Round Robin Schedule

A Round robin schedule is a draw format in which each participant plays against everyone in their division.

The round robin schedule lists all the participants in the division and lists their scheduled competition times next to their name. The schedule by player display is typically used for leagues and seasons and the round robin tournament brackets displayed by round is normally used for tournaments.

Just like with a Single elimination bracket, the better teams usually play the weaker teams in the early rounds of competition, and the top two teams play in the final round.

Different methods are used to determine final standings within a round robin schedule. Some events calculate winners based on matches won. When a tie occurs between two participants, the one winning when they verse each other breaks the tie and receives the higher place. When more than one participant is tied, games won minus games lost is the determining factor. When still tied, points scored minus points scored against determines the winner.

Another way to determine winners of a round robin schedule is with a points system. Participants are awarded points based on winning a game, a match, or scoring more. Total points would determine the final standings with this option.

The round robin schedule is used for leagues, seasons, and tournaments.

Advantages:

Many consider a round robin schedule the fairest way to determine final standings for a group of competitors. Everyone plays everyone else in the division and is not eliminated with one loss.

Also lower skill level players moving up to a harder division have a chance to play the better players without getting eliminated early.

A stronger team that has a bad performance in an early round also has a chance to make continue competing and win first place

Disadvantages:

The round robin schedule takes a lot of matches to complete since everyone in the division has to compete against each other. A pool play group schedule can be used instead to have less matches.

Players losing in multiple matches early have no chance to win first place, which sometimes makes later rounds meaningless to play.

If fans are coming to watch a final showcase match, the final match may not be for first and second place if the teams playing had an earlier loss.