Swiss Tournament Pairing and Tie-Breakers

What makes Swiss different?

Every participant remains active for a fixed number of rounds, but not every possible pairing is played. After each round, participants with similar records meet where possible. Later opponents depend on current results, so the complete schedule cannot be published in advance.

Forming pairings

The first round can use seeds or a random draw. Later rounds use score groups, avoid repeat opponents and move a participant between neighboring groups when necessary. With an odd field, one participant receives a BYE according to the stated policy.

Choosing rounds

A practical starting point is approximately log₂(n) plus one: 8 players often use 4 rounds, 16 use 5 and 32 use 6. More rounds usually improve separation but extend the event.

Players	Starting point	Matches per round
8	4 rounds	4
16	5 rounds	8
32	6 rounds	16

Tie-breaks

Table points come first. Elimly can then rank by score difference or total score. Formal federations may require opponent-based systems such as Buchholz; publish the exact policy and use the governing rules where applicable rather than treating different metrics as interchangeable.

Round operations

Verify all current-round scores before generating the next pairings. Announce a correction window and never promise an opponent before the next round exists. Share the live standings so participants can confirm their record.