Tournament Formats Reference

Detailed explanation of each tournament format supported by Dutchie's Brackets.

Single Elimination

Overview

Single elimination is the fastest and most straightforward tournament format. Once a player loses a match, they are eliminated from the tournament. Winners advance until only one remains.

Structure

Round 1 (Quarterfinals): 8 → 4 players
Round 2 (Semifinals):    4 → 2 players
Round 3 (Finals):        2 → 1 player (Champion)

Match Count Formula

Total Matches = Participants - 1

Examples:

• 8 participants = 7 matches
• 16 participants = 15 matches
• 32 participants = 31 matches

Pros & Cons

Advantages:

• Fastest format
• Clear, simple structure
• Easy to understand
• Decisive results
• Minimal venue requirements

Disadvantages:

• One bad match eliminates you
• Some players get little playtime
• No room for error
• "Fluky" results possible
• Early exits can be disappointing

Best Use Cases

• Large tournaments (32+ participants)
• Time-limited events (2-3 hour window)
• When venue space is limited
• Straightforward competition (no comebacks needed)
• Youth/beginners (simpler to follow)

Bracket Example (8 Players)

Round 1:
  Match 1: Seed 1 vs Seed 8  →  Winner to Match 5
  Match 2: Seed 4 vs Seed 5  →  Winner to Match 5
  Match 3: Seed 2 vs Seed 7  →  Winner to Match 6
  Match 4: Seed 3 vs Seed 6  →  Winner to Match 6

Round 2 (Semifinals):
  Match 5: Winner M1 vs Winner M2  →  Winner to Finals
  Match 6: Winner M3 vs Winner M4  →  Winner to Finals

Round 3 (Finals):
  Match 7: Winner M5 vs Winner M6  →  Champion

Bye System

When participant count isn't a power of 2:

Example: 6 participants

Round 1:
  Match 1: Seed 3 vs Seed 6
  Match 2: Seed 4 vs Seed 5
  BYE: Seed 1 (auto-advances)
  BYE: Seed 2 (auto-advances)

Round 2:
  Match 3: Seed 1 vs Winner M1
  Match 4: Seed 2 vs Winner M2

Finals:
  Match 5: Winner M3 vs Winner M4

Who gets byes: Highest seeds (1, 2, 3, etc.)

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Double Elimination

Overview

Double elimination gives players a second chance. You must lose twice to be eliminated. Winners stay in the "Winners Bracket," while first-time losers drop to the "Losers Bracket."

Structure

Winners Bracket:
  Round 1: 8 → 4 players
  Round 2: 4 → 2 players
  Finals: 2 → 1 player → Advances to Grand Finals

Losers Bracket:
  Round 1: First losers (4 players)
  Round 2: Round 1 winners + new losers
  Round 3: Continue until 1 player remains

Grand Finals:
  Winners Bracket champion vs Losers Bracket champion
  If Losers Bracket player wins: Play one more match

Match Count Formula

Total Matches = (2 × Participants) - 2

Examples:

• 8 participants = 14 matches
• 16 participants = 30 matches
• 32 participants = 62 matches

Pros & Cons

Advantages:

• Most fair format
• Everyone gets 2+ matches minimum
• Second chance for "bad day"
• True skill usually prevails
• Exciting comebacks possible
• More engaging for participants

Disadvantages:

• Nearly twice as many matches
• Bracket can be confusing
• Requires more time
• Needs more venue space
• Losers bracket can feel "lesser"

Best Use Cases

• Competitive tournaments (8-32 participants)
• When fairness is priority
• Sufficient time available (4-6 hours)
• Multiple venues available
• Skilled participants (appreciate second chance)
• Most balanced competition

Bracket Example (4 Players)

Winners Bracket:

Round 1:
  WB Match 1: Seed 1 vs Seed 4
  WB Match 2: Seed 2 vs Seed 3

Winners Finals:
  WB Match 3: Winner WB-M1 vs Winner WB-M2

Losers Bracket:

Round 1:
  LB Match 1: Loser WB-M1 vs Loser WB-M2

Losers Finals:
  LB Match 2: Winner LB-M1 vs Loser WB-M3

Grand Finals:

Match 6: Winner WB-M3 vs Winner LB-M2

If LB winner wins:
  Match 7: Rematch (bracket reset)

Grand Finals Rules

Scenario 1: Winners Bracket player wins

• Tournament over
• WB player is champion (never lost)

Scenario 2: Losers Bracket player wins

• Bracket reset
• Each player now has one loss
• Play one more match
• Winner of that match is champion

Losers Bracket Flow (8 Players)

Winners R1 Losers → LB Round 1 (4 players)
Winners R2 Losers ↓
                 → LB Round 2 (4 players: 2 from LB-R1 + 2 new)
Winners Finals Loser ↓
                    → LB Round 3 (2 players)
                    → LB Finals (1 player to Grand Finals)

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Round Robin

Overview

Round Robin format has every participant play every other participant exactly once. Winner is determined by total wins (or points, depending on scoring system).

Structure

Every player plays N-1 matches
(where N = number of participants)

Results tracked in standings table:
- Wins / Losses / Ties
- Points (if applicable)
- Tiebreakers (if needed)

Match Count Formula

Total Matches = N × (N - 1) / 2

Examples:

• 4 participants = 6 matches
• 6 participants = 15 matches
• 8 participants = 28 matches
• 10 participants = 45 matches

Pros & Cons

Advantages:

• Guaranteed playtime for all
• True skill ranking emerges
• No single elimination pressure
• Every match matters
• Great for leagues/seasons
• Social and inclusive

Disadvantages:

• Many matches required
• Not suitable for large groups
• Can take very long
• Complex scheduling
• May need tiebreakers
• Less "tournament feel"

Best Use Cases

• Small groups (4-8 participants)
• League play (ongoing competition)
• Social events (maximize participation)
• Skill assessment (true ranking)
• When time is not constrained
• Equal opportunity important

Match Schedule Example (4 Players)

Participants: A, B, C, D

Round 1:
  Match 1: A vs B
  Match 2: C vs D

Round 2:
  Match 3: A vs C
  Match 4: B vs D

Round 3:
  Match 5: A vs D
  Match 6: B vs C

Standings Table

Winner: Player A (most wins)

Tiebreaker Rules

When players have equal wins:

Tiebreaker Priority:

1. Head-to-head record

   • If A and B tied, who won A vs B?

2. Point differential (if tracking scores)

   • Total points scored - total points allowed

3. Points scored (if tracking scores)

   • Higher total points wins

4. Playoff match

   • Play one more match to decide

Scheduling Strategies

Parallel Play:

With 6 players and 3 venues:
Round 1: A-B, C-D, E-F  (3 concurrent matches)
Round 2: A-C, B-E, D-F  (3 concurrent matches)
Round 3: A-D, B-F, C-E  (3 concurrent matches)
Round 4: A-E, B-D, C-F  (3 concurrent matches)
Round 5: A-F, B-C, D-E  (3 concurrent matches)

Total time: 5 rounds (vs 15 sequential matches)

Sequential Play:

Play matches one at a time
6 players = 15 matches total
If each match = 15 minutes:
Total time = 225 minutes (3.75 hours)

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Format Comparison

By Participant Count

By Time (15-min matches, 3 venues)

By Playtime Guarantee

Decision Matrix

Choose Single Elimination if:

• Participants > 32
• Time < 3 hours
• Simplicity is key
• Clear winner needed fast

Choose Double Elimination if:

• Participants 8-32
• Time 4-6 hours available
• Fairness is priority
• Participants expect 2+ matches

Choose Round Robin if:

• Participants < 8
• Time is flexible
• Social/league format
• Everyone should play everyone

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Hybrid Formats

Group Stage + Knockout

Structure:

Stage 1: Round Robin Groups
  - Divide into groups of 4-6
  - Everyone plays everyone in group
  - Top 2 from each group advance

Stage 2: Single/Double Elimination
  - Advanced players enter bracket
  - Winners bracket from group winners

Example: 16 players

Stage 1: 4 groups of 4 (round robin)
  - 6 matches per group = 24 total matches
  - Top 2 advance = 8 players to stage 2

Stage 2: 8-player double elimination
  - 14 matches

Total: 38 matches

Advantages:

• Everyone gets multiple matches (group stage)
• Exciting knockout rounds
• Best of both formats

Use when:

• Large event with time (8+ hours)
• Want both participation and excitement
• Professional tournament feel

Swiss System

Structure:

Round 1: Random pairings
Round 2: Winners play winners, losers play losers
Round 3: 2-0 play 2-0, 1-1 play 1-1, 0-2 play 0-2
...continues for N rounds

Winner: Best overall record

Characteristics:

• Fixed number of rounds
• No elimination
• Competitive matchups
• True skill ranking

Status: Not yet implemented in Dutchieb See: Feature Gap Analysis

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Choosing the Right Format

Questions to Ask

1. How many participants?

   • < 8: Round Robin or Double Elimination
   • 8-32: Double Elimination (recommended)
   • 32+: Single Elimination

2. How much time available?

   • < 2 hours: Single Elimination only
   • 2-4 hours: Single or Double Elimination
   • 4-6 hours: Double Elimination
   • 6+ hours: Round Robin or Hybrid

3. What's the skill level?

   • Mixed/casual: Double Elimination (second chance)
   • All skilled: Single Elimination (faster)
   • League/season: Round Robin (true ranking)

4. What's the goal?

   • Find champion fast: Single Elimination
   • Fair competition: Double Elimination
   • Maximum play: Round Robin
   • Social event: Round Robin

5. How many venues?

   • 1-2 venues: Single Elimination
   • 3-5 venues: Double Elimination
   • 5+ venues: Any format

Recommendation Chart

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Next Steps

• Create Your Tournament
• Tournament Management Guide
• Best Practices