Round-robin
Everyone plays everyone
In a round-robin pool every team plays every other team once. A pool of n teams needs n × (n − 1) / 2 games: 3 games for a pool of 3, 6 for a pool of 4, 10 for a pool of 5. Every team is guaranteed several games, which players like, but the game count grows fast with pool size.
- Pool of 3: 3 games, 2 per team
- Pool of 4: 6 games, 3 per team
- Pool of 5: 10 games, 4 per team
Knockout
Win or go home
A straight knockout with n teams needs n − 1 games to find a winner: 15 games for 16 teams. It is the shortest format, but half the teams play only once.
Hybrid
Pools, then knockout
Most 3x3 events combine the two: teams play a pool first, then the best teams go into a knockout bracket. It guarantees every team a few games and still ends with a final. The catch for organisers is that the knockout games are only known once the pools finish, so courts and referees have to be planned before the teams are.
Choosing
Which format fits your event
Count your court slots first. If you have more slots than games, a hybrid with bigger pools gives teams more games. If you are short, use smaller pools or go to knockout earlier.
Where RefManager fits
Setting up the format
In RefManager 3x3 you choose round-robin, knockout or hybrid per tournament, map categories to courts and set the game length, then schedule referees for every game.
FAQ
Questions
Which format is most common in 3x3?
Pools followed by a knockout round, so every team gets several games and the event still ends with a final.
How many games does a pool of 4 need?
Six: every team plays the other three once.
Can different categories use different formats?
Plan each category separately: a small youth category might play a single pool, while a large open category needs pools and knockout.
Your turn
See it with a schedule like yours
Tell us how many tournaments and referees you have, and we’ll show you RefManager 3x3 on a setup that looks like yours.
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