"Open Play" is simple. Show up, pay $10 for your all-day wristband, find an Open Play court, put your paddle on the rack to claim your place in line, and play! All day. That's it. At least one Open Play court is available every day of the week, more commonly there are two or more.
Open play works very much like a pool table at a billiards hall or a bar. Instead of putting your quarters on the edge of the felt, or your name on the list, you put your paddle on the rack found court-side. Much like billiards, winner stays on. So when it's your turn, you inherit an opponent and the format that comes with them. So if you and your friend were really hoping to play doubles, and the winner is a single, you must play as a single unless an agreement is worked out using the next player(s) in the queue.
One thing we can agree on is that pickleball is fun. It shouldn't ever NOT be fun. We are trying to build a friendly community of pickleball enthusiasts and that relies on great attitudes and reasonable people. The pickleball we play in Open Play has no stakes and is a competitive yet casual affair. If you want to raise the stakes with someone, book a private court and go for it. Keep the drama off the Open Play courts.
When there are more than one Open Play courts available, which is more often the case, we try to assign the courts skill levels. If you are intimidated by thought of playing someone that is no stranger to the sport, then the beginner/intermediate court is for you. If you are someone that has not yet found their pickleball equal, then the advanced court is where you may meet your match. If you're someone that likes to feast on easy opponents to feel good, then we ask for you to have a deep conversation with the mirror and learn to respect the unwritten laws of fair play.