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The main chess tournament formats are the Swiss, where everyone plays a fixed number of rounds against opponents on the same score; the round robin, where everyone plays everyone; the knockout, where the loser of each match drops out; the arena, where you play as many games as you can in a set time; the ladder, a standing ranking you climb by challenging players above you; and winner stays on, the casual rotation at park tables. For a club night, a Swiss usually fits about 8 or more players and a round robin a small group. Most formats score 1 point for a win, ½ for a draw and 0 for a loss.
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Each format trades fairness, time and simplicity in its own way:
| Format | How it works | Players it suits | Time needed | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swiss | A fixed number of rounds; each round pairs players on the same score who haven't met, and no one is knocked out | About 8 and up, into the hundreds | Few rounds for a big field: about 5 rounds for 32 players | Club-night tournaments and open tournaments |
| Round robin (all-play-all) | Everyone plays everyone once | Small groups, about 4 to 10 | One round fewer than the number of players with an even number, so 9 rounds for 10 players; with an odd number, as many rounds as players, and everyone sits out once | Club championships and small invitational events |
| Double round robin | Everyone plays everyone twice, usually once with each color | Very small groups, about 4 to 6 | Twice as many rounds as a round robin | A final between a few players |
| Knockout (elimination) | The loser of each game or match drops out; a drawn game or tied match needs a play-off | Any number; 8, 16 or 32 avoids byes | Few rounds: 3 for 8 players, 4 for 16, and half the field is out after round 1 | A cup or a final night |
| Arena | A set time window; when your game ends you're paired again, and the most points when time runs out wins | Any number, arriving and leaving freely | Whatever window you set | Online events and drop-in nights |
| Ladder | A standing ranking; you challenge a player a few places above you and swap places if you win | A club's regulars | Ongoing, over weeks or a season | Keeping regulars playing between events |
| Winner stays on | The winner keeps the board and plays whoever is next in line | Anyone at a single board | No set length | Park tables and open play |
It mostly depends on how many people come and whether they stay all evening:
Under FIDE's Laws of Chess, a win scores 1 point, a draw ½ and a loss 0, unless the event's rules say otherwise. In a Swiss, a pairing bye usually counts as a win.
Arenas score differently. On Lichess, a win is worth 2 points and a draw 1, both count double during a run of wins, and a draw in the first 10 moves scores nothing.
Ties at the top are split by tiebreaks chosen in advance, such as Buchholz (the sum of your opponents' scores), Sonneborn-Berger, the results between the tied players or the number of wins. FIDE's tie-break regulations, in force since 1 March 2026, let events apply them on the usual 1, ½, 0 even when they score differently.
In a round robin, everyone plays everyone, so the final table settles who's strongest within the group. The catch is time: every extra player adds a round, and 10 players need 9.
A Swiss caps the rounds and pairs players on the same score, so a few rounds sort a big field: about 5 rounds can produce a clear winner among up to 32 players if no games are drawn. You don't play everyone, which is why Swiss events lean on tiebreaks. How to run a Swiss tournament covers it step by step.
A knockout is quick to follow and builds to a final, and half the players are out after round 1. That suits a cup or a final night better than a weekly night where people came to play. A drawn game or tied match needs a decider, such as a faster play-off game.
An arena has no rounds: you're paired again as soon as your game ends, and the leader when time runs out wins. Lichess pairs you with someone close to your current rank, and the more games you finish before time runs out, the more chances you have to score.
We build Checkmate IRL, so weigh this with that in mind. Of the app's formats, its casual events come closest to an arena. Anyone in the event can challenge anyone, as often as they like, latecomers can join after the start, and the event wraps up at its end time.
You can cap games against the same person, and the night ends with awards for the quickest win, the longest game and the biggest upset. Swiss nights get automatic pairings, and all organizer tools are free. More on the page for organizers.
The Swiss. Most opens play a fixed number of rounds and pair players on the same score each round, so no one is knocked out and you never meet the same opponent twice.
A tournament where every player plays every other player once. With an even number of players it takes one round fewer than the number of players, so 8 players need 7 rounds. A double round robin has everyone play everyone twice.
An arena runs for a set time window. When your game ends, you're paired again straight away, and the player with the most points when time runs out wins. On Lichess, a win scores 2 points and a draw 1.
The winner of each game keeps the board and plays the next person waiting. It's the usual rotation at busy park chess tables: watch a game and ask to play the winner.
1 point for a win, ½ for a draw and 0 for a loss, under FIDE's Laws of Chess, unless the event's rules say otherwise. Lichess arenas are an exception, with 2 points for a win and 1 for a draw.
Usually a Swiss for about 8 or more players, a round robin for a small group, and open play or winner stays on when people come and go. With 5+0 or 3+2 blitz, a Swiss of 5 to 7 rounds fits into about 2 hours.
How to run a Swiss tournament · Your first chess tournament · How to start a chess club · Outdoor chess guide