Choosing a format
Match count, wall-clock time, and fairness decide the format — not tradition.
All six formats are free in Rollare, so the choice is purely about what your event needs. Three questions decide it:
- How many matches can your venue absorb? A 16-team single elimination is 15 matches; a full round robin is 120.
- How bad is an early loss? If one loss should not end the day, you need a second path: losers bracket, more rounds, or a group stage.
- What counts as a fair ranking? Knockouts crown a champion; round robins and Swiss rank everyone.
Comparison
| Format | Teams | Matches (approx.) | Everyone plays | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single elimination | 2–128 | n−1 (+1 optional) | Half the field plays once | Quick cup, playoffs, big fields |
| Double elimination | 4–64 | ~2n | At least twice | Competitive scenes, esports |
| Round robin | 3–12 | n(n−1)/2 | n−1 games | Leagues, small clubs, rankings |
| Swiss | 4–128 | rounds × n/2 | Every round | Big fields, no eliminations |
| Swiss + knockout | 4–64 | Swiss, then a bracket | Every Swiss round | Big field → top-cut playoff |
| Group stage + knockout | 3–64 | Groups, then a bracket | At least the group games | World-Cup-style events |
Rules of thumb
- Under 90 minutes of play? Single elimination with a third-place match keeps the day tight.
- Players traveled far and expect multiple games? Round robin (small fields) or Swiss (large fields) guarantee everyone plays several matches.
- You need a clear champion and a full day of play? Swiss + knockout or group stage + knockout: the opening phase ranks players, the playoff crowns them.
- ** esports or fighting games?** Double elimination is the community expectation — losers bracket gives everyone a second life.
Per-format mechanics live in the pages under Formats in the sidebar.