Americano for 15 players on 3 courts
With 15 players a perfect rotation is mathematically impossible, because 15 × 14 ÷ 4 isn’t a whole number of matches. This schedule covers 104 of the 105 possible partnerships in 18 rounds, with no pair together more than 2 times. Each round uses 3 courts, so 12 people play and 3 sit out.
Opens the organiser with 15 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 & 15 v 14 & 6 | 8 & 9 v 3 & 10 | 5 & 7 v 13 & 1 | 2, 11, 12 |
| 2 | 3 & 15 v 5 & 12 | 4 & 9 v 11 & 2 | 1 & 6 v 8 & 10 | 7, 13, 14 |
| 3 | 9 & 12 v 6 & 8 | 11 & 15 v 7 & 2 | 1 & 10 v 14 & 13 | 3, 4, 5 |
| 4 | 3 & 13 v 15 & 14 | 2 & 12 v 7 & 1 | 8 & 5 v 11 & 4 | 6, 9, 10 |
| 5 | 14 & 5 v 9 & 2 | 6 & 4 v 13 & 7 | 3 & 12 v 10 & 11 | 1, 8, 15 |
| 6 | 8 & 11 v 15 & 13 | 3 & 9 v 1 & 4 | 2 & 5 v 10 & 6 | 7, 12, 14 |
| 7 | 11 & 7 v 10 & 14 | 15 & 6 v 1 & 3 | 2 & 13 v 8 & 12 | 4, 5, 9 |
| 8 | 7 & 12 v 9 & 5 | 10 & 4 v 1 & 15 | 2 & 14 v 13 & 8 | 3, 6, 11 |
| 9 | 11 & 3 v 1 & 2 | 15 & 5 v 9 & 7 | 6 & 12 v 4 & 14 | 8, 10, 13 |
| 10 | 11 & 14 v 5 & 6 | 3 & 8 v 4 & 7 | 9 & 10 v 13 & 12 | 1, 2, 15 |
| 11 | 8 & 4 v 5 & 10 | 9 & 14 v 15 & 7 | 2 & 6 v 1 & 12 | 3, 11, 13 |
| 12 | 14 & 1 v 12 & 11 | 3 & 4 v 10 & 13 | 6 & 7 v 8 & 15 | 2, 5, 9 |
| 13 | 13 & 9 v 11 & 1 | 10 & 7 v 2 & 4 | 5 & 3 v 12 & 14 | 6, 8, 15 |
| 14 | 13 & 5 v 15 & 2 | 8 & 14 v 1 & 9 | 7 & 3 v 11 & 6 | 4, 10, 12 |
| 15 | 8 & 2 v 3 & 6 | 12 & 10 v 5 & 11 | 15 & 9 v 13 & 4 | 1, 7, 14 |
| 16 | 12 & 4 v 7 & 14 | 10 & 15 v 1 & 8 | 6 & 13 v 2 & 3 | 5, 9, 11 |
| 17 | 8 & 7 v 1 & 5 | 15 & 12 v 9 & 11 | 2 & 10 v 14 & 4 | 3, 6, 13 |
| 18 | 12 & 2 v 15 & 8 | 13 & 11 v 14 & 3 | 6 & 9 v 10 & 5 | 1, 4, 7 |
How fair it is
- Partnerships covered
- 104 / 105
- Most times with the same partner
- 2
- Times against each opponent
- 1–4
- Matches per player
- 14–15
- Rounds sitting out per player
- 3–4
- 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 18 rounds | Rounds in 90 min | Rounds in 2 h |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | 12 mins | 3 hrs 36 mins | 7 | 10 |
| 21 | 15 mins | 4 hrs 30 mins | 6 | 8 |
| 24 | 16 mins | 4 hrs 48 mins | 5 | 7 |
| 32 | 21 mins | 6 hrs 18 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 | 15 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matches | 14 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 15 |
| Sits out | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
What 15 players means in practice
Over the full rotation each player plays 14–15 matches (about 4 hrs of play at 24 points). Rounds sitting out per player: 3–4.
If one player cancels, 14 players on 3 courts need 16 rounds (partners rotate with few repeats). If one more joins, 16 players on 3 courts need 20 rounds (everyone partners everyone once).
Questions organisers ask
How many rounds does an Americano with 15 players on 3 courts take?
18 rounds for the full rotation, with 3 courts in use each round. At 24 points per match that is roughly 4 hrs 48 mins.
Does everyone partner everyone with 15 players?
Not quite: with 15 players a perfect rotation can’t exist. This schedule covers 104 of 105 partnerships and spreads sit-outs 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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