Frequently Asked Questions
Getting Started
Q: What is Private Dinkers?
A: Private Dinkers is an AI-powered scheduling assistant for pickleball games. Instead of texting dozens of people to organize a game, you tell the AI what you want (like 'mixed doubles tomorrow at 6pm') and it finds available players from your network, checks their availability, and confirms your game.
Q: How do I get started?
A: Sign up for free, add your pickleball friends to your network with their skill ratings, then request your first game. The AI takes it from there - reaching out to players and confirming who can play.
Q: Do I need to know a lot of players to start?
A: Not at all! You can start with just 5-10 players in your network. As you play more games and meet new people, you can add them to your network. The AI only works with players you've personally added.
Q: Is it free?
A: Yes, you can get started for free. No credit card required to sign up and try it out.
How It Works
Q: Which players does the AI invite?
A: The AI only considers players that you have either added to your account or players that you have played with in a game. It never invites strangers - this is your private network of trusted players.
Q: How does the AI choose who to invite?
A: The AI considers all the information you provide - your favorite players first, ratings of games, player notes, DUPR compatibility, and finally considers playing patterns and availability. You're always in control - mark favorites, give thumbs up/down, leave notes, and the AI learns your preferences.
Q: How does the AI know if a player is available?
A: We automatically reach out to all players to confirm their availability - over email and/or SMS depending on what contact information we have. Note for SMS - each player must first opt-in to receive messages from Private Dinkers.
Q: What if not enough people can play?
A: If the AI can't fill your game after going through your network, you'll get a notification asking for your help to add more potential players or reschedule the game.
Q: Can I still manually invite people?
A: Absolutely! You can always add specific players to any game. The AI just handles finding additional players to fill remaining spots. You have full control.
Privacy & Control
Q: Who can see my skill ratings?
A: Your ratings are completely private to your account. Other players never see the ratings you've given them. This lets you organize balanced games without any awkwardness.
Q: What information do other players see?
A: Other players only see basic game details: time, location, and who's playing. They don't see your notes, ratings, or preferences about them.
Q: Can I block someone from future games?
A: Yes, you can remove any player from your network or mark them as unavailable for specific game types. The AI will respect your preferences.