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Scorium

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Rules

How each format is played, how it’s scored and how the standings are ordered. Tap a format to jump straight to it.

Formats

  • Americano

    New partner and new opponents every round. Everyone earns their pair’s points.

    • From 4 players
    • 2 courts
    • Fixed total 24

    How it’s played

    You play in pairs and the pair changes every round. Everyone scores on their own and whoever has the most points at the end wins, not whoever wins the most matches. With 8 players and 2 courts that’s 7 rounds: everyone plays with everyone else.

    Pairings
    They ignore the standings. If everyone fits on court, each player partners every other player once before any pair repeats. If not, the draw avoids repeating pairs and opponents as much as it can.
    Sit-outs
    If not everyone fits on court, sit-outs are shared out: between whoever has sat out most and whoever has sat out least, there is never more than one round of difference.
    Scoring
    By default, a fixed total of 24 points (16, 21 or 32 also work): a court’s score always adds up to that total, so you enter one number and the other fills itself in. Every player earns their pair’s points.

  • Mexicano

    After round one, pairs come from the standings: the ones on top play each other.

    • From 4 players
    • 2 courts
    • Fixed total 24

    How it’s played

    Like the Americano, but pairs depend on how you’re doing: the ones on top play each other. It rewards consistency and keeps matches close.

    Pairings
    The first round is random (or seeded by level). From the second, the standings are sorted and play goes in blocks of four: the top four on court 1, the next on court 2. Inside the block you pick the formula: 1+2 against 3+4 (the classic), 1+4 against 2+3 (closer) or 1+3 against 2+4. A pair can repeat if the standings call for it.
    Sit-outs
    If not everyone fits on court, sit-outs are shared out: between whoever has sat out most and whoever has sat out least, there is never more than one round of difference. You can compensate whoever sits out (see “Sit-outs and compensation”).
    Scoring
    By default, a fixed total of 24 points (16, 21 or 32 also work): a court’s score always adds up to that total, so you enter one number and the other fills itself in. Every player earns their pair’s points.

  • Mixicano

    Mixed Mexicano: every pair has one person from each group, round after round.

    • From 4 players
    • 2 courts
    • Fixed total 24

    How it’s played

    Mixed Mexicano: every pair has one person from each group (men and women, or strong and new: you decide the group when you add the players).

    Pairings
    Pairs with one person from each group are made first, then the courts follow the standings, as in the Mexicano. With uneven groups (5 and 3, say) some pair will end up unmixed: Scorium prioritises mixing, it doesn’t force it.
    Sit-outs
    If not everyone fits on court, sit-outs are shared out: between whoever has sat out most and whoever has sat out least, there is never more than one round of difference. Each group needs at least 2 people.
    Scoring
    By default, a fixed total of 24 points (16, 21 or 32 also work): a court’s score always adds up to that total, so you enter one number and the other fills itself in. Every player earns their pair’s points.

  • King of the Court

    Short rounds: winners move up a court, losers move down. The throne is at the top.

    • From 8 players
    • 2 courts
    • 8 rounds
    • 12 min per match

    How it’s played

    Court 1 is the throne. Short rounds (about 12 minutes): when they end, winners move up a court and losers move down. Ideal with 8 or more players and 2 or 3 courts.

    Pairings
    The first round is random (or seeded by level). After that, the pairs moving up and the ones moving down cross between courts and mix: every player changes partner.
    Sit-outs
    If not everyone fits on court, sit-outs are shared out: between whoever has sat out most and whoever has sat out least, there is never more than one round of difference.
    Scoring
    Timed, with a fixed number of rounds (8 by default). Everyone earns their team’s points and the final standings come from points.

  • Fixed pairs

    Pairs never change: everyone plays everyone, a single round-robin.

    • From 4 players
    • 1 court
    • Sets to 6

    How it’s played

    Pairs stay the same for the whole tournament. It’s a single round-robin: every pair plays every other pair.

    Pairings
    You choose the pairs when you add the players; if you don’t, they’re made in list order (1st with 2nd, 3rd with 4th, and so on). Each round matches pairs that haven’t met yet.
    Sit-outs
    With more pairs than fit on court (or an odd number), the extra ones sit out in turns until every pair has played every other.
    Scoring
    Sets by default: the first pair to reach 6 games wins. You can also play timed or to a fixed total.

  • Team Mexicano

    Fixed pairs with a Mexicano draw: the top teams play each other, round after round.

    • From 4 players
    • 2 courts
    • Fixed total 24

    How it’s played

    Each pair stays together all tournament. Every round the pairs are ranked and the ones at the top play each other: 1st against 2nd, 3rd against 4th, and so on. It rewards consistency and keeps matches even between fixed teams.

    Pairings
    You choose the pairs when you add the players (otherwise they follow the list order). Round 1 is random; from round 2 neighbouring teams in the standings meet. If the same match-up would repeat within the last few rounds, Scorium looks for the closest alternative; it only repeats when there is none.
    Sit-outs
    With more pairs than fit on court (or an odd number), pairs sit out in turns: those who have sat out least go first, and never two rounds in a row when it can be avoided.
    Scoring
    By default a fixed total of 24 points (also 16, 21 or 32), or by time. Both players of a pair earn the team’s points, so a pair always shows the same score.

  • Mixin

    Mixed Americano: every pair has one person from each group, ignoring the standings.

    • From 4 players
    • 2 courts
    • Fixed total 24

    How it’s played

    Mixed Americano: every pair has one person from each group, but ignoring the standings. Good for social sessions.

    Pairings
    Pairs rotate every round with one person from each group. The standings don’t decide who plays with whom or on which court.
    Sit-outs
    If not everyone fits on court, sit-outs are shared out: between whoever has sat out most and whoever has sat out least, there is never more than one round of difference. Each group needs at least 2 people.
    Scoring
    By default, a fixed total of 24 points (16, 21 or 32 also work): a court’s score always adds up to that total, so you enter one number and the other fills itself in. Every player earns their pair’s points.

  • Super Mexicano

    Mexicano with bonus points for playing on the top courts.

    • From 4 players
    • 2 courts
    • Fixed total 24

    How it’s played

    Mexicano with a prize for moving up: the top courts give extra points to everyone who plays on them, so moving up pays off even if you lose the match.

    Pairings
    Same as the Mexicano: a random first round, then blocks of four by standings, with the formula you choose.
    Sit-outs
    If not everyone fits on court, sit-outs are shared out: between whoever has sat out most and whoever has sat out least, there is never more than one round of difference.
    Scoring
    Fixed total of 24 by default. On top of that, each player earns a court bonus: the value you set times the number of courts below theirs, counting their own (with 3 courts and a bonus of 1: court 1 = +3, court 2 = +2, court 3 = +1). You choose from which round it counts.

  • Beat the Box

    Mini Americano in groups of four; the best move up a group.

    • From 8 players
    • 2 courts
    • 6 rounds
    • 12 min per match

    How it’s played

    Mini Americano in boxes of four players, one box per court. After each cycle of three rounds, the standings reshuffle everyone.

    Pairings
    Each box keeps its four players for three rounds, and the three possible pairings are played in them. At the end, the boxes are rebuilt from the standings: the top four together on court 1, and so on.
    Sit-outs
    A box keeps its three rotations, so if there are spare players, the same ones sit out until a box frees up. That’s on purpose: it balances within the box, not between boxes.
    Scoring
    Timed, with 6 rounds by default (two box cycles). Everyone earns their pair’s points.

  • Cup

    A group stage, then knockout rounds up to the final.

    • From 8 players
    • 2 courts
    • 7 rounds
    • 15 min per match

    How it’s played

    Two stages: group rounds, then knockout rounds up to the final.

    Pairings
    The group stage is a 4-round Americano by default. Then the knockout begins: pairs are made from the standings (the best against the worst), stay together as long as they win, and the bracket shrinks round by round. If a match ends level, nobody is out: both pairs play again.
    Sit-outs
    In the groups, like the Americano. In the knockout, whoever loses is out and doesn’t play again; sit-outs are no longer shared out.
    Scoring
    The groups earn points per player. In the knockout the match result rules: whoever wins goes through. The champion is the pair that wins the final, not the one with the most points.

  • Express

    Few rounds and short matches, for when time is tight.

    • From 4 players
    • 2 courts
    • 4 rounds
    • Fixed total 16

    How it’s played

    A compressed Americano for when time is short: 4 rounds and short matches.

    Pairings
    Same as the Americano: pairs rotating, ignoring the standings.
    Sit-outs
    If not everyone fits on court, sit-outs are shared out: between whoever has sat out most and whoever has sat out least, there is never more than one round of difference.
    Scoring
    A fixed total of 16 points by default (21, 24 or 32 also work). Every player earns their pair’s points.

  • Long

    The Americano pairing cycle, played twice: for a full day.

    • From 4 players
    • 2 courts
    • Fixed total 32

    How it’s played

    The Americano pairing cycle, twice. Made for a full day.

    Pairings
    Same as the Americano: pairs rotating, ignoring the standings. With a full field, everyone plays with everyone twice.
    Sit-outs
    If not everyone fits on court, sit-outs are shared out: between whoever has sat out most and whoever has sat out least, there is never more than one round of difference.
    Scoring
    A fixed total of 32 points by default (16, 21 or 24 also work). Every player earns their pair’s points.

  • Custom

    Start from an Americano and choose the time, the games or the sets yourself.

    • From 4 players
    • 2 courts
    • Fixed total 24

    How it’s played

    You start from an Americano and choose how it’s scored. It isn’t Mixin or Mixicano.

    Pairings
    Same as the Americano: new pairs every round, ignoring the standings.
    Sit-outs
    If not everyone fits on court, sit-outs are shared out: between whoever has sat out most and whoever has sat out least, there is never more than one round of difference.
    Scoring
    Fixed total, timed or sets, with whatever numbers you like. Every player earns their team’s points.

For every format

Scoring

You choose how each match is played when you create the tournament. In all three cases, every player earns their pair’s points.

Fixed total
Every match is played to a total number of points (16, 21, 24 or 32; 24 is the usual because it’s a multiple of 4 and the serve works out). You enter one team’s score and the other fills itself in.
Timed
Every round lasts a set time. When the alarm sounds, you enter the real score. All courts finish together and everyone rotates without waiting.
Sets
The first pair to reach the set’s number of games wins (6 by default). It’s the usual choice with fixed pairs. There’s no tie-break at 6–6.
Example with a fixed total of 24

Winning pair

15

+15 points for each player

Losing pair

9

+9 points for each player

Sit-outs and compensation

If there are more players than spots on court, some sit out each round. Sit-outs are shared so that between whoever has sat out most and whoever has sat out least there’s at most one round of difference. You choose this when you create the tournament:

None
Whoever sits out earns no points that round.
M+
Earns the average points of that round. It’s labelled in the standings.
Fixed
Always earns the same points, which you announce before starting.

Tiebreakers

The standings look at the first criterion; if two players are level, they move on to the next. This is the usual order and you can change it in the tournament’s advanced rules.

  1. Points. What each player earns, with the sit-out compensation.

  2. Difference. Points for minus points against.

  3. Wins. Matches won.

If they’re still level, they share the place and are ordered by name, A to Z.

You can also add head-to-head (only the matches among the tied players; if it is circular or they never met, the next criterion decides), points against (fewer is better) and average points per match in the tournament’s advanced rules.

Final phase

Optional in the points formats (Americano, Mexicano, Super Mexicano, Express, Long, Custom, Fixed pairs and Team Mexicano). After the rounds, the top players play a knockout; the table stays the points ranking and the podium comes from the bracket.

Who qualifies
The top 4 or top 8 players by the ranking and its tiebreakers (in pair formats, the best 2 or 4 pairs). With fewer people, top 8 becomes top 4.
Pairs
Fixed pairs stay as they are. When players play individually, balanced pairs are formed: in the top 4, 1st with 4th against 2nd with 3rd; in the top 8, 1st with 8th, 2nd with 7th, 3rd with 6th and 4th with 5th.
Bracket
Top 4: a single final. Top 8: semifinals (top seed against bottom seed) and a final, with a third-place match if you switch it on. A tie eliminates nobody: the two pairs play again. When there are fewer courts than matches they are played in turns, the final last.
Scoring and podium
Final-phase matches never add to the points table. The champion is the pair that wins the final, second place the pair that loses it, third place the winner of the third-place match (without one, the semifinal losers share third).
Corrections
Once the bracket is drawn you cannot change who wins a match while later rounds exist, nor correct a result from the rounds in a way that changes who qualifies or their seed. Undo those rounds first.
Top 16
The top 16 form eight pairs (1st with 16th … 8th with 9th); in pair formats, the top 8 pairs. They start with quarterfinals (1st v 8th, 4th v 5th, 2nd v 7th and 3rd v 6th), then semifinals and a final, with a third-place match if you turn it on. With fewer people it drops to top 8 or top 4.

Ready to play?

Pick a format and the players. You’re on court in under a minute.