knockoutbracket

A knockout bracket, also known as a single-elimination bracket, is a tournament format where participants are eliminated from the competition upon losing a single match. This format is commonly used in various sports, games, and competitions to determine a winner. In a knockout bracket, each match has only one winner and one loser, with the loser being immediately eliminated from the tournament. The process continues until only one participant remains undefeated, who is then declared the champion.

The structure of a knockout bracket typically resembles a binary tree, with each match leading to the next round until a single winner is determined. The number of matches required to complete the bracket depends on the number of participants. For example, in a tournament with 16 participants, 15 matches are needed to declare a champion, as each match eliminates one participant.

Knockout brackets are favored for their simplicity and the high stakes involved in each match, as a single loss can end a participant's chances of winning the tournament. This format is often used in high-stakes competitions where the pressure to win is crucial, such as in sports like boxing, wrestling, and certain video games. However, it can also lead to a high degree of unpredictability, as any participant can be eliminated with a single loss.