Swiss System
A format where entrants play a fixed number of rounds and are paired each round against others on a similar score, without being eliminated.
Definition
In a Swiss-system event every competitor plays the same set number of rounds, and after each round players are paired against opponents who have a similar running score, so leaders meet leaders and the field naturally sorts itself. Nobody is knocked out, which lets a large entry be ranked over relatively few rounds without everyone having to play everyone.
Pairings avoid rematches where possible, and final standings come from total points with tie-breakers applied for players who finish level. The Swiss system is widely used in chess and other board and card games, and increasingly in esports, as a compromise between the thoroughness of a round-robin and the brevity of a knockout.
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Tactics
- Zone defenceA defensive system where each player guards an area of the court rather than a specific opponent.
- Man-to-man markingA defensive tactic where each defender is assigned a specific opponent to track and contain.
- Serve and volleyAn attacking tennis tactic where the server follows their serve to the net to finish the point with a volley.
- Offside trapA defensive football tactic where the back line steps up together to leave an attacker offside.
- Court coverage and rotationVolleyball positioning where players rotate through positions and cover the court as one coordinated unit.
Disciplines
- Sparring (Kyorugi)Kyorugi is taekwondo's competitive sparring discipline, where two athletes score points by landing controlled kicks and punches on legal target areas within timed rounds.
- Speed ClimbingA timed format where climbers ascend a route as fast as possible, most recognizably as a head-to-head race on a standardized competition wall.
- Top-Rope ClimbingA roped format where the rope runs up to an anchor at the top of the route and back down, so the climber is held from above throughout the ascent.
- Lead & Sport ClimbingA roped format where the climber ascends from the ground, clipping the rope into protection along the way while a belayer manages it below.
- Traditional (Trad) ClimbingA lead format in which the climber places removable protection into the rock while ascending, and a partner removes it afterward, leaving no fixed gear behind.
Exercises
- Wall sitA holding exercise where you sit against a wall with no chair, holding a squat position still.
- Farmer’s carryA loaded carry where you walk while holding a heavy weight in each hand.
- Inverted rowA horizontal pulling exercise where you pull your chest to a fixed bar while lying back beneath it.
- Kettlebell swingA dynamic hinge where you swing a kettlebell to shoulder height using a snap of the hips.
- Chin-upA pulling exercise similar to a pull-up but with palms facing you, involving the biceps more.
Scoring systems
- Football (soccer) scoringFootball is scored by goals, with each goal worth one point and the team scoring the most goals winning the match.
- Tiebreak scoringA tiebreak is a short deciding game used in racket sports to settle a set that has reached an even number of games, scored in simple numbers to a fixed target.
- Badminton scoringBadminton uses rally scoring to 21 points per game, with matches decided over the best of three games.
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- Content updated
- 2026-08-04
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