Round Robin League · Knockout Bracket · Rule 9.4 Tactical Flex · Day Schedule
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Total Teams | 10 teams — all 10 play simultaneously every round |
| Total RRL Rounds | 9 rounds (each team plays every other team exactly once) |
| Total RRL Matches | 45 matches (9 rounds × 5 matches per round) |
| Concurrent Matches | 5 per round — all 10 teams play every round |
| BYE Rounds | None — no team sits out in any round |
| Boards Required | 25 boards (5 concurrent matches × 5 boards per match) |
| Games per Match | 5 games (4 Singles + 1 Doubles) played simultaneously |
| Win Condition | Team winning 3 or more games wins the match |
| Match Points | Win = 2 match points · Loss = 0 match points · No draws |
T1–T10 are seeding codes assigned after the franchise auction and final roster lock. All 10 teams play every round — no byes.
| Rnd | Time | Match 1 | Match 2 | Match 3 | Match 4 | Match 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9:30–10:30 AM · Day 1 | T1 vs T10 | T2 vs T9 | T3 vs T8 | T4 vs T7 | T5 vs T6 |
| 2 | 10:45–11:45 AM · Day 1 | T9 vs T10 | T1 vs T8 | T2 vs T7 | T3 vs T6 | T4 vs T5 |
| 3 | 12:00–1:00 PM · Day 1 | T8 vs T10 | T9 vs T7 | T1 vs T6 | T2 vs T5 | T3 vs T4 |
| 🍽 LUNCH BREAK · 1:00 – 2:00 PM | ||||||
| 4 | 2:00–3:00 PM · Day 1 | T7 vs T10 | T8 vs T6 | T9 vs T5 | T1 vs T4 | T2 vs T3 |
| 5 | 3:15–4:15 PM · Day 1 | T6 vs T10 | T7 vs T5 | T8 vs T4 | T9 vs T3 | T1 vs T2 |
| ☕ EXTENDED BREAK · 4:15 – 4:45 PM | ||||||
| 6 | 4:45–5:45 PM · Day 1 | T5 vs T10 | T6 vs T4 | T7 vs T3 | T8 vs T2 | T9 vs T1 |
| 7 | 6:00–7:00 PM · Day 1 | T4 vs T10 | T5 vs T3 | T6 vs T2 | T7 vs T1 | T8 vs T9 |
| 8 | 7:15–8:15 PM · Day 1 | T3 vs T10 | T4 vs T2 | T5 vs T1 | T6 vs T9 | T7 vs T8 |
| 9 | 9:30–10:30 AM · Day 2 | T2 vs T10 | T3 vs T1 | T4 vs T9 | T5 vs T8 | T6 vs T7 |
✅ 45 unique matchups · ✅ Each team plays exactly 9 matches · ✅ All 10 teams play every round · ✅ No BYE rounds · ✅ 5 concurrent matches per round
| Priority | Tiebreaker Rule | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| T1 | Match Points | Total RRL match points: Win=2, Loss=0. No draws. |
| T2 | Head-to-Head Record | Direct match result between tied teams. |
| T3 | Net Games Won Differential | Total games won across all 9 RRL matches minus games lost. |
| T4 | Total Game Points Differential | Total carrom points scored minus conceded across all matches. |
| T5 | NAPCL Toss / Queen Center Cut | Formal toss or Queen Center Cut shootout conducted by NAPCL committee (if 2 teams are tied after all criteria). |
All 4 EQ matches run simultaneously on 20 boards (4 matches × 5 boards each). Seeds 1 and 2 auto-qualify to Titans. Eight seeds compete to determine the remaining 6 bracket positions.
| RRL Seed | EQ Match | KO Placement |
|---|---|---|
| Seed 1 | Auto-qualify — No EQ required | 🏆 TITAN T-1 (Top seed) |
| Seed 2 | Auto-qualify — No EQ required | 🏆 TITAN T-2 |
| Seed 3 | EQ1: Qualifying Match vs Seed 6 | Winner → TITAN T-3 · Loser → CHALLENGER C-1 |
| Seed 4 | EQ2: Qualifying Match vs Seed 5 | Winner → TITAN T-4 · Loser → CHALLENGER C-2 |
| Seed 5 | EQ2: Qualifying Match vs Seed 4 | Winner → TITAN T-4 · Loser → CHALLENGER C-2 |
| Seed 6 | EQ1: Qualifying Match vs Seed 3 | Winner → TITAN T-3 · Loser → CHALLENGER C-1 |
| Seed 7 | EQ3: Eliminator Match vs Seed 10 | Winner → CHALLENGER C-3 · Loser → Eliminated |
| Seed 8 | EQ4: Eliminator Match vs Seed 9 | Winner → CHALLENGER C-4 · Loser → Eliminated |
| Seed 9 | EQ4: Eliminator Match vs Seed 8 | Winner → CHALLENGER C-4 · Loser → Eliminated |
| Seed 10 | EQ3: Eliminator Match vs Seed 7 | Winner → CHALLENGER C-3 · Loser → Eliminated |
Both brackets run simultaneously. Titans compete for the Championship title + 3rd/4th Place. Challengers compete for the Challengers title. All Semi-Finals use 9-game format. All Finals use 15-game format.
| Phase | Total Games | Round Structure | Duration | Win Condition | Boards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EQ (Qualifier & Eliminator) | 5 | 4 Singles + 1 Doubles | 60 min | 3 or more games | 5 boards |
| Semi-Finals | 9 | R1: P1+P2 Dbl, P3+P4 Dbl, P5 Sgl, P6 Sgl R2: P1–P4 Singles, P5+P6 Dbl | 120 min | 5 or more games | 5 boards |
| Finals & 3rd/4th Place | 15 | R1: Cross singles + 1 Doubles R2: 4 Singles + P1+P2 Dbl R3: Cross singles + 1 Doubles | 180 min | 8 or more games | 5 boards |
All 6 player positions (P1–P6) are flexible for every match across all stages. Players are NOT locked to a specific position by tier grade. Instead, the tier grade limits which positions a player may occupy.
| Tier | Eligible Positions | Restriction |
|---|---|---|
| G1 (Captain) | P1, P2, or P3 only | Cannot play P4, P5, or P6 |
| G2 through G5 | Any position — P1 through P6 | No restrictions |
| G6 | P4, P5, or P6 only | Cannot play P1, P2, or P3 |
⚡ P3 and P4 ALWAYS play Doubles together — in every match type, every stage, no exceptions.
A fresh ballot (random draw) is conducted 10 minutes before each RRL and EQ match. The ballot determines all 6 position assignments (P1–P6) for that match. There is no carryover — each match is a completely clean slate.
| Position | Role | Eligible Tiers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| P1 | Singles 1 | G1, G2, G3, G4, G5 only | G6 excluded from P1, P2, P3 |
| P2 | Singles 2 | Any tier except G6 | G6 excluded from P1, P2, P3 |
| P3 | Doubles Player 1 | Any tier except G6 | ⚡ ALWAYS plays Doubles with P4 |
| P4 | Doubles Player 2 | Any tier except G1 | ⚡ ALWAYS plays Doubles with P3 |
| P5 | Singles 3 / Doubles | Any tier except G1 | G1 excluded from P4, P5, P6 |
| P6 | Singles 4 / Doubles | G2, G3, G4, G5, G6 only | G1 excluded; G6 eligible |
A single ballot is drawn before Round 1. This ballot locks all position assignments for the entire Semi-Final — no reshuffling between rounds.
| Round | Games | Match Structure |
|---|---|---|
| Round 1 | 5 games | P1 + P2 → Doubles together · P3 + P4 → Doubles together · P5 → Singles · P6 → Singles |
| Round 2 | 4 games | P1 → Singles · P2 → Singles · P3 → Singles · P4 → Singles · P5 + P6 → Doubles together |
A single ballot is drawn before Round 1. This ballot locks all positions for all three rounds — no reshuffling at any point during the Final.
| Round | Games | Match Structure |
|---|---|---|
| Round 1 | 5 games | P1 faces opposing P2 (cross) · P2 faces opposing P1 (cross) · P3 faces opposing P4 (cross) · P4 faces opposing P3 (cross) · P5 + P6 → Doubles |
| Round 2 | 5 games | P3 → Singles · P4 → Singles · P5 → Singles · P6 → Singles · P1 + P2 → Doubles together |
| Round 3 | 5 games | P1 faces same R1 opponent · P2 faces same R1 opponent · P5 faces opposing P6 (cross) · P6 faces opposing P5 (cross) · P3 + P4 → Doubles |
Applies to RRL only — not to EQ or any Knockout matches.
Each player must play a minimum of 2 Doubles games across all 9 RRL matches.
Each player may play a maximum of 7 Singles games across all 9 RRL matches.
This ensures every player participates in both game types throughout the RRL season. NAPCL tracks and publishes each player's running Singles and Doubles game count after every RRL round.
Total Doubles slots per team across 9 RRL rounds = 18 (2 per match × 9 rounds). With 6 players sharing 18 slots, there are 6 surplus Doubles slots for tactical variation.
| Position | Player Role | RRL (9 Rounds) | EQ Match | Semi-Finals | Finals & 3rd/4th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P1 | Singles 1 | FLEX ✦ Ballot (G1–G5 only) | FLEX ✦ Ballot | FLEX ✦ Ballot-Locked | FLEX ✦ Ballot-Locked |
| P2 | Singles 2 | FLEX ✦ Ballot (not G6) | FLEX ✦ Ballot | FLEX ✦ Ballot-Locked | FLEX ✦ Ballot-Locked |
| P3 | Doubles Pair A | ⚡ Always Doubles with P4 | ⚡ Doubles with P4 | Varies by Round | Varies by Round |
| P4 | Doubles Pair A | ⚡ Always Doubles with P3 | ⚡ Doubles with P3 | Varies by Round | Varies by Round |
| P5 | Singles / Doubles | FLEX ✦ Ballot (not G1) | FLEX ✦ Ballot | Varies by Round | Varies by Round |
| P6 | Singles / Doubles | FLEX ✦ Ballot (not G1) | FLEX ✦ Ballot | Varies by Round | Varies by Round |
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 8:30 – 9:30 AM | Player Check-In, Registration & Welcome |
| 9:00 – 9:30 AM | Opening Ceremony & Rules Briefing |
| 9:30 – 10:30 AM | RRL Round 1 — All 10 Teams (5 concurrent matches · 25 boards) |
| 10:30 – 10:45 AM | Break (15 min) |
| 10:45 – 11:45 AM | RRL Round 2 — All 10 Teams |
| 11:45 AM – 12:00 PM | Break (15 min) |
| 12:00 – 1:00 PM | RRL Round 3 — All 10 Teams |
| 1:00 – 2:00 PM | 🍽 LUNCH BREAK (60 min) |
| 2:00 – 3:00 PM | RRL Round 4 — All 10 Teams |
| 3:00 – 3:15 PM | Break (15 min) |
| 3:15 – 4:15 PM | RRL Round 5 — All 10 Teams |
| 4:15 – 4:45 PM | ☕ EXTENDED BREAK (30 min) |
| 4:45 – 5:45 PM | RRL Round 6 — All 10 Teams |
| 5:45 – 6:00 PM | Break (15 min) |
| 6:00 – 7:00 PM | RRL Round 7 — All 10 Teams |
| 7:00 – 7:15 PM | Break (15 min) |
| 7:15 – 8:15 PM | RRL Round 8 — All 10 Teams |
| 8:15 – 8:30 PM | Day 1 Provisional Standings Announced + Day 2 Preview |
| 8:30 PM + | 🎉 Dinner & Social Event |
| Time | Duration | Activity |
|---|---|---|
| 8:30 – 9:30 AM | 60 min | Player Check-In & Breakfast |
| 9:30 – 10:30 AM | 60 min | RRL Round 9 — FINAL LEAGUE ROUND (All 10 Teams, 5 concurrent · 25 boards) |
| 10:30 – 11:00 AM | 30 min | Break + Final RRL Standings Published & Seedings Announced |
| 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM | 60 min | ALL 4 EQ Matches simultaneously (20 boards · 4 × 5): EQ1: Seed 3 vs Seed 6 · EQ2: Seed 4 vs Seed 5 · EQ3: Seed 7 vs Seed 10 · EQ4: Seed 8 vs Seed 9 |
| 12:00 – 1:00 PM | 60 min | 🍽 LUNCH BREAK — Full KO Bracket Announced |
| 1:00 – 3:00 PM | 120 min | ALL 4 SEMI-FINALS simultaneously (20 boards · 4 × 5): Titan SF1 (T1 vs T4) · Titan SF2 (T2 vs T3) · Challenger SF1 (C1 vs C4) · Challenger SF2 (C2 vs C3) |
| 3:00 – 3:30 PM | 30 min | Break + Finals Preparation + Finalist Announcement |
| 3:30 – 6:30 PM | 180 min | 🏆 THE GRAND FINALS (15 boards · 3 × 5): Titan Final · Challenger Final · Titan 3rd/4th Place Match — all simultaneously |
| 6:30 – 6:45 PM | 15 min | Results Tabulation & Stage Setup |
| 6:45 – 7:30 PM | 45 min | 🏅 Awards Ceremony & Closing — Titans Champion · Challengers Champion · Trophies Presented |
| 7:30 PM + | — | 🎉 Celebration |
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Total Active Players | 60 players (10 teams × 6 players) |
| Number of Teams | 10 franchise teams |
| Players Per Team | 6: G1 + G2 + G3 + G4 + G5 + G6 |
| Salary Cap Per Team | 210 Points (hard cap during formation) |
| Core Team Baseline (Steps 1–2) | 110 Points: G1 (60) + G3 (40) + G6 (10) |
| Draft Fills Per Team (Step 3) | 3 Players: G2 (50) + G4 (30) + G5 (20) = 100 pts |
| Position System | Rule 9.4 Tactical Flex — ballot-based, tier-constrained |
| Maximum Trades Per Team | 2 (same-tier swaps only) |
| RRL Rounds | 9 rounds — all 10 teams play each round (no BYE) |
| RRL Matches Total | 45 matches (9 rounds × 5 concurrent matches) |
| RRL Player Constraint | Max 7 Singles / Min 2 Doubles per player across 9 rounds |
| Boards at Venue | 25 boards (RRL: 5×5 · EQ: 4×5 · SF: 4×5 · Finals: 3×5) |
| Franchise Auction | March 23 – April 4, 2026 (Live In-Person Show: US Nationals) |
| Trading Window | April 5 – April 15, 2026 (Midnight EST — No exceptions) |
| Tournament Dates | May 16–17, 2026 · Sausalito's Grand Ballroom, Cleveland, OH |
| EQ Matches | 4 simultaneous EQ matches on Day 2 (20 boards · 4 × 5) |
| Semi-Finals | 4 simultaneous SF matches (20 boards · 4 × 5 · 9 games · Win 5) |
| Finals | 3 simultaneous Final matches (15 boards · 3 × 5 · 15 games · Win 8) |
Sausalito's Grand Ballroom
10808 Granger Rd, Garfield Heights, OH 44125
Cleveland, Ohio · May 16–17, 2026