How double elimination works.

Format. The tournament is doubles, maximum 16 teams, classic double elimination. All teams begin in the winners bracket. A team with one loss remains alive in the elimination bracket. A team with two losses is eliminated.

Match count. A true 16-team double-elimination tournament requires 30 or 31 total matches. It is 30 if the undefeated winners-bracket finalist wins the Grand Final. It is 31 if the elimination-bracket finalist wins the first Grand Final and forces a bracket reset. The winners bracket contains 15 matches. The elimination bracket contains 14 matches before the Grand Final.

Finish ranking. The bracket determines first and second directly. Lower placements are ranked by elimination order, then record and point differential on the live standings display. If the organizers want exact head-to-head placement for every lower position, that would require extra placement matches beyond classic double elimination.

Scoring. Each match is one game to 11, win by 2, using traditional pickleball side-out scoring unless organizers announce otherwise before play. Only the serving team scores points during normal play.

Pace and time cap. The competitor meeting is at 4:45 PM, play starts at 5 PM sharp, and awards are planned for 9:05 PM. With four courts and a 4-hour play window, a full bracket still needs quick starts, short warmups, fast score entry, and players ready when called. Games should move in 23 minutes or less. If no team has won by the 25-minute hard cap, the team currently leading wins the match. If the match is tied at the horn, play one deciding volley immediately; the winner of that volley wins the match, regardless of who served. Organizers may shorten warmups and call courts quickly to keep the tournament moving.

Water timeout. Once per match, either team may call one 1-minute timeout for water if needed. If one team calls that timeout, it counts as the only water break allowed during that game for both teams.

Windy-court side switch. If wind materially affects play, the referee or organizer may announce before or during a match that teams will switch sides after either team reaches 6 points. The switch should happen quickly so the match keeps moving.

Equipment. Each player must bring their own paddle. Official tournament balls will be used for all tournament games.

Seeding. Initial seeding is a blind random draw from paid teams. If fewer than 16 teams are present, byes may be assigned automatically so the bracket can still flow through the 16-slot structure.

Court staging. There are four courts. The first priority is to give every present team its first winners-bracket match as quickly as possible. After all first-round winners-bracket games are complete or advanced by bye, organizers should normally run up to two winners-bracket matches and two elimination-bracket matches at a time. If one side of the bracket is blocked, organizers may use open courts for any ready match.

Finals. The winners-bracket champion enters the Grand Final with zero losses. The elimination-bracket champion enters with one loss. If the winners-bracket champion wins the Grand Final, the tournament is over. If the elimination-bracket champion wins the Grand Final, both teams now have one loss and a reset final is played.

Organizer discretion. BLKLST may adjust court assignments, warmup time, scoring, match timing, prize handling, or bracket operations for weather, safety, darkness, court availability, late arrivals, disputes, or time constraints. Control-page bracket output is the official working tournament record unless Liam/Ethan/Todd correct it.

For normal play rules, BLKLST will use the USA Pickleball Basic Rules Summary as the baseline. If BLKLST needs to modify timing, court staging, or bracket operations to finish the event safely inside the 5-9 PM window, the event-specific rules above control.

Serving. Serves are made diagonally crosscourt into the opposite service court. Only one serve attempt is allowed per server. The server must start behind the baseline and stay inside the imaginary sideline and centerline extensions at contact. A legal volley serve uses an upward arm motion, contact below the waist, and paddle head below the wrist at contact; a drop serve is also allowed.

Traditional side-out scoring. We are using traditional side-out scoring unless BLKLST announces otherwise before play. Only the serving team scores points. In doubles, both partners normally get a chance to serve before side-out, except that the opening service sequence of each game starts with only one server.

Server position. The first serve after a side-out starts from the right side. When the serving team scores, the server switches sides and serves again from the other side. The starting server's position tracks the team score: right side on even scores and left side on odd scores.

Two-bounce rule. After the serve, the receiving team must let the ball bounce before returning it. Then the serving team must let that return bounce before hitting it. After those two required bounces, either team may volley the ball or play it after a bounce.

Non-volley zone. The non-volley zone, usually called the kitchen, is the seven-foot area on both sides of the net. Players may stand in the kitchen, but may not volley from there. It is also a fault if a volleying player's momentum carries them, their paddle, clothing, or anything they are wearing or carrying into the kitchen or onto its lines.

Lines and faults. Balls touching a line are in, except that a serve touching the non-volley-zone line is not a valid serve. Common faults include serving into the wrong area, hitting the net on a serve or return, volleying before both required bounces, hitting out of bounds, letting the ball bounce twice, touching the net while the ball is live, or being hit by the ball while it is in play.

First serve, side, or receive. Any fair method may be used to decide which team chooses first serve, first receive, or side. BLKLST may use coin flip, paddle spin, score-sheet draw, or another quick fair method at the court.