Single vs Double Elimination: Which Tournament Bracket Should You Use?

The bracket decides how long your tournament runs and how fair it feels. Here's how the common formats compare.

Single elimination

Lose once and you're out. With N teams you play N − 1 matches. It's fast and easy to follow, but one bad map knocks out a strong team. Best for big fields on a tight schedule.

Double elimination

Teams drop to a lower bracket after their first loss and are out after their second. It takes roughly twice as many matches, but feels much fairer. Best for small to medium fields and finals days.

Round robin

Every team plays every other team: N × (N − 1) ÷ 2 matches. Very fair, but it grows quickly. Best for groups of four to six, often followed by a playoff bracket.

Swiss

Teams with the same record play each other each round, for a fixed number of rounds. Fair for larger fields without the match count of round robin.

Quick guide

• 8 teams, one evening: single elimination.
• 8–16 teams, full day: double elimination.
• Leagues over weeks: round robin groups, then playoffs.
• Battle royale: points across several matches instead of a bracket.

Next: how to organise an online gaming tournament.