Fixed-Partner Round Robin: Keep Your Partner

A fixed-partner round robin — some groups know it as Shuffle — is for players who came with a partner and want to keep them. You stay locked with one partner all session, and Pikel rotates the opponents so you're always facing someone new. It's the fixed-partner take on Mixer. This guide covers how it works and how to set one up.

What a fixed-partner round robin is

Fixed-partner round robin is the fixed-partner version of our most-played format. Partners stay together the whole time, taking on new opponents each round. Late arrivals slot right in, and you can run as many rounds as the court time allows.

Three things define it:

• Fixed Partners — you stay with your chosen partner the whole session.
• Total Flexibility — run as many rounds as you'd like with any number of teams or courts. Handles late arrivals.
• Ranked as a pair — wins first, then losses, head-to-head and point differential; since you're locked with one partner, the record is your pair's.

When a fixed-partner round robin fits

Fixed-partner round robin is the format for a group that shows up in pairs. Reach for it when players have a regular partner they want to practice with, when you want to keep the same team together all night, or when people are trickling in and you need a format that absorbs late arrivals without a re-do. It runs for 4 to 32 players, in pairs, for as many rounds as your court time allows. If your group would rather mix partners every round, that's Mixer — Fixed-partner round robin is Mixer with the partner locked in.

How fixed partners work

In a rotating format your record is your own; in Fixed-partner round robin it belongs to your pair. Because you're locked with one partner all session, Pikel treats the two of you as a single team in the standings and ranks pairs by wins, then losses, then head-to-head, then point differential — so a strong pairing climbs together and a struggling one figures it out together. Only the opponents shuffle: each round, Pikel reassigns which team you face while keeping every partnership intact. That's what lets a late-arriving pair drop straight into the next round without disturbing anyone else's partner.

Step 1 — Create the game and pick Fixed-partner round robin

Open the Create tab and choose One game — or Weekly games if this is your regular night. On the format step, pick Fixed-partner round robin from the format guide. It runs for 4 to 32 players, in pairs.

Step 2 — Set courts and let players pair up

Set your court count and real court numbers. Because Fixed-partner round robin is a fixed-partner format, players pair up — Pikel keeps each confirmed pair together the whole session and rotates only their opponents.

Step 3 — Invite teams and fill the game

Share the game and let pairs RSVP. Fair RSVP gives every team a shot at limited spots, and because Fixed-partner round robin handles late arrivals, a new pair can slot in even after you've started.

Step 4 — Generate rounds and play

Open the Rounds tab and tap Start Game. Pikel keeps every pair intact and reassigns opponents each round. Run as many rounds as your court time allows — there's no fixed cap.

Step 5 — Score courtside and track standings

Enter scores at the net — winning number, loser's number, one tap to confirm. Mistype one and the host can reopen the match to fix it. Standings rank each pair by wins, then losses, head-to-head and point differential, live, with a podium for the top three teams.

Pro tip

Perfect when you have a regular partner you want to practice with.