Tournaments - Bracket Competition on HubMatch

Tournaments are HubMatch's bracket-based competitions - high-stakes events where teams compete for prizes and reputation. Any player can organize one. The organizer configures the format, rules, and prizes; the platform handles brackets, scheduling, and result tracking.

The Four Formats

HubMatch supports four tournament formats. Each has different strengths depending on the number of teams, available time, and how much fairness matters to the organizer.

Single Elimination

Lose once and you are out. This is the fastest format - a 16-team tournament takes only 15 matches. It works for any team count and is ideal when time is limited. The tradeoff is that one bad game can end your run, so there are no second chances.

Double Elimination

You must lose twice to be eliminated. After your first loss, you drop to the losers bracket. Fight through it and you reach the grand final against the winners bracket champion. More matches than single elimination, but every team gets a second chance. The go-to for serious competitive events.

Round Robin

Every team plays every other team. This is the fairest format because results are based on the full body of work rather than a single bracket draw. The downside is scale - 8 teams means 28 matches, and 16 teams means 120. Best suited for small tournaments of 4 to 10 teams or as a group stage within a larger multi-stage tournament.

Swiss System

A fixed number of rounds where teams are paired based on their current record. Teams with similar win-loss records face each other, so matchups get progressively more competitive as the tournament advances. Swiss scales well for large fields (16+ teams) while keeping the round count manageable.

Registration and Check-In

The organizer sets a registration window. Each bracket match has a check-in window — 5 minutes by default (10 minutes for late rounds of very large brackets). A team that misses its match check-in is automatically forfeited and the opponent advances.

Bracket Generation and Seeding

After registration closes, the organizer clicks Generate Bracket on the tournament page to build the bracket. Organizers choose from four seeding methods: random (default), registration order (first registered gets top seed), skill-based (seeded by team Tournament ELO rating), or manual (the organizer places teams by hand). Seeding determines initial bracket placement so that, in skill-based mode, the strongest teams are kept apart in early rounds.

Match Flow

After registration closes, the organizer clicks "Generate Bracket" to build the bracket structure from team seeding. Organizers set the series format per round - commonly BO1 for early rounds, BO3 for semifinals, and BO5 for finals. Captains coordinate their own match times through the scheduling tools, then both teams submit results with screenshots after each match. If both agree on the score, the result is accepted. If scores conflict, a dispute is raised for organizer review. Winners advance; losers are eliminated (or sent to the losers bracket in double elimination).

Multi-Stage Tournaments

For larger events (12+ teams), organizers can combine a group stage with a knockout bracket. Teams play round robin or Swiss within their group, then the top finishers advance to a bracket with cross-group seeding. Each stage can have its own series format - BO1 in groups, BO3 in the bracket, BO5 in the final.

Settings and Prizes

Organizers configure game settings (match duration, overtime, mercy rule, spectators) that apply to every match. Custom rule sections can communicate additional expectations. Prize pools are managed by the organizer outside the platform - HubMatch does not handle prize money in the current implementation.

Why Play Tournaments

Tournaments are where reputations are built. They test your team against the best competition in a high-pressure environment, offer prizes, and produce the most exciting moments on the platform. Whether you are organizing a small community cup or a major championship, the tournament system adapts to your needs.