50 registrations.
One press of a button.
Slams sorts players into pools by skill automatically. Fair pools, balanced by level, with a preview for the organiser.
Pool draw preview
12 teams · 3 poolsHow it works
From registration to a fair pool in four steps
Registrations close
Players sign up through the club page. Slams collects ratings automatically from their competition history.
Press the button
The algorithm sorts every participant by skill and splits them into balanced pools with a snake draft.
Review the preview
You see the proposal, can adjust it by hand and only activate once you are happy.
Players receive their pool
Everyone gets a notification with their pool and the reason. No more questions for the organiser.
Snake draft: every pool equally strong
Slams sorts every team by rating and splits them with a snake draft. The strongest player goes to pool A, the second to B, the third to C, the fourth back to C, the fifth to B, and so on. Every pool gets one strong, two average and one weaker team.
- →DSS rating as the primary source, self-reported level as fallback
- →Balanced average rating per pool
- →Optional: A/B/C level groups instead of one ranking
- →The organiser can always adjust by hand
- →Clear communication to players about their pool
Snake draft example (8 teams)
#1
Pool A
#2
Pool B
#3
Pool B
#4
Pool A
#5
Pool A
#6
Pool B
#7
Pool B
#8
Pool A
Pool A avg. 8.28 · Pool B avg. 8.28
Registration without a rating
What is your playing level?
Beginner
I have played for less than a year
Intermediate
I play regularly and know the basics
Advanced
I play competitively or at a high club level
After the tournament you get a real DSS rating based on your results.
No rating? No problem.
Not every player has a DSS rating history. On registration, a player without a rating picks their own level. Slams uses that as a temporary starting value for the matchmaking. After the tournament a real rating is calculated automatically.
That way everyone can join, even an open tournament with external players or beginners.
Works together with
Frequently asked questions
Players without a DSS rating history pick their level at registration: Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced. Slams turns that into a temporary starting rating (7.5, 8.0 or 8.5). After the tournament they get a real DSS rating based on their results.
Yes, always. The algorithm generates a proposal. The organiser sees a preview and can drag teams around before the draw is finalised. You stay in control.
Slams shows which teams do not fit into a complete pool and asks the organiser what to do: add a bye, create an extra pool or adjust the count. No silent rounding.
The matchmaking works for any tournament format where players or teams are assigned. For Americano and Mexicano the level is taken into account in the first round draw.
Yes. Players receive a notification with their pool including their rating. "You have been placed in Pool B based on your rating of 8.2." Transparency prevents discussion.
Ready for fair pools?
Start free and set up your first tournament with automatic matchmaking.
Got questions or want to see Slams in action? I’m happy to give you a personal 20-minute demo, free and no strings attached.
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