KoRunden

KoRunden is a term used in German-language sports and esports discourse to describe the knockout rounds of a tournament, the phase in which participants are eliminated from the competition. The word combines KO, short for knockout, with Runden, rounds, and is used to distinguish these rounds from group stages or round-robin play. In practice, KoRunden encompasses bracketed formats that determine a champion.

Formats commonly associated with KoRunden include single-elimination, where a single loss eliminates a participant, and double-elimination, where a player must lose twice to be eliminated. Some events employ a winners and losers bracket, creating two paths to the final. Matches in KoRunden are frequently organized as best-of-one or best-of-three series, depending on the sport or game and the event’s schedule and prestige.

Scheduling and progression are typically governed by a predefined bracket, with reseeding or fixed pathways used in different tournaments. Byes may be applied when the number of entrants is not a power of two. The KoRunden culminate in the final, which may be labeled the championship final and crowns the tournament winner.

Usage and scope: The term is widely used in German-speaking media and by organizers across football cup competitions, esports, and other competitive arenas. It is closely related to, but distinct from, group stages and the final rounds of a tournament.

See also: knockout tournament, single-elimination tournament, double-elimination tournament, bracket, finals.