MCTA Drop-In Play (rev 4/8/22)
MCTA sessions feature a varying number of players arriving and departing during a typical session of play. This does present some challenges in organizing play to accommodate:
- varying numbers of players
- keep off-court periods reasonably brief, and
- present competitive challenge for time on court.
Our current generally accepted procedures are guidelines – but work rather well in most situations.
Play Session Management
Two basic play-management principals, termed Standard Play, apply for any number of participants using one or more courts:
- 4-game sets using No-Add scoring with each player serving once and a 1-point tie-break to resolve 2-2 results
- Winning pair splits and stays on the same court – other (standby) player(s) replace one or both of the losing pair
Players arriving or departing pose little or no disruption with these two basic points. Five or seven players present the more problematic situations. With eight or more players, two courts are active, and the added play-management issue of coordinating changes of players among the courts and the standbys arises.
Any given specific number of players and number of courts may have a solutions of play management appealing to each individual. Among the advantages of Standard Play as a guiding principal are: (1) adaptability to varying numbers of players during the session, and (2) simplicity – easily understood by all participants.
Consider some examples with specific numbers –
Six Players – Standard Play supports a “natural” style of play with six players: Winners split and stay; standbys go on-court; losers sit down.
Four Players – choose whatever style of play the four agree upon. However, if additional players are expected to arrive soon, Standard Play seems a good choice.
Five Players – using Standard Play here the only issue to be addressed is “Which loser stays and which sits?” – spin racquets if necessary.
Discussion: We have often used a five-player pattern of play that rotates players every game with the server being replaced by the standby. Many players (e.g. myself) have found dissatisfaction with this routine. The perpetual repeating lineup of same partners and opponents, and one-game encounters before each change, removes any ongoing sense of competition. Its chief virtue is that each player sits out for only one game rather than a 4-game set as in all other situations. If more players are expected soon, this does get everyone warmed up faster.
As an Option for 5 (or 6) players – one or both pairs on-court may use a 3 rd partner (team-of-3), rotating the 2 on-court players as they choose. Splitting a team-of-3 will be awkward for the ensuing set. However since all players present have an opportunity to agree to the movement rule (affecting only themselves) it should work. When a second court of players (9 or 10 in all) situation prevails the team-of-3 option leads to intractable problems in player movement. I’d strongly encourage limiting use of the option to the 5 or 6 players / one court situations.
Seven Players – this is the most awkward number. There are three standbys and one standby will have to remain a standby for a second 4-game set unless we violate the principle of “winners stay and split”. Reluctantly, Standard Play is my recommendation.
Discussion: If necessary, a racquet-spin may be needed to determine who remains on standby for a second set. Optimistically, if additional players arrive, a second court starts up. Also, standby players often choose to use another court for practice or warm up while waiting.
Eight or More Players – The above Standard Play procedures all extend readily to play on multiple courts. Now there is the added consideration of managing movement of players between courts and/or standby status. However, with two or more courts, most standby periods are likely to be of short duration for any given player. With exactly eight, it is recommended for the first court to finish to extends play with a “practice game” and await conclusion of play on the other court – to improve the mixture of opponents.
Movement of players between Courts
With 10 players (2 full courts with 2 standbys) – Whenever a 4-game set finishes on either court: winners split and stay; losers and standbys trade places; and on to a new set.
Discussion: One might ask “But, what if the other court is almost finished too?” – Answer: their winners split and stay and their losers trade with the standbys and on to the next set. – Note that the ensuing play on each court will have 2 new players along with the 2 split winners from the prior set.
Generalizing the procedure for movements between multiple courts (e.g. covering 9 and 11 player situations)-
When any court finishes a 4-game set –
- winners split-and-stay
- standby players replace the losers (or one loser, if there is only one standby)
- the “new” group either elects to
- start a fresh 4-game set,
- or decides to wait for another court to finish
In the latter event, the (splitting) winners stay, and the newly-activated pair proceeds to the other court to join with its (remaining and split-up) winners. The winners on the first court are joined by a combination of losers from the 2nd court and any standbys.
13 Players or more: No matter who is on standby, he/she will not have to wait long for play to finish on one of the courts
Synopsis
Players / Standbys / Courts / Player Movement
| P | S | C | Movement |
| 4 | 0 | 1 | Whatever the 4 agree to |
| 5 | 1 | 1 | standby replaces 1 of the losers (one side might use rotation among 3 players) |
| 6 | 2 | 1 | standbys replace losers (one or each side might use rotation among 3 players) |
| 7 | 3 | 1 | 2 standbys replace losers; 1 remains on standby |
| 8 | 0 | 2 | losers either (1) split, stay, and play; or (2) go to other court (and wait for play to finish) |
| 9 | 1 | 2 | standby replaces1 loser; then they either (1) split, stay, and play; or (2) go to other court (and wait for play to finish) |
| 10 | 2 | 2 | standby pair replaces losing pair and they either (1) split, stay, and play; or (2) go to other court (and wait for play to finish) |
| 11 | 3 | 2 | 2 of the 3 standbys replace losing pair and they either (1) split, stay, and play; or (2) go to other court (and wait for play to finish) |
| 12 | 0 | 3 | same as with 8 players – except, if they choose (2), they should go to the next court to finish |
| 13 | 1 | 3 | same as with 9 players – except, if they choose (2), they should go to the next court to finish |
| 4-Game sets in all cases | |||
| Winners always split and remain on same court for ensuing set of play | |||