Americano for 14 players on 3 courts
With 14 players a perfect rotation is mathematically impossible, because 14 × 13 ÷ 4 isn’t a whole number of matches. This schedule covers 91 of the 91 possible partnerships in 16 rounds, with no pair together more than 2 times. Each round uses 3 courts, so 12 people play and 2 sit out.
Opens the organiser with 14 placeholder players. Swap in real names and keep the same rotation.
The schedule
Numbers are players: write your names next to them, or start it in the organiser to fill them in. “1 & 4 v 2 & 3” means players 1 and 4 play players 2 and 3.
| Round | Court 1 | Court 2 | Court 3 | Sits out |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 & 1 v 11 & 6 | 5 & 9 v 8 & 3 | 13 & 10 v 2 & 14 | 7, 12 |
| 2 | 8 & 12 v 6 & 14 | 13 & 4 v 10 & 9 | 2 & 3 v 7 & 1 | 5, 11 |
| 3 | 4 & 10 v 7 & 3 | 13 & 14 v 5 & 6 | 11 & 12 v 9 & 2 | 1, 8 |
| 4 | 6 & 13 v 11 & 3 | 9 & 7 v 5 & 1 | 8 & 4 v 12 & 2 | 10, 14 |
| 5 | 13 & 9 v 7 & 2 | 10 & 11 v 8 & 5 | 3 & 1 v 14 & 12 | 4, 6 |
| 6 | 8 & 1 v 4 & 7 | 5 & 2 v 12 & 6 | 9 & 11 v 14 & 10 | 3, 13 |
| 7 | 1 & 13 v 10 & 8 | 4 & 6 v 14 & 5 | 11 & 7 v 12 & 3 | 2, 9 |
| 8 | 12 & 1 v 5 & 13 | 4 & 9 v 6 & 7 | 14 & 3 v 2 & 11 | 8, 10 |
| 9 | 1 & 6 v 10 & 2 | 8 & 14 v 3 & 9 | 4 & 11 v 12 & 13 | 5, 7 |
| 10 | 12 & 9 v 10 & 1 | 5 & 7 v 14 & 11 | 13 & 3 v 6 & 8 | 2, 4 |
| 11 | 12 & 7 v 10 & 6 | 8 & 9 v 4 & 14 | 1 & 2 v 5 & 3 | 11, 13 |
| 12 | 6 & 9 v 8 & 11 | 3 & 4 v 10 & 5 | 7 & 14 v 2 & 13 | 1, 12 |
| 13 | 12 & 5 v 8 & 7 | 13 & 11 v 9 & 1 | 3 & 10 v 2 & 4 | 6, 14 |
| 14 | 1 & 14 v 4 & 12 | 2 & 6 v 13 & 8 | 5 & 11 v 10 & 7 | 3, 9 |
| 15 | 4 & 5 v 2 & 8 | 7 & 13 v 11 & 12 | 9 & 14 v 6 & 3 | 1, 10 |
| 16 | 11 & 1 v 4 & 8 | 2 & 5 v 7 & 9 | 3 & 14 v 12 & 10 | 6, 13 |
How fair it is
- Partnerships covered
- 91 / 91
- Most times with the same partner
- 2
- Times against each opponent
- 1–4
- Matches per player
- 13–14
- Rounds sitting out per player
- 2–3
- Back-to-back sit-outs
- 0
How long it takes
Rule of thumb: about 35 seconds per point plus 2 minutes to change ends and courts. Real games vary with level and serving rules.
| Points per match | Per round | All 16 rounds | Rounds in 90 min | Rounds in 2 h |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | 12 mins | 3 hrs 12 mins | 7 | 10 |
| 21 | 15 mins | 4 hrs | 6 | 8 |
| 24 | 16 mins | 4 hrs 16 mins | 5 | 7 |
| 32 | 21 mins | 5 hrs 36 mins | 4 | 5 |
Booked for less time than the full rotation? Play the first rounds: the schedule is ordered so match counts stay within one of each other whenever you stop.
Player by player
| Player | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matches | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 14 |
| Sits out | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
What 14 players means in practice
Over the full rotation each player plays 13–14 matches (about 3 hrs 44 mins of play at 24 points). Rounds sitting out per player: 2–3.
If one player cancels, 13 players on 3 courts need 13 rounds (everyone partners everyone once). If one more joins, 15 players on 3 courts need 18 rounds (partners rotate with few repeats).
Questions organisers ask
How many rounds does an Americano with 14 players on 3 courts take?
16 rounds for the full rotation, with 3 courts in use each round. At 24 points per match that is roughly 4 hrs 16 mins.
Does everyone partner everyone with 14 players?
Yes, everyone partners everyone at least once, but with 14 players a perfect rotation can’t exist, so some pairs team up twice (never more than 2 times). Sit-outs are spread evenly.
What if we have less time?
Play the first rounds in order. In 90 minutes of 24-point matches you fit about 5 rounds; in two hours about 7.
Running padel nights every week?
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