The core idea
Players rotate so that, as far as possible, each person partners each other person once. After every game, both players on the winning side earn the result, and their individual totals decide the standings.
The classic pool of four
With four players, A, B, C and D, three games cover every partnership exactly once:
| Game | Side 1 | Side 2 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | A and B | C and D |
| 2 | A and C | B and D |
| 3 | A and D | B and C |
Each player plays three games, with three different partners, against every other player twice. One court, about an hour.
Bigger groups: the circle method
For more players, use the circle method. Write everyone around a circle with one player fixed in place. Pair players straight across the circle, then rotate everyone except the fixed player one step and pair again. Each rotation gives a fresh set of partners, and with an even number of players nobody repeats a partner until everyone has played with everyone.
If the number is odd, add a "bye" seat to the circle. Whoever lands opposite it sits that round, and the rotation makes sure the sit-outs are shared around.
How to score it
The simplest fair scoring is total points: each player adds up the points their side scored in every game they played. Wins can break ties. Two refinements are worth considering:
- Drop the lowest game. One bad partner draw should not end someone's day. Dropping each player's worst game makes the standings about consistency.
- Count byes fairly. If some players sat out a round and others did not, compare totals only after dropping a game, or average per game played.
Co-ed versions
A co-ed version pairs one man and one woman on every side. Rotate the men and women as two groups so each pair is mixed. If the numbers are uneven, the rotation does its best and some sides end up unmixed.
Playoffs: draw new partners
The top finishers advance. Since nobody came with a partner, the playoff pairs need making. Two fair ways:
- Hat draw. Draw partners at random. Exciting, and nobody can complain the pairs were rigged.
- Snake draft. Pair the top finisher with the last qualifier, second with second last, and so on. This evens out the teams so the playoff is close.
Then run a single-elimination bracket with the new pairs. In a co-ed event, pair a man and a woman.
King of the Court is something else
King or Queen of the Court is a different format: teams rotate on and off one court, winners stay on the "king" side, and challengers come in from the other. The Phil Dalhausser Beach Volleyball Association runs a competitive blind-draw version as a weekly league, with individual points carried across the season.
How Sideout handles it
Sideout's Swingers tournament format is a King or Queen of the Beach. Players sign up on their own, Sideout rotates partners with the circle method (co-ed if you want it), scores each player individually with an optional drop-lowest, then draws playoff partners by hat draw or snake draft into a single-elimination bracket. See rotating partner tournaments in Sideout.