Trips (sometimes "Triples") is one of the fastest-growing pickleball formats — and one of the most fun to run. Three-player teams, three sub-matches per team match, every player gets to play in every match. It rewards depth over a single dominant duo, which is why clubs love it for league nights and members love it for "did anyone bring a friend?" chemistry.
Here's how to run a Trips event on Fluid.
What is Trips format?
A Trips team is three players. When two teams play a "team match," they play three sub-matches, with each player on the team partnering with a different teammate in each sub-match:
- Match 1: Player A + Player B
- Match 2: Player A + Player C
- Match 3: Player B + Player C
Each player plays in two of the three sub-matches; each pairing happens once. The team that wins the most sub-matches wins the team match. Some variants score by total points across sub-matches; Fluid supports both.
Sub-matches are typically played to 11 or 15 points, rally scoring, win-by-2 — short enough that you can stack three of them in a reasonable window.
Why directors like Trips
- Three players is easier to recruit than four. Smaller team size means more teams from the same player pool.
- Everyone plays. No bench, no subs, no "I drove an hour to watch."
- Faster pace. Three sub-matches to 11 fits in a tighter window than an MLP team match.
- Skill mixing. Pairings rotate, so the strongest player can't carry the whole match alone.
Step 1: Plan team count and structure
Common shapes:
- 6 teams → round robin (each plays each, 5 matches per team)
- 8 teams → two pools of 4, top 2 to playoff bracket
- 12 teams → three pools of 4, top 2 to playoff bracket
- 16 teams → four pools of 4, top 2 to single-elim bracket
Plan for ~60 minutes per team match (three sub-matches to 15, plus transitions). One court can host one team match at a time.
Step 2: Create the event
From your club dashboard, go to Events → Create → Tournament. Configure:
- Event name, dates, venue, registration window
- Bracket format: Triples
- Team size: 3
- DUPR caps: combined team rating (commonly capped at, e.g., 13.5 for a 4.5-and-under event)
- Sub-match scoring: typically to 11 or 15, rally, win-by-2
- Team match scoring: "best of 3 sub-matches" or "total points" — Fluid supports both
Selecting Triples format unlocks 3-player roster management and the rotation logic for sub-matches.
Step 3: Open registration
A team captain registers the team, adds the other two players (or invites them by email/DUPR ID), and pays. Fluid handles:
- Combined DUPR validation against your cap
- Captain or split-pay options
- Substitute players if your event allows them
- Roster lock date — after this, swaps require director approval
- Waitlist for late teams
Trips events fill faster than 4-player formats because the team commitment is lower. Don't be surprised if your event sells out a week early.
Step 4: Seed and pool
Once rosters are locked, Fluid seeds teams by combined DUPR. Generate pools and set advancement (typically top 2 per pool). For a round-robin format, skip pools and run a single round robin.
Step 5: Schedule
Trips matches use one court per team match. The three sub-matches play sequentially on the same court. Fluid lets you:
- Allocate courts to brackets
- Set match start times
- Build in buffer between team matches (10–15 minutes is plenty)
A 12-team event on 4 courts can run 3 rounds of pool play in about 4 hours.
Step 6: Run event day
Sub-match rotation
Fluid auto-generates the three sub-match pairings for each team match — A+B, A+C, B+C. Players see who they're partnering with and when. No paper, no confusion.
Scoring
Each sub-match scores independently:
- Self-report: players enter scores from their phones
- Director scoring: your scorekeeper enters from the admin dashboard
- Live leaderboard updates as sub-matches finish
The team match score (e.g., "2–1") updates in real time as sub-matches close.
Tiebreakers
Within pools, Fluid uses standard tiebreaker rules:
- Head-to-head record (between tied teams)
- Sub-match win differential
- Total point differential
- Total points scored
You can override the order in your bracket settings if your event uses different rules.
Step 7: Playoffs
Top teams advance to your playoff bracket — single or double elimination. Same Trips scoring per match. Fluid handles the bracket generation, scheduling, and the medal ceremony notifications when it's all over.
Pitfalls and tips
- Lock rosters before the event. Same-day swaps blow up your DUPR caps and create scheduling chaos.
- Use shorter sub-match scoring (to 11) for events with many teams. Long matches (to 15 or 21) are great for premium events but stretch your day.
- Don't allow same-day team formations. Trips teams need at least one practice session together to make the rotation feel natural.
- Print the sub-match pairings for each team match if your players are first-time Trips. They sometimes forget who they're partnered with for which match.
FAQ
What's the difference between Trips and MLP?
Trips uses 3-player teams with 3 sub-matches; MLP uses 4-player teams with 4 sub-matches and a dreambreaker. Trips is shorter and lighter; MLP is the full team-sport experience.
Do Trips matches push to DUPR?
Yes — each sub-match is reported to DUPR as a doubles match for the players involved.
Can I run mixed Trips (1 man + 2 women, etc.)?
Yes. You can configure roster gender requirements in the bracket settings, or leave them open.
How many courts do I need?
One court per team match running in parallel. For 8 teams in two pools of 4, two courts can run pool play.
What happens if a player can't make the event?
Use a substitute (if your event allows them) or have the team play down a player — Fluid will let you mark a player out and rotate the remaining two through the sub-matches.
Ready to bring Trips to your club? Create your Trips event on Fluid — registration can be live in ten minutes.