PNZ Tournament Formats Explained
PNZ has a set format for most two day National Championships, with more than 12 entries. This is as follows:
Day 1 – Is all about finding the right seeding of players. This is done using five or six rounds of Swiss Format,
using Buchholz numbers for tie breaking.
Day 2 – Is all about elimination in order to find the winners of the tournament.
Barrage (a double elimination format) is used first which ultimately decides the top 4 or 8, followed by
the next 4 or 8 etc.
This is followed by a single elimination format or knockout so that 1st, 2nd 3rd … can be established.
While these formats are explained in the Tournament Manual which can be found under tournaments on the
website, many players have asked for explanations of these formats, so here is a simple explanation for each of
them.
What is a “Swiss Format”
A Swiss system format is a non-eliminating format which has a predetermined number of rounds based on the
number of entries. Unlike a round robin, in a Swiss tournament, each team or player does not play every other
team or player.
In each round teams are paired using a predetermined set of rules designed to ensure that each competitor
plays opponents with a similar score, or as similar as possible, but never plays the same opponent more than
once. This system then ranks teams or players from first to last in the tournament. If there is an odd number
of teams, then a bye is produced and is allocated to the lowest ranked team/player, but no team/player will be
allocated more than one bye.
The Swiss format provides a clear winner and reliable ranking using a limited number of rounds and allowing for
a potentially unlimited number of opponents. It also means that all players play all rounds without requiring
anyone to be eliminated. It is difficult for players to “throw” a game to provide advantage to another team as to
do so would affect who they play next. It also has the advantage of teams/players not knowing who their next
opposition will be until all games in a round are finished.
While the Swiss format can be done manually, it is complex, time consuming and open to error. PNZ use a
highly rated computer programme called the “Sport” software to operate the Swiss system format.
What are “Buchholz Numbers”?
The Buchholz Number system, is used by PNZ (and internationally) to calculate the final ranking in a tournament
where teams are tied on the same number of wins. It replaces using points differential to determine the final
rankings. It produces a superior ranking because it takes into account the quality of the opposition played. This
is important when teams are not playing every other team in the competition. In effect you get a higher ranking
by playing stronger opposition (as opposed to points differential where you get a higher ranking by playing
weaker opposition).
Buchholz Numbers (BHN) are calculated from the total number of wins scored by every opponent your team
played against during the day. The more games your opponents win, the more BHN are awarded to you.
BHN = The number of wins of every opponent you played, totalled together - 1 point for every win.
If after calculating team wins and BHN’s two teams are still tied, another layer of tie breaking is required and
Fine Buchholz (fBHN) are used. fBHN are the total Buchholz Numbers all your opponents earned added to your
own Buchholz Numbers.
fBHN = Is the sum of all the BHN’s of all your opponents, plus your own
An Example - from a 6 round Swiss Tournament
Team A - has 3 Wins
No of
A Played
fBHN
Wins
4
16
Team B
3
12
Team C
3
12
Team D
2
8
Team E
1
10
Team F
2
15
Team G
15
73
Total
A’s BHN
Total of opponents
BHN’s (73) + A’s (15)
= A’s fBHN
1st
– Team B
– Team A
3rd – Team D
4th – Team C
2nd
15
88
Team C – has 3 Wins
No of
C Played
fBHN
Wins
3
15
Team A
3
12
Team D
2
15
Team G
2
8
Team H
1
13
Team I
1
12
Team J
12
75
Total
C’s BHN
Total of opponents
BHN’s (75) + C’s (12)
= C’s fBHN
12
87
Team D – has 3 Wins
No of
D Played
fBHN
Wins
Team A
3
15
Team G
2
15
Team H
2
8
Team K
2
15
Team L
2
18
Team M
1
12
12
Total
83
D’s BHN
Total of opponents
BHN’s (83) + D’s (12)
= D’s fBHN
Ranking of the 4 top teams
No of Wins
1st tie breaker (BHN)
4 Wins
13
3 Wins
15
3 Wins
12
3 Wins
12
12
95
2nd tie breaker (fBHN)
89
88
95
87
This system can be done manually, but again is complicated, time consuming and open to error. PNZ use the
“Sport” software” programme which calculates BHN and fBHN automatically.
What is a “Barrage”?
The Barrage format requires teams to be grouped into pools of four, so in PNZ Championships either 8 or 16
teams are taken into the Barrage sections, depending on the number of teams in the tournament. Teams /
players are allocated to specific pools and who they play within that pool based on their ranked position from
day one. A set formula is used to determine these placements (see the tournament manual for this formula).
Barrage is a three round, double-elimination format, the objective is for teams/players to achieve two wins and
qualify for the top section in the final deciding stage (knockout). Not all players play the same number of games
in Barrage; 50% play two rounds and 50% play three rounds depending on their wins and losses.
Round 1 - the four teams in each pool play, producing two winners and two losers.
Round 2 – the two winners play each other and the two losers play each other, this produces one team with 2
wins (they go straight to the top section), two teams with 1 win each who need to play again, and one team with
zero wins (they are eliminated to the lower section).
Round 3 – the two teams with 1 win each play off, this produces one team with two wins, who goes into the top
section and the other team with 1 win is eliminated to the lower section.
In PNZ National Championships the top two qualifying teams from each pool progress to the Trophy or Plate
Eliminations, while the bottom two teams progress to either the Trophy Consolation or the Plate Consolation
Eliminations.
The advantages of the Barrage Format are; there are no byes or tie breaking procedures required as the format
automatically ranks the teams/players. Teams/players do not progress based on differential just wins. It is
difficult for players or teams to “throw” a game in order to help out another team. It gives teams two chances to
make the top section.
Single elimination format or knockout?
Once the teams or players are established for the final sections of the competition, a single elimination or
knockout format is used to determine the final placings. This involves two (semi-final and final) or three
(quarter-final, semi-final and final) rounds depending on whether there are 4 or 8 players in each section. Who
plays who in this phase is determined by the placings in the Barrage rounds, again with a set formula. Once a
team has lost a game they are out of the competition.
For further information, please contact the Technical Director of Tournaments ([email protected])
Barrie Anderson
TD of Tournaments
June 2015