With Playoffs tournaments, winners advance to the next playoff stage, while the remaining participants continue competing in the most balanced matches for points and to improve their rating.
A Playoff tournament is a structured elimination format where players or teams start in a knockout structure, and each match determines who advances toward the final.
Number of rounds
The number of rounds depends on the number of participants. Tournaments with up to 8 participants have three rounds, while tournaments with up to 16 participants have four rounds, and so on. If the number of participants does not match a standard bracket size (8, 16, 32, or 64), ClubMatch automatically adds a qualifying round.
Players eliminated from the playoffs continue in the 'Swiss' format, where the most balanced matches are created so players can keep competing for points and rating, ensuring meaningful play even after elimination.
Tournament duration
When organising a tournament, you can choose between two duration-based formats:
- Short tournament: For events lasting 1 to 4 hours with continuous play and minimal breaks. The maximum number of players equals the capacity of the courts.
- Day tournament: For events lasting 3 to 8 hours with structured intervals between rounds. The maximum number of players equals twice the capacity of the courts.
Match format
The tournament organiser selects the match format, which determines how a match winner is decided. Based on available time, a shorter match format may be chosen for the first round, or a longer match format may be chosen for the last round.