Help / Leagues
Leagues
What is a ladder league?
A ladder is an ongoing competitive league played over multiple rounds. Players are ranked by points and grouped each round to play against others at a similar level. After each round, standings are recalculated and players move up or down the ladder.
What league formats are available?
- Rotating Doubles— Groups of 4 players. In each round, every player partners with 2 different people and plays 3 matches. Partners rotate so you play with (and against) everyone in your group.
- Singles— Groups of 2. Head-to-head matches each round.
- Fixed Doubles— Teams of 2 stay together all season. Groups rotate but partnerships are fixed.
How does the ranking system work?
Players start with a seed score (default 5000 points, decreasing by 10 per position). Each round, points are awarded based on:
- Match results — Win = +5 points, Loss = -5 points (configurable).
- Point differential — The margin of victory/loss is added to your score.
- Group position bonus — 1st in group = +5, 2nd = +2, 3rd = -2, 4th = -5.
- Absence penalty — Missing a round costs 20 points (configurable).
After each round, players are re-ranked by total points. Higher points = higher position.
What is score normalization?
To prevent scores from drifting too far apart over many rounds, the ladder can normalize (reseed) scores periodically. This compresses the gap between players while preserving relative rankings. Configurable via “normalize after N rounds.”
How are rounds generated?
An admin clicks Generate Round and sets the group size (default 4 for rotating doubles). The system groups players by their current ranking position, creates all the matches, and optionally assigns courts to each group.
What is a flex league vs a fixed league?
- Flex— The round stays open until the admin manually closes it. Players schedule their matches within the round window at their own convenience.
- Fixed— The round automatically closes when all matches have scores submitted. Play happens at a set time.
How do I submit my scores?
Go to the match page (from a notification or the Rounds tab on the event page). Enter your game scores separated by commas (e.g., “11, 9, 11”). Your opponent or an admin confirms the score.
What happens if I miss a round?
You receive an absence penalty (default -20 points) and your matches are not counted. If you know you will miss a round in advance, you can opt out by setting an opt-out date so you are excluded from grouping.
Can substitutes fill in?
Yes. Admins can add players to a substitute pool. When someone is absent, an admin swaps in a substitute for that round. Substitutes are flagged and their results do not affect long-term standings.
How do I close a round?
Admins click Close Round (calculate results). The system tallies all match results, applies bonuses and penalties, updates rankings, and opens the door for the next round to be generated.
Can I delete a round?
Admins can delete the most recent round if no scores have been submitted. If scores exist, a force-delete option is available, but it permanently removes those results.
Can I view my progression over time?
Yes. The Progressiontab shows a round-by-round history of each player's position, tracking movement up and down the ladder.
What are AI round recaps?
After each round is calculated, Q4Fun can automatically generate a witty, AI-powered recap of the round's results — highlighting big upsets, hot streaks, and close matches. Recaps also appear at the end of a tournament division when it's marked complete.
Requirements: AI recaps are available when your club is on the Club tier or higher, or when the event is generating Q4Fun revenue (paid registrations or paid divisions). Grassroots events on free-tier clubs will see a message that recaps are unavailable.
Club admins can regenerate a recap from the standings page if they want a fresh take.