Template for a Round Robin

Templates for a round robin can no doubt be found everywhere, but if as a last resort you have to do it yourself here are some instructions.

This example is for a ten-player round robin but the same procedure works for any number.

First take a piece of paper and arrange the numbers for Round 1:

1 10

2 9

3 8

4 7

5 6

Here we have a diversion

The systematic description now goes as follows.
For Round 2 move number 10 (or whatever is the largest number) to the bottom right, and the number which had been anti-clockwise from it into its previous position:

x 1

x x

x x

x x

x 10

From that number keep writing the remaining numbers anti-clockwise:

2 1

3 9

4 8

5 7

6 10

For Round 3 move 10 back to the top right, and the number which had been anti-clockwise from it into its previous position:

x 10

x x

x x

x x

x 7

and from that number keep writing the remaining numbers anti-clockwise (after 9 the next is 1)

2 10

3 1

4 9

5 8

6 7

Now Round 4 is the same method as Round 2.

3 2

4 1

5 9

6 8

7 10

And Round 5 is the same method as Round 3.

3 10

4 2

5 1

6 9

7 8

Round 6:

4 3

5 2

6 1

7 9

8 10

Round 7:

4 10

5 3

6 2

7 1

8 9

Round 8:

5 4

6 3

7 2

8 1

9 10

And Round 9:

5 10

6 4

7 3

8 2

9 1

I find the following need less thought, because it's easier to work out what to do in odd-numbered rounds.
For even numbered rounds move number 10 (or whatever is the largest number) to the bottom right (you don't need to remember which is an even-numbered round, just those where 10 can be dropped down), and slide the number which 10 has just played into its previous position:

x 1

x x

x x

x x

x 10

From that number keep writing the remaining numbers anti-clockwise - so far similar to the previous method:

2 1

3 9

4 8

5 7

6 10

For odd-numbered rounds move 10 back to the top right, and leave the left-hand numbers in place:

2 10

3 x

4 x

5 x

6 x

and fill in the remaining numbers in the obvious way

2 10

3 1

4 9

5 8

6 7

Now Round 4 is the same method as Round 2.

3 2

4 1

5 9

6 8

7 10

And Round 5 is the same method as Round 3.

3 10

4 2

5 1

6 9

7 8

Round 6:

4 3

5 2

6 1

7 9

8 10

Round 7:

4 10

5 3

6 2

7 1

8 9

Round 8:

5 4

6 3

7 2

8 1

9 10

And Round 9:

5 10

6 4

7 3

8 2

9 1

For odd-numbered rounds the player on the left gets White and the right-hand player gets Black; in even-numbered rounds the reverse. Don't forget this bit.

A couple of other notes

1. If you have an uneven number of players, number 10 (or the largest number) is the bye.

2. Assign numbers by lot, not by top seed = 1 etc. There are several drawbacks to using seed numbers: numbers 1-5 get the extra White, number 1 gets White against number 2, and number 1 plays 2, 3 and 4 in the first four rounds so the tournament may be decided by half-way.

Return to Ian's page.

Updated 20 January 2004