PicklePal
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19 players, 4 courts

With 19 players and only 4 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
19 · 4
Sit out / round
3
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 20 4.2
90 min 7 28 5.9
120 min 10 40 8.4

Sample 8-round rotation

3 sitting out each round, on a fair rotation.

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

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 19 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 20 players you stay on 4 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 18? Still 4 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 4 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 19 players and 4 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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