6 players, one court: why do generators give different schedules?
With 6 players on one court, 4 play and 2 rest every round. Games only even up every 3 rounds, so a schedule of 4 or 5 rounds always leaves some players a game short. Play 3 or 6 rounds instead. In 6 rounds everyone plays 4 games, rests twice and never rests twice in a row.
Why do the schedules disagree?
An organiser on r/padel tried three generators for six players and got three answers: one player on five games while the rest had six, one on six while others had four, and four on five while two had four (r/padel, July 2024). None was broken. Each stopped at a number of rounds where equal games are impossible.
When do games even up?
Each round 4 play and 2 rest, so 4 games are shared among 6 people.
| Rounds | Games handed out | Games each |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 12 | 2 each |
| 4 | 16 | 2 or 3 |
| 5 | 20 | 3 or 4 |
| 6 | 24 | 4 each |
The total divides by 6 every 3 rounds, so play 3, 6 or 9.
What does a fair 6-round schedule look like?
This is Padelato's draw for 6 players on one court:
| Round | Match | Sitting out |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | P2 & P1 vs P6 & P5 | P4, P3 |
| 2 | P6 & P2 vs P3 & P4 | P5, P1 |
| 3 | P4 & P1 vs P5 & P3 | P2, P6 |
| 4 | P6 & P1 vs P4 & P2 | P3, P5 |
| 5 | P5 & P4 vs P1 & P3 | P6, P2 |
| 6 | P3 & P6 vs P5 & P2 | P1, P4 |
Everyone plays 4 games and rests twice, never two rounds in a row. No pair partners twice, so everyone partners 4 of the other 5. Partnering all five needs 5 games each, which takes seven and a half rounds.
Questions people ask
How many rounds should 6 players play in an Americano?
Three or six. Games even up every three rounds, so in six rounds everyone plays four games and rests twice. Four or five rounds always leave someone a game behind.
Can 6 players all partner each other once in an Americano?
Not with equal games. Each player has five possible partners, which needs five games each, or seven and a half rounds. In six rounds everyone partners four of the other five.
Why does one generator give a player more games than another?
It stopped at a number of rounds where games can't be equal. Any 4- or 5-round schedule for 6 players on one court leaves someone a game ahead.