Beat the Champion

Beat the Champion is a timed tournament format ideal for large groups with limited courts and fixed time constraints. At the start, a "champion" is assigned to each available court. Other players line up in queues beside the courts. Each challenger plays a single game against the champion. If the challenger wins, they become the new champion. If the champion wins, they stay. Players can move between court queues tactically. At the end of the allotted time, the player who has won the most games overall is the winner.

• Each court is assigned a starting champion.
• Players queue beside the court they wish to play on.
• The first player in the queue plays one game against the champion.
• If the challenger wins, they become champion and the former champion joins a queue.
• If the champion wins, they stay and the challenger rejoins a queue.
• Every player tracks their own total games won.
• Players can freely move between court queues.
• A final whistle is blown at the allotted time and the player with the most games won is the winner.

1. Set the time limit (45-90 minutes works well).
2. Assign starting champions to each court - choose strong players to make the first round exciting.
3. Distribute remaining players across the court queues.
4. Brief everyone: one game per turn, track your own wins, move queues freely.
5. Blow a whistle or announce when time is up.
6. Collect game tallies and announce the winner.

Open days, junior fun days, large groups with limited courts, events where players arrive at different times.

• Extremely simple to organise with minimal admin.
• The format self-regulates: weaker players naturally migrate to courts with less dominant champions.
• Not suitable for formal competitive events - it's inherently casual and fun.