Beat the Box
Beat the Box splits players into boxes of four, one per court. Each box plays all three partner combinations over three rounds. Then the box winner moves up one court and the last player moves down, and a new cycle begins.
- Players
- Multiples of 4 (one box per court)
- Best for
- Club nights with many courts and a sense of progression.
How does Beat the Box work?
- 1Players are drawn into boxes of four; box 1 is the top court.
- 2Within a box everyone partners everyone once (3 rounds).
- 3After the cycle, the box winner moves up and the last player moves down.
How is Beat the Box scored?
Individual points; box standings use points in the last cycle.
Example: 8 players on 2 courts
Round 1 is drawn at random. Every later round is drawn from the standings, so it depends on the results.
| Round | Court 1 | Court 2 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Player 8 & Player 5vsPlayer 3 & Player 1 | Player 2 & Player 7vsPlayer 4 & Player 6 |
Tips
- Two cycles (6 rounds) is a good 2-hour session.
Frequently asked questions
- What happens in the top box?
- The winner of the top box stays there, and the last player of the bottom box stays at the bottom.
Updated 24 September 2026 · Markdown