Knockout tournament system on the iqpi.io platform — an online elimination bracket (including for chess tournaments). In the creation UI it is called Knockout system (the same as Olympic).

Below — how stages work, who advances, how 1st–2nd–3rd places are decided, what BYE and no-show mean, and where to view the table.

How to choose the system when creating an online tournament: Creating a tournament. Comparison with rounds and points: Swiss system. Participation and prizes: Prize tournaments.

Related topics: Player requirements, Fees, Organizing tournaments.

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How the system works

On each stage, active players are paired 1 vs 1.

• The winner stays in the tournament and advances to the next stage.
• The loser is eliminated (with exceptions for the 3rd-place match and the special three-player case — see below).
• Stages continue to the final until prize places are decided.

The number of players does not have to be a power of two (4, 8, 16…). With an odd number, one player gets a BYE — an automatic advance without an opponent.

Minimum players in tournament settings — at least 4. If fewer than the minimum have registered by the end of registration, the tournament is cancelled.

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How it differs from Swiss

Swiss details: Swiss system.

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Bracket stages

After registration closes, the system creates stages automatically. Pairings for a stage are formed in advance (you see your opponent before the match starts); you can enter the game after the stage starts.

Stage names in the table (as in the interface):

On creation step 4 the organizer sets:

• date and time of stage 1 start;
• stage duration (minutes);
• break between stages (minimum 1 minute).

Closing registration is not an instant start of matches: stage 1 starts at the scheduled time (not earlier than 1 minute after registration ends). Between stages the tournament is paused until the next one starts.

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1st, 2nd, and 3rd places

For knockout, prize places are always 3 (fixed in the creation wizard; hint: “For the knockout system there are always 3 prize places.”).

Normal path (4+ → semi-final → final)

On the Final stage two games are created:

1. Final (main_final) — two winners of the previous stage → 1st and 2nd place.
2. 3rd-place match (third_place) — two losers of the previous stage → the winner gets 3rd place.

The tournament ends when all three places are decided.

If exactly three active players remain

A separate bracket branch:

1. Quarter-final — one head-to-head match and one BYE; nobody is eliminated.
2. Semi-final — a match after which the loser gets 3rd place and is eliminated; the winner advances (the other participant has a BYE).
3. Final — match for 1st and 2nd.

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BYE, no-show, draw

Tie-break on a draw uses the player’s total score across all games in this tournament. Game points exist only in:

• Tetris / Tetris: Attack;
• Capital Chess (points for pieces).

In these disciplines: whoever has the higher total score advances (or takes the higher place in the final / 3rd-place match); whoever has lower is eliminated (or takes the lower place). If the score is equal — in a normal bracket match both are eliminated.

In classic chess (Chess, win mode Classic) there are no piece points — this tie-break does not separate players. On a draw in a normal bracket match both with equal score are eliminated.

The no-show wait timer is set by platform settings (lifetime of an unstarted room).

Organizer disqualification is a separate mechanism; reinstatement is possible while registration is open.

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Where to view the bracket

Tournament page: /lk/tournaments/{slug} (and public /tournaments/{slug}).

1. Standings tab (not available during registration-only stage or for a draft).
2. Section subtitle: Stages · Results.
3. Tabs: Participants, then stages (Stage N / Quarter-final / Semi-final / Final), after completion — Results with places 1–3.

On the banner the system is labeled Knockout system. Participant statuses such as “Participating”, loss at a stage, elimination — on the tournament page and in the participant list.

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Games

The same bracket applies to:

• Chess (including Capital Chess mode in match settings);
• Tetris (including Tetris: Attack).

Only match rules and the minimum stage duration for the timer differ. Swedish (Bughouse) tournaments are not created under this system.

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How to choose when creating

1. Create a tournament.
2. On step 1, in Tournament system, select Knockout system.
3. Number of rounds is not set for knockout.
4. On step 3 (prize tournament) the number of prizes is 3.
5. On step 4 set the stage schedule.

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Typical scenarios

A. Participant: advance through the bracket

1. Register before registration ends.
2. Wait for the stage start — open your pairing on the stage tab.
3. Win the game; on a loss you are eliminated (except the cases described above).
4. Check the next stage and at the end — Results.

B. Organizer: knockout with a prize

1. System — Knockout system, prize tournament, 3 places.
2. Set the pool and shares for 1st / 2nd / 3rd.
3. Publish (with fixed pool — fund it) — Creating a tournament.

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FAQ

Are “Knockout system” and “Olympic” different?

No. In the wizard — Knockout system; in help and some hints — Olympic. One system: olympic.

Do I need exactly 8 or 16 players?

No. The minimum (from 4) is enough. With an odd number, BYE applies.

Where is the bronze match?

On the Final stage — a separate 3rd-place game (in a normal bracket with 4+).

How does it differ from Swiss in one sentence?

Knockout — you lose and you’re out; Swiss — you keep playing for points. See Swiss system.

What happens on a draw in classic chess?

No points — total-score tie-break does not work. In a normal bracket match on a draw both are eliminated. Meaningful score comparison is in Capital Chess and Tetris.

Where do I see if I’m eliminated?

Tournament page: participant status / banner (“You have been eliminated” when eliminated).

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Cheat sheet

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Useful help links

• Creating a tournament — system choice and schedule.
• Swiss system — rounds and points.
• Prize tournaments — participation and payouts.
• Player requirements, Fees.
• Organizing tournaments.

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This article describes the knockout (Olympic) tournament system on the iqpi.io platform at the time of publication. Check the interface for current tab labels.