Competition formats
How each tournament and league format runs on Ranfano. The format of a particular category is on the tournament or league page, in the Rules section.
Round robin
Everyone in one group, everyone plays everyone.
How it runs
- You play every other player of the category.
- Every match gives you table points — in the 2-0 or the 3-2-1-0 system, chosen by the club.
- The table updates live, with every result entered.
Who wins
The table sets the places. On equal points the matches between the tied players decide first, then the set and game balance.
Good when there are few players and everyone wants as many matches as possible.
Points for a matchA tie in a group tableKnockout
A bracket — lose and you are out.
How it runs
- The club can seed the strongest players: number 1 and number 2 go into opposite halves of the bracket, the top four into different quarters. The rest are drawn.
- When there are fewer players than bracket spots, some of them start in the second round (a bye) — the seeds first.
- The semi-final losers play a match for 3rd place.
Who wins
The final decides 1st and 2nd place, the match for 3rd place decides 3rd and 4th. Further places are shared by players who went out in the same round, e.g. the quarter-final losers share 5th place.
Good when time is short or there are many players.
Brazilian
A bracket with a second chance: after your first loss you keep playing.
How it runs
- Everyone starts in the main bracket, seeded like a knockout.
- Whoever loses in the main bracket drops into the losers' bracket and plays on. In the losers' bracket another loss knocks you out.
- At the end the two winners of the main bracket's semi-finals play the two best of the losers' bracket. The winners of those matches play the final, the losers play for 3rd place.
- The matches of both brackets alternate, so nobody waits long for their next match.
Who wins
The final decides 1st and 2nd place, the match for 3rd place decides third. This format does not rank further places.
Good when you want a knockout in which one weaker match does not end the tournament.
Brazilian fast
A shorter Brazilian: the main bracket plays its own final.
How it runs
- The main bracket is a full knockout — the winner of its final wins the whole tournament.
- Whoever loses in the main bracket before its final drops into the losers' bracket and plays on.
- At the end the loser of the main bracket's final plays the winner of the losers' bracket for 2nd place.
- When two players would meet a second time, the match is not played: whoever won their first match goes through.
Who wins
1st place — the winner of the main bracket's final. 2nd and 3rd — the winner and the loser of the match for 2nd place. This format does not rank further places.
Good when there is not enough time for the full Brazilian system.
Groups + knockout
Groups first, where everyone plays everyone, then a knockout for the best of the groups.
How it runs
- Players are split into groups by pots: the strongest go to different groups, and every group gets one player from each pot. Strength comes from the club's seeding, then from the ELO ranking.
- In a group everyone plays everyone; the group table works like in Round robin.
- The two best players of every group go on to the knockout. With 3, 5, 6 or 7 groups the club can let third places in too.
- The knockout bracket is fixed in advance: a group winner does not play anyone from their own group in the first round.
- The groups and the knockout can have different set rules, e.g. shorter matches in the groups.
Who wins
Places 1–4 are decided by the knockout (the final and the match for 3rd place), then by the round a player went out in. Players who did not get out of their group share a place with those who finished in the same position in their groups.
Good when everyone should play a few matches and the tournament should end with a knockout.
A tie in a group tableThird-place rankingGroup league
A season in rounds, groups one above another, promotion and relegation.
How it runs
- The season is split into rounds with dates. In each round you play your group (league 1, league 2…), once or several times against each player — the club decides.
- When a round closes, the best of a group move up and the weakest move down. The promotion and relegation zones are shown by the table.
- Every round gives you points towards the season's overall ranking.
- If you cannot play a round, you can freeze it and get compensation points — if the club allows it.
- At the end of the season the club can hold a play-off for the top of the ranking.
Who wins
The season order is set by the overall ranking — the sum of the round points.
Good for a whole season of play with the same group of club players.
League: round points and ranking