RAJAH 1 :

Knock out system

The knock out system is the fastest tournament system to find a single winner. The
drawback is that it gives very little information about other players. In fact, if you have no
prior information about the players, you cannot distinguish a from results of a knock out
tournament whether the results of individual encounters where produced by playing or by
tossing a coin.
The knock out system works as below:
- assign players into pairs
- players in a pair play each other
- leave out the losers
- repeat the steps until there is only one player left

Usually this is done by putting the players names in the diagram below.
----
\
a ----
/ \
---- \
i ----
---- / \
\ / \
b ---- \
/ \
---- \
m ----
---- / \
\ / \
c ---- / \
/ \ / \
---- \ / \
j ---- \
---- / \
\ / \
d ---- \
/ \
---- \
o ----
---- /
\ /
e ---- /
/ \ /
---- \ /
k ---- /
---- / \ /
\ / \ /
f ---- \ /
/ \ /
---- \ /
n ----
---- /
\ /
g ---- /
/ \ /
---- \ /
l ----
---- /
\ /
 h ----
/
----
If the organisers have no prior information on players strength the players can be assigned
randomly in the diagram. If prior information is available it is preferable to have the
expected number 1 and 2 meet in the last round. This is achieved by placing them on the
different halves of the diagram. For the semifinals the choices to try are 1-3, 2-4 or 1-4, 2-3.
The latter is preferable, since it also gives a chance that the second place is fought well.
Generally at the k:th last round one can use the equation below:
p+o = 2**k +1, where

p is players rank in the a priori order

o is opponents rank in the a priori order

If the number of players is not a power of 2 then the highest players are given byes.

Double knock out

Double knock out cures some problems of the randomness of the result, but more rounds
are needed.
After losing a game players go to losers tournament. Prior information from the winners
tournament can be used. The later a player loses the better he is considered.
Here is an exaple of the losers tournament. Letters come from losing the corresponding
games in the wiiners tournament (see the first diagram).
-m--
\
\
----
-l-- / \
\ / \
---- \
/ \
-k-- \
----
-j-- / \
\ / \
---- / \
/ \ / \
-i-- \ / \
---- \
/ \
/ \
-n-- \
\
\
----> to final
-a-h /
\ /
---- /
/ \ /
-b-g \ /
---- /
-c-f / \ /
\ / \ /
---- \ /
/ \ /
-d-e \ /
----
/
 /
/
/
/
-o--
At the last stage the players from the winners from the winners and losers tournament
meet. It is possible to decide the winner in one or more games. Deciding in one game has
the advantage that it is fast, the disadvantage is that thw winner of the winners tournament
(WWT) does not get a second chance. (This could be justified by saying that he had to play
fewer games). It is also possible to decide that if the WWT loses another game is to be
played and the winner wins the tournament.