2v2 12 players, everyone plays each other at least once

[mccjamb]

Hi, I couldn't find this solution elsewhere on the forum and unfortunately I couldn't get the workbook to open for me (user error on my part I'm sure).  So, any way you have a solution for 12 players play against each other only once, on 3 courts?  No limit on rounds, but fewer the better.

Thanks!

[Ian Wakeling]

You can simply slice up the standard round-robin for 12 players.   So starting with the balanced schedule here, play 'Match 1', 'Match 2', 'Match 3' as a sub-round on the 3 courts, then play 'Match 4', 'Match 5' and 'Match 6' as a new sub-round on the same 3 courts.  So you will need 22 rounds to complete the round-robin.

[pbails]

Ian, is your answer different if the format is 2v2? 

[Ian Wakeling]

Apologies, my solution above is wrong. I read the OP's message and not the title!  As the format is doubles play it becomes a harder problem. I have recently shown a solution for 16 players where a minimal 8 round solution is possible.  Unfortunately this will not work for 12 players as the corresponding spouse avoiding schedule does not exist.  Clearly a whist schedule exists with 11 rounds and all opponents exactly twice, wether the minimal solution in 6 rounds is possible, I don't know.