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How Many Matches in a Round-Robin?
By The PB ScoreKeeper PRO Team, Pickleball tournament software team · Last reviewed 2026-08-04
A single round-robin, where everyone plays everyone once, has N x (N - 1) / 2 matches, where N is the number of players or teams. Six entrants play 15 matches, eight play 28, and ten play 45. Double those counts if every pairing plays twice (a double round-robin).
The quick answer: a single round-robin has N x (N - 1) / 2 matches, where N is the number of players or teams. Each entrant plays N - 1 matches, and dividing by two avoids counting the same pairing twice. For a double round-robin, where every pairing meets twice, multiply the total by two.
Key takeaways
- Single round-robin matches = N x (N - 1) / 2.
- Each entrant plays N - 1 matches.
- Double round-robin doubles the total: N x (N - 1).
- The same formula counts teams, not just individuals.
Round-robin size table
Total matches by field size (single round-robin)| Entrants (N) | Matches per entrant (N - 1) | Total matches | Double round-robin |
|---|
| 4 | 3 | 6 | 12 |
| 5 | 4 | 10 | 20 |
| 6 | 5 | 15 | 30 |
| 7 | 6 | 21 | 42 |
| 8 | 7 | 28 | 56 |
| 10 | 9 | 45 | 90 |
| 12 | 11 | 66 | 132 |
| 16 | 15 | 120 | 240 |
Turn match count into time and courts
Divide total matches by available courts and round up to get a lower bound on court waves, then check that no entrant is scheduled twice in the same wave. Add the expected match time and changeover time for each wave, plus warm-up and planned breaks. For example, eight entrants create 28 matches. On two courts that is at least 14 waves; at 18 minutes of play plus a 2-minute changeover, the lower-bound court block is 280 minutes, or 4 hours 40 minutes. The final rotation may take longer when players need more rest.
What the practice demo shows: The no-sign-up demo is a fixed four-player round-robin: six matches on two courts. You can score every match and watch the standings update, but nothing is saved and you cannot change the entrants or schedule. A free manager account is required to build your own event.
Big field? Split into pools: Beyond about twelve entrants a full round-robin runs long. Split the field into pools, play a round-robin inside each, then advance the top finishers to a bracket to keep the day a sensible length.
Practise scoring a fixed round-robin, no sign-up
Frequently asked questions
How many matches are in an 8-player round-robin?
28. Using N x (N - 1) / 2 with N = 8 gives 8 x 7 / 2 = 28 matches, and each player plays 7.
What is the formula for round-robin matches?
N x (N - 1) / 2 for a single round-robin, where N is the number of players or teams. For a double round-robin, where each pairing plays twice, it is N x (N - 1).
Does the formula change for doubles?
No. Count each fixed pair as one entry and use the same formula with N as the number of teams. Twelve teams play 66 matches.
How long does a round-robin take?
Divide the total matches by the number of courts and round up for a lower bound on court waves. Multiply by the expected match time plus changeover time, then add warm-up, breaks and any extra rest required by the rotation.
Related guides
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