Swiss tournament system on the iqpi.io platform — an online tournament format with a fixed number of rounds: in each round players play in pairs, earn tournament points, and places are decided from the standings. This is how, for example, a chess tournament under the Swiss system is run (and tournaments for other catalog games). A loss does not eliminate you — you play all scheduled rounds (unless disqualified).

Below — how rounds are set, how points and BYE are awarded, what BH is, where to view the table, and how the system differs from knockout.

How to choose the system when creating an online tournament: Creating a tournament. Elimination bracket: Knockout system. Participation and prizes: Prize tournaments.

Related topics: Player requirements, Fees, Organizing tournaments.

---

How the system works

1. The organizer sets the number of rounds (Manual or Auto).
2. After registration, rounds go one after another: pairings, games, break, next round.
3. Tournament points are awarded for the game result (see table below).
4. Places — by total tournament points; on a tie — additional BH score.
5. In a prize tournament, prize places are from 3 to 10 (set by the organizer).

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

---

How it differs from knockout (Olympic)

Knockout details: Knockout system.

---

Number of rounds

On creation step 1, when Swiss system is selected:

Recommendation hint: “For {n} participants, {rounds} rounds are recommended”. In the wizard the hint uses the minimum players value; in Auto mode the actual round count is recalculated from the number of registered participants.

Platform formula: \(R = \lceil\log_2 N\rceil + 1\), then rounded up to the next odd number (e.g. 4 → 5, 6 → 7). For \(N \le 1\) — 1 round.

The tournament banner may show: Swiss system · {n} rounds.

---

Points per game

These are tournament points for the Swiss table. Do not confuse them with game points of a match:

• in Capital Chess and Tetris / Tetris: Attack the match has a score (piece points / tetris points) — in the round table and standings the Game points column;
• in classic chess (Chess, win mode Classic) there are no piece game points (the column may show “—”).

Places are decided by tournament points and BH. Game points do not affect place order.

---

How pairings are made

Short platform logic:

• Round 1 — sorted by rating; with an odd number the BYE goes to the lowest-rated player in that list; the rest — upper half vs lower half.
• From round 2 — groups by similar tournament points (top to bottom); when possible, no rematch against the same opponent.
• For chess, color balance (white / black) is taken into account when applicable.

Exact pairing is done automatically when preparing the round.

---

BH score

On equal tournament points, the player with higher BH ranks higher (BH column in Results).

BH — sum of tournament points of opponents you have already played. Rounds with a BYE (no opponent) are not included in this sum.

If BH is also equal, rating is used.

---

Prize places

In a prize Swiss tournament on step 3, Number of prizes is set — from 3 to 10.

After the last round, places come from the final standings (top by tournament points and BH). There is no separate 3rd-place match.

Standings: after all games of the last round finish — a wait of about one minute (UI texts: “Awaiting results”, “Results will be calculated one minute after all games finish”).

---

Round schedule

As in knockout, on step 4 the organizer sets:

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

Pairings for a round are formed in advance; enter the game after the round starts. The next round is created after the previous one ends and the break, until the required number of rounds is played. There are no separate Final / Semi-final stages in Swiss.

---

BYE, no-show, draw

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

Unlike the knockout system, a draw in Swiss does not eliminate both and does not decide advancement by total Capital Chess / Tetris game points for “elimination” — there is no elimination on a loss here.

Organizer disqualification removes the player from further pairings.

---

Where to view the table

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

1. Standings tab.
2. Subtitle: Rounds · Results.
3. Tabs: Participants, Round 1, Round 2, …; after at least one round finishes, Results appears.

In Results columns: place, player, rating, game points, tournament points, BH.

In a round, the game result in the UI may show as 1 / ½ / 0 / BYE.

---

Games

The same round structure applies to:

• Chess (including Capital Chess);
• Tetris (including Tetris: Attack).

Swedish (Bughouse) tournaments are not created.

---

How to choose when creating

1. Create a tournament.
2. On step 1 select Swiss system.
3. Set Number of rounds: Manual or Auto.
4. On step 3 (prize) — number of prizes 3–10.
5. On step 4 — round schedule.

---

Typical scenarios

A. Participant: play all rounds

1. Register before registration ends.
2. In each round open your pairing on the Round N tab.
3. Play; check accumulated tournament points in Results.
4. After the last round wait for standings and places.

B. Organizer: Swiss with 5 prizes

1. System — Swiss system, rounds manual or auto.
2. Prize tournament → number of prizes 5.
3. Publish — Creating a tournament.

---

FAQ

Am I eliminated after a loss?

No. You play the following rounds until the tournament ends (or until you are disqualified).

How do tournament points differ from Capital Chess / Tetris points?

Tournament points (1 / 0.5 / 0) — for Swiss places. Match game points — a separate column and do not affect places. Classic chess has no game points.

What is BH?

An additional score on equal tournament points: sum of opponents’ tournament points (excluding BYE). In UI — BH column.

Where is the final?

There is no separate final match. Places come from the Results tab after all rounds.

How many rounds should I set?

See the hint in the wizard or use Auto. Platform formula — \(\lceil\log_2 N\rceil + 1\) rounded up to odd.

---

Cheat sheet

---

Useful help links

• Creating a tournament — system choice and round count.
• Knockout system — knockout and elimination.
• Prize tournaments — participation and payouts.
• Player requirements, Fees.
• Organizing tournaments.
• Chess, Capital Chess, Tetris.

---

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