Cheat Sheet
Important numbers for each format, in one place! See the full guides to explore each format in a deeper fashion. I've also created a simplistic Google Sheet to calculate and compare certain values.
Single-Elimination​
Strengths:
- fastest format in the West
- high-stakes every match
Potential Drawbacks:
- half of your competitors are done after one match
- if your seeding isn't great, then top competitors knock each other out VERY quickly
| Category | Value (n is # of competitors) | Example / Notes |
|---|---|---|
| # of Matches Played | n - 1 | 16 competitors = 15 matches played 17 competitors = 16 matches played |
| # of Necessary Consecutive Rounds | logâ‚‚(n) rounded up | 16 competitors = 4 rounds required 17 competitors = 5 rounds required |
| Distinct Placements | 1st & 2nd, 3rd* & 4th, 4x T-5th, 8x T-9th, 16x T-17th, etc. | |
| Possible progressions | 1, 2, 3*, 4, 8, 16, etc. |
*Only when a third place match is played.
Double-Elimination​
Strengths:
- competitors are guaranteed 100% more matches than in single-elimination! (two instead of one, don't get too excited)
- stakes are still clear each match, and the "losers run" storylines now exist
Potential Drawbacks:
- deceptively lengthy, and lower bracket can lag behind if you aren't careful
- half of your competitors are done after two matches
- if your seeding isn't great, then top competitors can still knock each other out VERY quickly
| Category | Value (n is # of competitors) | Example / Notes |
|---|---|---|
| # of Matches Played* | 2n - 2 or 2n -1 | 16 competitors = 30 or 31 matches played 17 competitors = 32 or 33 matches played |
| # of Necessary Consecutive Rounds* | Floor[logâ‚‚(n-1)] + Ceiling[logâ‚‚(2n/3)] + 1 [1] (or see below table!) | 16 competitors = 8-9 required 17 competitors = 9-10 rounds required |
| Distinct Placements | 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 2x T-5th, 2x T-7th, 4x T-9th, 4x T-13th, etc. | |
| Possible progressions | 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, etc. |
*Variance due to whether or not a 'bracket reset' occurs
| # of Competitors | Total Rounds Required** |
|---|---|
| 4 | 4-5 |
| 5-6 | 6-7* |
| 7-8 | 6-7 |
| 9-12 | 7-8 |
| 13-16 | 8-9 |
| 17-24 | 9-10 |
| 25-32 | 10-11 |
| 33-48 | 11-12 |
| 49-64 | 12-13 |
| 65-96 | 13-14 |
| 97-128 | 14-15 |
*just trust me on this one
**Total rounds assumes:
- all matches are the same length
- there are adequate setups to play all necessary matches simultaneously
- all matches are played as soon as they are available (e.g. none held for broadcast, and start any Upper Round 1 and Upper Round 2 matches together if applicable)
- perfect world, no delays
Round Robin​
Strengths:
- Most guaranteed matches possible
- Great at acquiring seeding for a following stage
Potential Drawbacks:
- Longest schedule required across all formats
- Lacks an exciting punch on its own—needs a following stage
- Can generate "throwaway" low-stakes match scenarios which can lead to sandbagging and/or collusion
| Category | Value (n is # of competitors) | Example / Notes |
|---|---|---|
| # of Matches Played | n! / [2! × (n-2)!] (# of combinations) | 8 competitors = 28 matches played 17 competitors = 136 matches played |
| # of Necessary Consecutive Rounds | n-1 (if n is even) n (if n is odd) | 8 competitors = 7 rounds required 17 competitors = 17 rounds required |
| Distinct Placements | All placements (1st - nth) | |
| Possible progressions | 1 to n |
Swiss (Non-Eliminating Version)​
Strengths:
- Compromises between round-robin's guaranteed match count and elimination brackets' efficient runtime
- Great for acquiring seeding for a following stage
Potential Drawbacks:
- Lacks an exciting punch on its own—needs a following stage
- Pairing, scoring, advancement, and tiebreak rules can confuse participants and viewers if not presented clearly in advance
As a reminder, the below values assume you are playing to completion (to determine a 1st place)!
| Category | Value (n is # of competitors) | Example / Notes |
|---|---|---|
| # of Matches Played* | ceiling[ log₂(n) ] × floor[ n / 2 ] | 16 competitors = 32 matches played 17 competitors = 40 matches played |
| # of Necessary Consecutive Rounds* | logâ‚‚(n) rounded up | 16 competitors = 4 rounds required 17 competitors = 5 rounds required |
| Distinct Placements | All placements (1st - nth) | |
| Possible progressions | 1 to n |
*The edge cases for non-square numbers of competitors are pretty messy and vary by community, so this is a very rough look at numbers