A tournament is an event or competition held at a single location. Usually, the competition is designed to produce a ranking for each player. While the rules of the competition may differ, the winner is the person with the best overall score.
There are many different types of tournaments. Some are physically hosted in stadiums, others are held remotely. The type of competition depends on the number of competitors and the venue. Tournaments can take the form of a single contest, a series of contests, or even an extended event.
An extended tournament may last for an indefinite period of time. This can be useful for drop-in programs that want to provide a long-term, albeit low-risk, activity for their participants. It also can help in the case of sports teams that are unable to field a full team.
A single-elimination tournament is the simplest. In this competition, each team plays at least one match in each round. The winning team advances to the next round. If there are several top teams, then they may play a preliminary round to seed themselves for the main event. They may have to face other teams in a double-elimination event or they may receive byes based on their strength.
Another tournament is a “shootout.” In this format, all of the competing tables remain in place until a final player is eliminated. The winner of this competition is the contestant who takes home the most chips in play.
One of the more complicated tournaments is a “ladder” competition. This is a form of extended competition that is often used in leagues and one-day tournaments. Each competitor is assigned a number of fixtures, which decreases as the rounds progress. As players are eliminated, they are redistributed among the remaining tables.
In addition to ladder tournaments, other common formats include “Pair events,” which are similar to ladders, but are played between a pair of people. These are usually accompanied by a commentary to help streamline the process.
A more complex competition is a “series of contests.” Similar to ladders, these are played over a long period of time. In this case, the most impressive feat is not the individual winner, but the series of wins that the winning team accumulates.
The “Pair events” are a little harder to organize. But they are certainly worth the effort. This is because they reward a pair of players for their accomplishments. For instance, a pair of ten-year-olds who compete in a gymkhana tournament can win a prize if they beat the other pair.
Although a tournament is a competition, the name “tournament” is usually misleading. Instead, the name refers to the type of competition, not the type of activity. Many sports, especially card games, involve contests.
A single-elimination competition is the simplest of all, but it is not the most important. The other notable features are a “shootout” and a “series of contests.”
Although not all tournaments are created equal, there are some that can be considered the best of the bunch. However, a successful tournament requires careful planning and preparation.