Step 1
Two losses end a team’s run
A first loss moves a team from the winners bracket to the losers bracket. A second loss eliminates it. Every connection should say whether the winner or loser of a specific game advances.
Step 2
Follow the winners and losers paths
The winners bracket champion reaches the grand final without a loss. The losers bracket champion has already lost once. Those routes require more games and schedule flexibility than single elimination.
Step 3
Decide the final rule in advance
Under a bracket-reset rule, a losers bracket champion who wins the first final gives the undefeated team its first loss, so a second final is played. Some events use a single grand final instead. State the rule before publishing.
Common questions
What is a bracket reset?
It is a second grand final played when the losers bracket champion wins the first final and both finalists then have one loss.
Does every team play twice?
A team is eliminated after two losses, but total games vary with its results and the event’s final rule.