8 person doubles round robin

[ErikNL]

Hi everyone.
I am looking to organize a Padel tournament in which I would like 8 players to all play 7 doubles matches (all 7 matches with a different team mate) against another couple.
What I would like to create is a playing schedule on 2 courts where:
- each player plays 7 matches
- in all 7 matches of each player they form a couple with a different player
- all 8 players compete against the other 7 players 2 times

So example of the first 2 match rounds:

Round 1:
Court A: P1 and P2 vs P3 and P4, Court B: P5 and P6 vs P7 and P8

Round 2:
Court A: P1 and P7 vs P2 and P6, Court B: P3 and P8 vs P4 and P5

In this example P5 and P8 have already faced each other twice, so they cannot face each other anymore. They do still have to form a couple together in one of the remaining rounds.

Who can help me with the solution?
I've searched on Google, but no perfect solution yet. The 'facing each player exactly twice' is the biggest challenge.

 

[Cubist]

I found a solution by writing a computer program. Here is one solution:-

   1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
1  . a b c d e f g
2  . . h i b j k f
3  . . . a l m e n
4  . . . . k g n l
5  . . . . . c m j
6  . . . . . . i h
7  . . . . . . . d
8  . . . . . . . .

Each matching pair of letters represents a single match. So match "a" is p1 & p2 VS p3 & p4. Match "b" is p1 & p3 VS p2 & p5, etc.

There could be an elegant way of forming a solution without using a computer. I'll give it some more thought, but for now your tournament can go ahead!

 

[ErikNL]

I found a solution by writing a computer program. Here is one solution:-

   1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
1  . a b c d e f g
2  . . h i b j k f
3  . . . a l m e n
4  . . . . k g n l
5  . . . . . c m j
6  . . . . . . i h
7  . . . . . . . d
8  . . . . . . . .

Each matching pair of letters represents a single match. So match "a" is p1 & p2 VS p3 & p4. Match "b" is p1 & p3 VS p2 & p5, etc.

There could be an elegant way of forming a solution without using a computer. I'll give it some more thought, but for now your tournament can go ahead!

Thanks so much for the quick reply. Let me write out the actual matches to be played.

 

[ErikNL]

I found a solution by writing a computer program. Here is one solution:-

   1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
1  . a b c d e f g
2  . . h i b j k f
3  . . . a l m e n
4  . . . . k g n l
5  . . . . . c m j
6  . . . . . . i h
7  . . . . . . . d
8  . . . . . . . .

Each matching pair of letters represents a single match. So match "a" is p1 & p2 VS p3 & p4. Match "b" is p1 & p3 VS p2 & p5, etc.

There could be an elegant way of forming a solution without using a computer. I'll give it some more thought, but for now your tournament can go ahead!

I think there is one thing that doesn't work yet here. I may not have stated that clearly in my request.
So in your overview, a represents the first match: P1/P2 vs P3/P4. This will be played on court A. But which match will be played on court B at yhe same time between players P5, P6, P7 and P8?
I need just 7 match rounds, with both courts used in each round.

 

[Cubist]

After a few code additions here's another schedule for you to check over. I think this one allows simultaneous court usage. Hopefully we'll get the right solution in the end!

   2 3 4 5 6 7 8
1  a c e g i k m 
2  . f d j g m l 
3  . . a l n h i 
4  . . . n k j h 
5  . . . . b c e 
6  . . . . . f d 
7  . . . . . . b 

 court 1   |   court 2
a 12 V 34  |  b 56 V 78
c 13 V 57  |  d 24 V 68
e 14 V 58  |  f 23 V 67
g 15 V 26  |  h 37 V 48
i 16 V 38  |  j 25 V 47
k 17 V 46  |  l 28 V 35
m 18 V 27  |  n 36 V 45

 

[ErikNL]

After a few code additions here's another schedule for you to check over. I think this one allows simultaneous court usage. Hopefully we'll get the right solution in the end!

   2 3 4 5 6 7 8
1  a c e g i k m 
2  . f d j g m l 
3  . . a l n h i 
4  . . . n k j h 
5  . . . . b c e 
6  . . . . . f d 
7  . . . . . . b 

 court 1   |   court 2
a 12 V 34  |  b 56 V 78
c 13 V 57  |  d 24 V 68
e 14 V 58  |  f 23 V 67
g 15 V 26  |  h 37 V 48
i 16 V 38  |  j 25 V 47
k 17 V 46  |  l 28 V 35
m 18 V 27  |  n 36 V 45

I think you got it! Thanks so much!