PicklePal
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27 players, 6 courts

With 27 players and only 6 courts, 3 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
27 · 6
Sit out / round
3
Games / player
7–8
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 30 4.4
90 min 7 42 6.2
120 min 10 60 8.9

Sample 8-round rotation

3 sitting out each round, on a fair rotation.

1 Round 1
Court 1
23P23
17P17
vs
13P13
25P25
Court 2
10P10
4P4
vs
27P27
5P5
Court 3
16P16
9P9
vs
11P11
20P20
Court 4
15P15
14P14
vs
24P24
7P7
Court 5
22P22
8P8
vs
6P6
21P21
Court 6
18P18
12P12
vs
26P26
19P19
Resting P1 · P2 · P3
2 Round 2
Court 1
10P10
2P2
vs
9P9
14P14
Court 2
7P7
15P15
vs
22P22
23P23
Court 3
11P11
13P13
vs
21P21
25P25
Court 4
18P18
24P24
vs
17P17
8P8
Court 5
27P27
1P1
vs
12P12
19P19
Court 6
3P3
26P26
vs
16P16
20P20
Resting P4 · P5 · P6
3 Round 3
Court 1
12P12
11P11
vs
14P14
2P2
Court 2
13P13
21P21
vs
18P18
20P20
Court 3
4P4
26P26
vs
25P25
23P23
Court 4
10P10
5P5
vs
22P22
19P19
Court 5
3P3
27P27
vs
15P15
24P24
Court 6
16P16
17P17
vs
6P6
1P1
Resting P7 · P8 · P9
4 Round 4
Court 1
25P25
5P5
vs
21P21
18P18
Court 2
22P22
6P6
vs
26P26
14P14
Court 3
13P13
20P20
vs
19P19
24P24
Court 4
2P2
1P1
vs
4P4
7P7
Court 5
16P16
3P3
vs
8P8
27P27
Court 6
17P17
9P9
vs
15P15
23P23
Resting P10 · P11 · P12
5 Round 5
Court 1
25P25
4P4
vs
20P20
9P9
Court 2
26P26
6P6
vs
10P10
1P1
Court 3
12P12
22P22
vs
8P8
24P24
Court 4
27P27
19P19
vs
11P11
2P2
Court 5
5P5
21P21
vs
3P3
17P17
Court 6
18P18
16P16
vs
7P7
23P23
Resting P13 · P14 · P15
6 Round 6
Court 1
13P13
10P10
vs
11P11
4P4
Court 2
15P15
27P27
vs
8P8
21P21
Court 3
9P9
25P25
vs
7P7
6P6
Court 4
20P20
23P23
vs
22P22
14P14
Court 5
26P26
24P24
vs
2P2
19P19
Court 6
3P3
5P5
vs
1P1
12P12
Resting P16 · P17 · P18
7 Round 7
Court 1
24P24
12P12
vs
6P6
23P23
Court 2
25P25
18P18
vs
16P16
10P10
Court 3
14P14
11P11
vs
4P4
1P1
Court 4
9P9
3P3
vs
17P17
22P22
Court 5
13P13
7P7
vs
26P26
27P27
Court 6
5P5
2P2
vs
8P8
15P15
Resting P19 · P20 · P21
8 Round 8
Court 1
27P27
9P9
vs
26P26
18P18
Court 2
2P2
13P13
vs
6P6
5P5
Court 3
10P10
21P21
vs
1P1
7P7
Court 4
20P20
12P12
vs
11P11
15P15
Court 5
25P25
14P14
vs
3P3
8P8
Court 6
19P19
16P16
vs
4P4
17P17
Resting P22 · P23 · P24

Who sits out — and why it’s fair

3 players sit out each round. Over an 8-round night that's 24 sit-outs shared across 27 players — about 0–1 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 28 players you stay on 6 courts; 4 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 26? Still 6 courts, 2 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 6 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 27 players and 6 courts, who sits out?

3 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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