Knock-Out tournament

Meaning

In a knockout competition, an individual or team plays matches until it loses. To escape elimination in this style, athletes or teams must continually perform at their highest level. A tournament of this kind saves money and time while increasing the intensity of each game due to the threat of elimination. Because fixtures are chosen at random, a matchup between two good clubs or players could happen even early on. In this system, a strong team could be eliminated at the very beginning by losing by mistake or chance.

Meaning of BYE

It signifies that because of the distribution of draws, a team is not obligated to play in the opening round. Any participating team should receive it via a random lottery procedure. The organizing committee of a tournament will typically give teams a bye so they can skip a round for any of the following reasons:

• Uneven distribution of teams throughout the competition (In a knockout tournament, the number of teams is a power of two, for example, 8, 16, 32, 64, etc.)
• The grouping of prior winners separately to ensure fair competition,
• To prevent one team from playing more games than the other on a single day would disadvantage some.

A competitor’s right to advance to a competition’s next round without challenging the one they are currently in, usually by failing to show up for battle.

Meaning of Seeding

The seeding process involves placing teams so that strong teams with rankings, positions from prior years, etc. do not play another team early in the tournament. In general, this technique is used to lessen the possibility of the early elimination of strong teams. The process for allocating seeding is the same as that described for byes.

The act or outcome of allocating players to teams for competition

• To set up or schedule rival teams or players such that the best players face off in the final stages of the game.
• Spread out or disseminate (player names) to prevent the top players from meeting early on in a tournament.
• To place players in order of assessed likelihood that they will triumph in a certain tournament

Meaning of Fixture

The phrase “fixtures” in sports refers to the schedule that specifies who will play whom (Team A vs. Team B), where they will play them (venue), and when they will play them (time).

A fixture is a method of setting up the squad for competitive physical activity fights in various groups in a methodical order.

Thus, multiple and successive matches are included in ties, fixtures, or heats. The phrase “Heat” is used in swimming and athletics, whereas “Ties” or “Fixtures” are widely used in tennis, badminton, and other sports. Unbiased fixture draws are the key to any tournament’s success.

Procedure for Drawing Knock–Out Fixture

Step 1

To figure out how many teams will compete in the Knockout tournament overall.

There is no need for byes if there are 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128,… (Number being a multiple of two) teams. The steps are shown in Illustrations 1 and 2. Byes will be distributed according to the lot draw if the number of teams is different from the specified figures.

Step 2

The following formula will be applied to determine the total number of matches to be played in the competition:

Total Number of Matches = Number of teams – 1 In the case of 8 teams, then

8-1 = 7 matches (not including third-place match)

If there are 12 teams, then there will be 11 total matches (not including the third-place match). If there are 15 teams, then 15-1 = 14 (excluding the third-place game).

Step 3

The entire field of teams will be split into two groups: the upper half and the lower half.

The formula will be as follows if there are an equal number of participating teams:

Number of teams / 2 = Teams in the Upper Half or Lower Half

If the total number of teams is 14 then, 14/2=7 i.e., 7 teams will be placed in Upper Half and the

The remaining 7 will be placed in the Lower Half.

If the total number of participating teams is odd in numbers, then Formula will be.

Number of teams+1/2 = Teams in Upper Half

Number of teams-1/2 =Teams in Lower Half

If number of teams is 13 then

13+1/2 = 7 Teams in Upper Half

13-1/2 = 6 Teams in Lower Half

Thus, 7 teams will be placed in Upper Half and the remaining 6 will be placed in the Lower Half.

Step 4

Byes will be provided following the determination of the Upper and Lower Half Teams. By calculating the difference between the number of teams competing in the tournament and the next power of two of the competing teams, we can decide the byes. For instance, if there are 12 teams overall, the next power of two is 16.

16-12= 4 Byes. For even numbers, byes will be placed in the Upper and Lower Half. i.e., 4/2 = 2

If the total number of Teams is 19, then the next power will be 32. 32-19 = 13 byes

For odd numbers byes will be placed in Upper Half = 13-1/2 = 6 and Lower Half = 13+1/2 = 7

Step 5

Allotment of byes in the fixture should be given in following order:

First bye will be given to last team of Lower Half,

Second by will be given to first team of Upper Half,

Third bye will be given to first team of Lower Half,

Fourth bye will be given to last team of Upper Half

Same pattern will be followed after fourth bye till the remaining byes have been given.

Step 6

Write the serial number (number of participants) in vertical order.

Divide into two halves as per Step 3.

Then place byes as per step 5.

Now place remaining teams through random lottery system from top to bottom or same

pattern used to allot byes.

Teams having byes will not play their first-round matches.

Put Date, Time, Venue in front of the matches in fixture.

Illustration – 1

Total Number of Teams = 4

Total Number of Matches = 4-1 = 3

Total Number of Byes= Since Number having the power of Two, no need of bye Number of team in

Upper Half = 4/2 = 2

Number of team in Lower Half = 4/2 = 2

Round I Matches

First match between A Vs B and won by B

Second Match between C Vs D won by D

Round II match or Finals

Third match Finals between B Vs D won by B

Illustration – 2

Total Number of Teams = 8

Total Number of Matches = 8-1=7

Total Number of Byes= since Number having power of Two, no need of bye Number of team in

Upper Half = 8/2 = 4

Number of the team in Lower Half = 8/2 = 4

Round I Matches

The first match between A Vs B won by A

The second match between C Vs D won by C

The third match between E Vs F won by F

The fourth match between G Vs H won by G

Round II Matches

The fifth match between A Vs C won by C

The sixth match between F Vs G won by G

Round III or Finals

The seventh match Final between C Vs G won by G

Illustration – 3

Total Number of Teams = 11

Total Number of Matches = 11-1=10

Total Number of Byes= 16-11= 5

Total Number of Byes in Upper half = 5-1/2 = 2

Total Number of Byes in Lower half = 5+1/2 = 3

Number of team in Upper half = 11+1/2 = 6

Number of team in Lower half = 11-1/2 = 5

Round I Matches

First match between 2 Vs 3 won by 2

Second match between 4 Vs 5 won by 4

Third match between 8 Vs 9 won by 9

Round II Matches

Fourth match between 1 Vs 2 won by 1

Fifth match between 4 Vs 6 won by 6

Sixth match between 7 Vs 9 won by 7

Seventh match between 10 Vs 11 won by 10

Round III Matches (semi-finals)

Eighth match between 1Vs 6 won by 6 Ninth match between 7 Vs 10 won by 7

Round IV or Final

Tenth match between 6 Vs 7 won by 7