Carl Schurz Park is a NYC Parks Open Play Site, with waiting players rotating onto the court after each game. When all the courts are in use, Open Play rules are in effect.

Waiting players place their paddle in the next available spot in the paddle queue forming stacks of four paddles.

1. Rotation is 4OFF/4ON. Four players come off, and four waiting players enter the next available court.
2. When a court opens up, players take their paddles from the first waiting stack to play in the available court. All players must be present to play. If people are missing from the next stack, those present can announce “need one!” or “need two!”, etc., to fill the missing spots. If no one joins, they must wait until they get a full stack. Encourage your partners to be aware of their place in line so this doesn’t happen!
3. Games are to “11 Points, Win by 2” (When the queue reaches 8 stacks – all new games should become 9pt games to facilitate less wait time and to keep the queue moving forward faster to address high demand.)
4. Please use the Level Tags to indicate your level – that makes it easier to find a good game!
5. We are an inclusive community that focuses on having fun!
6. Advanced players adjust their games if playing with beginners, our language and sportsmanship reflects our best selves and the goal is to create community and for everyone to have fun playing pickleball. 
7. Our community is volunteer-based, so feel free to pitch in by keeping our site clean and helping newcomers learn the ropes!

Additional Guidelines:

1. Players wishing to play together place their paddles together in an available queue space. 
2. If four players want to play together, the “available space” would be at the end of the queue. 
3. If there are incomplete stacks in the queue (i.e. fewer than four paddles in a stack), other players may place paddles to add to or complete a stack (even if they are placing them ahead of other stacks). 
4. Do not move another player’s paddle without their consent. 
5. A player may not hold multiple spots in the queue with additional paddles or objects. 
6. If no one is waiting, singles or some drilling can take place. Otherwise, when players are waiting, games are Doubles format.

To help facilitate play and to keep things fair and the queue moving:

1. The player who has the 1st paddle down in a stack closest to an earlier group has the priority option to join that group if it has fewer than 4 paddles.  And then the 2nd, 3rd and 4th would have priority and so on down the queue.
2. If a player removes their paddle from a complete stack, please make an effort to find a replacement paddle, especially if the now incomplete stack is up soon. Just announcing the open spot is usually enough. 
3. Be aware of when your stack is coming up. Please don’t make others track you down, delaying all the downstream games. Placing your name on your paddle can help others find you.