 5
2P2
16P16
vs
6P6
21P21
Resting P17 · P18 · P19 · P20
6 Round 6
Court 1
16P16
7P7
vs
20P20
17P17
Court 2
12P12
13P13
vs
4P4
8P8
Court 3
10P10
19P19
vs
1P1
6P6
Court 4
5P5
14P14
vs
2P2
9P9
Court 5
18P18
3P3
vs
15P15
11P11
Resting P21 · P22 · P23 · P24
7 Round 7
Court 1
10P10
5P5
vs
17P17
18P18
Court 2
6P6
11P11
vs
13P13
20P20
Court 3
24P24
16P16
vs
14P14
22P22
Court 4
23P23
19P19
vs
21P21
8P8
Court 5
9P9
7P7
vs
12P12
15P15
Resting P1 · P2 · P3 · P4
8 Round 8
Court 1
20P20
19P19
vs
17P17
12P12
Court 2
16P16
18P18
vs
1P1
9P9
Court 3
14P14
15P15
vs
21P21
11P11
Court 4
4P4
3P3
vs
10P10
24P24
Court 5
22P22
2P2
vs
23P23
13P13
Resting P5 · P6 · P7 · P8

Who sits out — and why it’s fair

4 players sit out each round. Over an 8-round night that's 32 sit-outs shared across 24 players — about 1–2 each. PicklePal hands them out so nobody sits twice before everyone has sat once, and never two rounds in a row.

When the roster changes

+ One more shows up

At 25 players you stay on 5 courts; 5 now sit each round. In the live builder PicklePal folds the newcomer in from the next round — no restart.

- Someone has to leave

Down to 23? Still 5 courts, 3 sitting each round. PicklePal re-balances the remaining rounds so the leaver doesn't skew anyone's rest count.

Mixed levels or matched courts?

With 5 courts live you have a choice: keep one court for stronger players and another for newer ones (Competitive groups similar levels), or mix every game so everyone plays with everyone (Balanced). Either way PicklePal evens out team strength inside each game.

Want to use your real names, set skill levels, or handle someone arriving late? Open this setup in the live builder — it rebuilds instantly and you can score the session as you play.

Open in builder →

Questions

With 24 players and 5 courts, who sits out?

4 players sit out each round. PicklePal rotates rest so everyone sits the same number of times and never two rounds in a row.

How many different partners will each player get?

In this 8-round example, no pair repeats more than 1 time, so each player partners a wide mix of the group.

Learn the system

Other setups

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