Which format should you run? Here's every option, in plain English — what it is, who it's for, and a free tool to build it.
Everyone plays everyone. The fairest format for small groups (4–16), because every entrant gets the same number of games and results reflect overall play, not one bad match. Longer than a bracket. Great for leagues and club nights.
→ Round robin generator · how to run one
Lose once, you're out. Fast and decisive — ideal for large fields or tight time windows. The downside: one off-game ends your day, and lower seeds may only get one match. Byes go to top seeds when the count isn't a power of two.
→ Bracket generator
Lose twice to be out. The most forgiving knockout: a first loss drops you to a losers bracket instead of ending your event. More games (~2× single elim) but far fairer, which is why most competitive tournaments use it.
→ Double-elimination generator
Round-robin pools, then a bracket. Split entrants into small pools that each play a round robin; the top finishers advance to a single- or double-elimination playoff. Combines round-robin fairness (everyone's guaranteed games) with a decisive knockout finish. The go-to for medium-to-large sanctioned events.
Rotating partners, individual scoring. A social mixer where your partner changes every round and you keep your own running point total — no fixed teams, no bracket. Inclusive and fun for club sessions.
→ Americano generator
Climb the rankings over time. Players challenge those ranked just above them; win and you move up. Runs continuously over weeks rather than in a single day — perfect for ongoing club competition and leagues.
Team vs. team. Inspired by Major League Pickleball: squads of players contest a series of lines (men's, women's, mixed doubles) with a tiebreaker if the team score is level. Great for club-vs-club and corporate events.
Not sure how long any of these will take? Use the tournament time calculator.
PlanMyPickle runs all of these — round robin, single/double elim, pools-to-playoff, ladders and MLP team play — with live scoring, standings, check-in and DUPR-sanctioned events.
Create your event free →From PlanMyPickle. Tools: round robin · bracket · double elim · Americano · time calculator.