How to Run a 29 Team Single Elimination Tournament
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How Does a 29 Team Single Elimination Tournament Work?
A single elimination tournament featuring 29 teams would span five rounds and require a total of 28 games to determine the champion.
Bracket Size
The bracket is formed by increasing the team count to the next power of two. With 29 entrants, the bracket must be expanded to 32 slots.
Byes
The number of byes is calculated by subtracting the actual number of teams from the total bracket size. With 29 teams in a 32-slot bracket, the first round would include 3 byes.
Rounds & Games
A 29 team single elimination tournament consists of 5 rounds and 28 total games:
- Round of 32: 13 games played and 3 byes
- Round of 16: 8 matchups featuring the 16 advancing teams
- Quarterfinals: 4 games among the remaining 8 teams
- Semifinals: 2 contests between the last 4 teams
- Final: 1 game to determine the champion
Seeding
Choose one of the options:
- Seeded (most common): The best players face each other in the later stages.
- Random (or blind draw): There is no seeding; participants are placed randomly into the opening round.
- Manual seeding: Set up the matchups in any custom order you prefer.
Compared to other Tournament Formats
A 29 team single elimination format offers a streamlined tournament structure, requiring a limited number of games and concluding faster than most other formats with the same number of participants.
| Format | Total games | Games per team | Rounds | Fairness | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Round Robin | 406 | 28 | 29 | Everyone plays everyone | Best for leagues |
| Single Elimination | 28 | 1–5 | 5 | Harsh cutoff | Best for quick events |
| Double Elimination | 57 | 2–10 | ~10 | More forgiving | Popular in esports |
| Double Elimination with Consolation | ~42 | min 2 | ~9 (5+4) | Fairer, every team plays twice | Youth sports |
| Swiss System | 70 | 5 | 5 | Balanced, flexible | Chess, card games |
Printable 29 Team Single Elimination Bracket
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