Below you can learn about our different bracket types we support.
Abbreviations
When you review matches list or, as referee or organizer, you conduct a competition, you will see different bracket types. Here are abbreviations used in our system:
- (no abbreviation) - Single Elimination - each competitor has one chance to lose, brackets ends up with 1st, 2nd and two 3rd places. There is also a possibility to have 3rd place bout.
- RR - Round Robin - each competitor competes with each other in the group.
- DE2 - Double Elimination - each competitor has two chances to lose, brackets ends up with 1st, 2nd and two 3rd places.
- IBJJF3 - bracket used mostly in BJJ tournaments.
- TPT3 - it stands for "Two Pools, Two 3rd places" - athletes are divided into two pools, then top 3 from each pool advance to final and 3rd place bouts.
Single Elimination (optionally with 3rd place bout)
Single Elimination is the most popular bracket type. Each competitor has one chance to lose. The brackets end up with 1st, 2nd and two 3rd places. There is also a possibility to have 3rd place bout.
Single elimination bracket doesn't have any limit on number of competitors. It can be used for any number of competitors.
Since it's the most popular bracket type, it doesn't have any abbreviation. If you look at the matches list and there is no abbreviation, it means it's a single elimination bracket. If this is a variant of bracket with 3rd place bout, you will see "3rd place" in the list.
Round Robin
Round Robin is a bracket type where each competitor competes with each other in the group. It's a great way to determine the best competitor in the group.
Round Robin system bracket type generates a lot of matches, so it's not recommended for a large number of competitors. Current limit for number of competitors in Round Robin is: minimum 3, maximum 6.
Abbreviation for Round Robin is RR.
Double Elimination with two 3rd places
Double Elimination is a bracket type where each competitor has two chances to lose. Only exception is if we lose final match, athlete takes 2nd place.
The brackets end up with 1st, 2nd and two 3rd places.
Bracket is divided into 2 parts: winners and losers (repêchages) brackets. Competitors who lose in the winners bracket move to the losers bracket and have a chance to win 3rd place. Competitors who lose in the losers bracket are eliminated from the competition.
This bracket type is supported for 8-32 competitors.
Abbreviation for Double Elimination with two 3rd places is DE2.
IBJJF3
IBJJF3 is a bracket type used mostly in BJJ tournaments. It's also known as Single Elimination with "Comeback" option.
- Competitors are divided into two groups.
- Winner of first group goes to the final.
- Loser of first group goes to second group to compete with 3rd athlete.
- Winner of second group goes to the final.
So technically it's possible to lose first match and still win the tournament.
This bracket type can be only used when we have 3 competitors in category. Abbreviation for IBJJF3 is simply IBJJF3 😉
Two Pools, Two 3rd places
This bracket type creates two pools/groups of athletes. Top 3 from each pool advance to final and 3rd place bouts.
- In pools, athletes compete with each other in the group (Round Robin).
- Best athlete from each pool goes to the final.
- 2nd athlete competes with 3rd athlete from the other pool for 3rd place.
This bracket type can be used when we have 6-8 competitors in the category. So the pools have the following setup: 3-3, 3-4 or 4-4.
Abbreviation for Two Pools, Two 3rd places is TPT3.