To use: Assign each team a number, 1, 2, 3, etc. To be fair, draw these number assignments from a hat or other random method. Note that if there is an odd number of teams (3, 5, 7, etc.), add a “bye” to make the number of teams even. Thus, one team will have a “bye” each night. That is, they will not play that night. Leagues should always try for an even number of teams per division to reduce the number of “byes”.

Each column represents one night of league play. The number of matches per round is the number of teams divided by two. The number of rounds in a round robin is the number of teams (including a “bye” if necessary) less one. (Don’t forget that a team doesn’t play itself.) For example, using the 5-team bracket, on the first night of the league, Team 1 draws a “bye”, Team 2 plays Team 5 and Team 3 plays Team 4. Go to the next column for the second night of league play, etc. Repeat the bracket as many times as desired to make the season longer.

For tournament use, the same method applies, except that all rounds are played immediately, one after another. For singles play, each number would represent an individual instead of a team.

Below are examples of bracketing schedules for four (4) to eight (8) teams. The best way to set up each round is to put either Team 1 or the “bye” in the first position and then rotate around the first position each round.

Four Team Bracket :
1 – 4	1 – 3	1 – 2
2 – 3	4 – 2	3 – 4

Five Team Bracket :
1 – bye	1 – 5	1 – 4	1 – 3	1 – 2
2 – 5	bye – 4	5 – 3	4 – 2	3 – bye
3 – 4	2 – 3	bye – 2	5 – bye	4 – 5

Six Team Bracket :
1 – 6	1 – 5	1 – 4	1 – 3	1 – 2
2 – 5	6 – 4	5 – 3	4 – 2	3 – 6
3 – 4	2 – 3	6 – 2	5 – 6	4 – 5

Seven Team Bracket :
1 – bye	1 – 7	1 – 6	1 – 5	1 – 4	1 – 3	1 – 2
2 – 7	bye – 6	7 – 5	6 – 4	5 – 3	4 – 2	3 – bye
3 – 6	2 – 5	bye – 4	7 – 3	6 – 2	5 – bye	4 – 7
4 – 5	3 – 4	2 – 3	bye – 2	7 – bye	6 – 7	5 – 6

Eight Team Bracket :
1 – 8	1 – 7	1 – 6	1 – 5	1 – 4	1 – 3	1 – 2
2 – 7	8 - 6	7 – 5	6 – 4	5 – 3	4 – 2	3 – 8
3 – 6	2 – 5	8 – 4	7 – 3	6 – 2	5 – 8	4 – 7
4 – 5	3 – 4	2 – 3	8 – 2	7 – 8	6 – 7	5 – 6

Notice how Team 1 stays in the top left-hand position and the other teams rotate down the left column and up the right column.

The number sequence used to construct the brackets is fairly obvious and can be easily extended to work for almost any number of teams. However, most leagues assign teams to divisions of eight (8) teams or less to allow for different skill levels. Also, with more than eight (8) teams, the league seasons start to get pretty long, assuming that the bracket is played at least twice per season.