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How to Set Up a Round Robin for 13 People

Round-robins are game schedules during which every team or individual plays each other. Forming round robins is easier when there are an even number of players or teams, but working with odd numbers, such as 13, is nonetheless possible. If scheduling a round robin for 13 people, you must create an imaginary player called a "bye" which serves as a placeholder. This means that one player will end up sitting out each round. Still, all players will have played each other when all rounds are complete.

Instructions

- 1
  Create a chart with 13 columns. Label each column so that each represents one of 13 rounds.
- 2
  Under each label, write down the match that places a bye against each player. List the word "bye" before listing the player number, and start with the 13th player in the first column. For example, the column labeled "Round One" will list the first match as bye vs.13. The column labeled "Round Two" will list the first match as bye vs.12.
- 3
  Focus on the first column. Including the first match against the "bye," you will have 7 rows. Starting under the number 13, list numbers 12 through 7 in descending order. Starting under the word "bye," at the bottom of the column directly across from the number 7, continue counting down with the number six. Place the number 5 above 6, and 4 above 5, and so forth until you reach the number 1. The number 1 will go in the second row, immediately under the word "bye." Write the "vs." symbol between the numbered pair in each row.
- 4
  Follow the same pattern when filling in the remaining columns. Begin with the number listed with the "bye" in the first row of each column. As the numbers descend and you reach the number 1, list the number 13 next and count down from there until all rows within each column are filled.

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