Troubleshooting Guide

Common issues and solutions for Dutchie's Brackets tournaments.

Quick Diagnostics

Is the problem with...

Issue Type	Symptoms	Go To
Registration	Can't join tournament	Registration Issues
Bracket	Bracket won't generate or looks wrong	Bracket Issues
Results	Can't enter or edit match results	Result Entry Issues
Real-Time	Updates not appearing	Real-Time Issues
Account	Login, password, or session problems	Account Issues
Performance	Slow loading, freezing	Performance Issues

Registration Issues

Participant Can't Join Tournament

Error: "Tournament not found" or "Invalid invite code"

Solutions:

Verify invite link is correct

Correct format:
https://dutchieb.com/join/ABC123

Common mistakes:
- Extra spaces
- Wrong capitalization (should be uppercase)
- Partial link copied

Check tournament status
- Tournament must be DRAFT or REGISTRATION_OPEN
- If IN_PROGRESS or COMPLETED, registration is closed
- Ask organizer to reopen registration if needed
Verify tournament still exists
- Tournament may have been deleted
- Tournament may have been cancelled
- Ask organizer for updated link

Error: "This tournament requires a full account to join"

Solution:

Tournament organizer enabled "Require Full Account"
Participant must create account and sign in
Click "Create Account" or "Sign In" buttons
Complete registration/authentication
Return to invite link and join

Error: "Tournament is full"

Solutions:

Tournament reached max participants
Wait for spot to open (someone withdraws)
Ask organizer to increase max participants
Or organizer can create second tournament

Quick Session Not Working

Error: Quick join button not appearing

Causes:

Tournament requires full account
Registration is closed
Tournament already started
Browser blocking cookies

Solutions:

Check if "Sign In" buttons shown instead
- Means full account required
- Create account to join
Clear browser cookies/cache
- Settings → Privacy → Clear data
- Refresh page
- Try again
Try different browser
- Some browsers block third-party cookies
- Try Chrome, Firefox, or Safari
Disable privacy extensions temporarily
- Ad blockers may interfere
- Privacy Badger, uBlock, etc.

Duplicate Registration

Problem: Accidentally registered twice

Solution (Participant):

Contact tournament organizer
Let them know which entry to keep
They can remove duplicate

Solution (Organizer):

Go to Participants tab
Find duplicate entries (same name)
Keep preferred entry (usually most recent)
Remove duplicate
Verify correct entry remains

Bracket Issues

Bracket Won't Generate

Error: "Cannot generate bracket"

Common Causes:

Insufficient participants
- Need minimum 2 participants
- Check participant count
- Add more participants or lower max
Registration still open
- Close registration first
- Then generate bracket
Already generated
- Bracket already exists
- Check Bracket tab
- Can't regenerate (must cancel tournament)

Solutions:

Checklist:
□ At least 2 participants registered
□ Registration closed
□ No existing bracket
□ You're the tournament creator
□ Tournament status is DRAFT or REGISTRATION_CLOSED

Bracket Looks Wrong

Problem: Incorrect matchups or structure

Possible Issues:

Fewer participants than expected
- Bracket adjusts to actual count
- Uses power of 2 (4, 8, 16, 32)
- Lower seeds get byes if needed
Example:
```
6 participants joined (expected 8)
→Bracket creates 8-person structure
→ Seeds 1 and 2 get byes
→ 4 first-round matches
```
Unexpected seeding
- Check if manual seeding was used
- Default is random or first-come-first-served
- Organizer may have seeded intentionally
Wrong format selected
- Double-check format (Single/Double/Round Robin)
- Can't change after generation
- Would need to cancel and recreate

Solutions:

If bracket is actually wrong:

Must cancel tournament
Remove and regenerate bracket
Or create new tournament
Re-invite participants
Generate bracket again

If bracket is correct but unexpected:

Review seeding logic
Check participant count
Verify format selection
Proceed with tournament

Can't View Bracket

Error: Bracket tab empty or loading forever

Solutions:

Bracket not generated yet
- Check tournament status
- Must be READY or IN_PROGRESS
- Ask organizer to generate bracket
Browser issues
- Refresh page (F5 or Cmd+R)
- Clear cache
- Try different browser
- Check console for errors
Network problem
- Check internet connection
- Try on different network
- Disable VPN temporarily

Result Entry Issues

Can't Enter Match Results

Error: Match result button disabled or not appearing

Check:

Are you the tournament creator?
- Only organizer can enter results
- Participants can't enter (currently)
Is tournament started?
- Status must be IN_PROGRESS
- Can't enter results in DRAFT or READY
Is match ready?
- Both players assigned
- Match not already completed
- Previous round completed (if dependent)
Internet connection active?
- Results won't save offline
- Check network
- Try again when connected

Solutions:

Troubleshooting checklist:
□ You're signed in as organizer
□ Tournament status: IN_PROGRESS
□ Match has both players
□ Match status: PENDING or IN_PROGRESS
□ Internet connection active
□ No browser errors (check console)

Wrong Result Entered

Problem: Entered wrong winner or score

Solution (BEFORE next match starts):

Click the match
Look for "Edit Result" option
Enter correct information
Save changes
Bracket updates automatically

Solution (AFTER next match starts):

WARNING: More complicated:

May need to void subsequent matches
Affects bracket integrity
Best to contact support

Prevention:

Always double-check before confirming
Ask players to verify score
Have them sign score sheet
Take photo of final score (if applicable)

Match Not Appearing

Problem: Expected match doesn't show in bracket

Causes:

Previous round not complete
- All matches in prior round must finish
- Check for pending matches
- Complete them first
Player eliminated/withdrawn
- Check participant status
- Withdrawn players forfeit all matches
- Match becomes bye
Bracket not generated
- Verify bracket exists
- Check tournament status
- Generate if needed

Solution:

Review bracket structure
Complete pending matches
Verify player statuses
Refresh page
Contact support if persistent

Real-Time Issues

Updates Not Appearing

Problem: Changes not showing automatically

Diagnostics:

Check connection status

Look for indicator (usually bottom-right):
[●] Connected (green) = Working
[○] Disconnected (gray) = Not working
[◐] Reconnecting (yellow) = Trying

Verify WebSocket server running
- For self-hosted: Check backend server
- For hosted: Should always be running
- Check service status
Test with manual refresh
- Refresh page (F5)
- Do changes appear?
- If yes: WebSocket issue
- If no: Data issue

Solutions:

Quick Fixes:

Refresh browser
Clear cache
Try incognito/private mode
Different browser

Network Fixes:

Check firewall settings
Allow WebSocket connections
Disable VPN temporarily
Try different network

Technical Fixes:

// Open browser console (F12)
// Check for errors

// Look for:
- "WebSocket connection failed"
- "Connection timeout"
- "CORS error"

// Report these to support

Slow Updates (> 5 seconds)

Problem: Updates appear but delayed

Causes:

Slow internet connection
Server overload
Network congestion
Client-side performance issues

Solutions:

Check internet speed
- Run speed test
- Need at least 1 Mbps
- Switch to faster network if possible
Reduce browser load
- Close unnecessary tabs
- Disable heavy extensions
- Restart browser
Server-side (self-hosted)
- Check server CPU/memory
- Scale WebSocket server
- Add load balancer

Account Issues

Error: "Invalid email or password"

Solutions:

Verify credentials
- Check for typos
- Email is case-sensitive
- Password is case-sensitive
- Check Caps Lock
Reset password
- Click "Forgot Password"
- Enter your email
- Check email for reset link
- Follow instructions
Check email verification
- Some deployments require verification
- Check spam folder
- Request new verification email

Error: "Account not found"

Solutions:

Email not registered
Try signing up instead
Check if used different email
Contact support

Session Expired

Problem: Logged out unexpectedly

Causes:

Session timeout (typically 30 days)
Cleared cookies
Browser privacy settings
Different device/browser

Solutions:

Sign in again
Enable "Remember Me" (if available)
Check browser cookie settings
Allow cookies for dutchieb.com

Quick Session Lost

Problem: Can't access tournament after browser close

Causes:

Browser cleared data
Incognito/private mode (doesn't persist)
Different device
Session expired

Solutions:

If tournament ongoing:

Rejoin with same name (if Quick Join allowed)
Organizer can update on your behalf
Or create full account

If need persistent access:

Create full account
Join tournaments with account
Access from any device

Performance Issues

Slow Loading

Problem: Pages take long to load

Solutions:

Check internet speed
- Run speed test
- Need at least 5 Mbps recommended
- Switch networks if slow

Clear browser cache

Chrome: Settings → Privacy → Clear browsing data
Firefox: Settings → Privacy → Clear Data
Safari: Preferences → Privacy → Manage Website Data

Disable extensions
- Ad blockers can slow loading
- Disable temporarily
- Test again
Try different browser
- Chrome (recommended)
- Firefox
- Safari
- Edge

Page Freezing

Problem: Interface becomes unresponsive

Causes:

Too many participants (100+)
Large bracket displayed
Memory leak
Browser issue

Solutions:

Refresh page
- Simple fix for most freezes
- Clears temporary issues
Close other tabs
- Free up browser memory
- Improves performance
Restart browser
- Clears memory leaks
- Fresh start
Update browser
- Old browsers have issues
- Update to latest version

Mobile Performance

Problem: Slow or laggy on mobile

Solutions:

Close background apps
- Free up phone memory
- Improves responsiveness
Use WiFi instead of cellular
- Faster connection
- More stable
Enable desktop site mode (if needed)
- Some features work better
- Better for bracket viewing
Use tablet if available
- Larger screen
- Better performance
- Easier interaction

Data Issues

Participants Not Showing

Problem: Registered participants don't appear

Solutions:

Refresh page
- Data may not have loaded
- Refresh to retry
Check filter settings
- May be filtered to specific status
- Show "All" participants
Verify registration completed
- Ask participant to check confirmation
- May have had error during signup

Match Results Missing

Problem: Entered results disappeared

Causes:

Network error during save
Browser crash
Conflict with simultaneous edit

Solutions:

Check match history
- Results may be saved
- Just not displaying
Re-enter results
- If truly lost
- Verify with players
Check browser console
- Look for errors
- Report to support with details

Browser-Specific Issues

Safari Issues

Problem: Features not working in Safari

Common Issues:

WebSocket connections
LocalStorage in private mode
Cookie restrictions

Solutions:

Disable "Prevent Cross-Site Tracking"
- Settings → Safari → Privacy
- Allow for dutchieb.com
Allow cookies
- Don't use Private Browsing for tournaments
- Enable all cookies
Update to latest Safari version

Firefox Issues

Problem: Real-time updates not working

Solutions:

Check "Enhanced Tracking Protection"
- May block WebSocket
- Set to Standard for dutchieb.com
Allow cookies from dutchieb.com
- Permissions → Cookies

Chrome Issues

Problem: Session not persisting

Solutions:

Check "Clear cookies on exit"
- Settings → Privacy
- Disable for dutchieb.com
Allow third-party cookies
- May be needed for authentication

Error Messages

Common Errors & Solutions

Error Message	Cause	Solution
"Tournament not found"	Invalid ID or deleted	Verify link, ask organizer
"Unauthorized"	Not signed in	Sign in/create account
"Forbidden"	Wrong permissions	Must be organizer
"Tournament full"	Max participants reached	Wait or ask to increase
"Validation failed"	Invalid input	Check form fields
"Network error"	Connection issue	Check internet, retry
"Session expired"	Timeout	Sign in again
"Bracket already generated"	Can't regenerate	Cancel tournament or use existing

Getting Help

Before Contacting Support

Gather this information:

What were you trying to do?
What happened instead?
Error messages (exact text or screenshot)
Browser and version (Chrome 120, Safari 17, etc.)
Device (iPhone, Windows PC, etc.)
Tournament ID (if applicable)
Steps to reproduce

Self-Help Resources

Recommended steps:

Contact Support

GitHub Issues:

Community:

GitHub Discussions

Prevention Tips

Avoid Common Issues

Best Practices:

Test before tournament - Create test tournament, practice result entry, verify internet connection, test on actual devices
Communicate clearly - Share correct invite link, explain registration process, set expectations upfront
Have backups - Paper bracket (emergency), multiple devices, mobile hotspot, participant contact info
Monitor during tournament - Watch for errors, check real-time status, verify results saving, stay connected

Still having issues? Create a detailed bug report on GitHub Issues with the information above.

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