Why Robot Smashing League Uses a Modified Swiss Tournament Format
At Robot Smashing League, we’ve always wanted our events to give competitors the best possible experience. Building and fielding a combat robot is a huge investment of time, money, and passion — so it never felt right that in traditional double elimination formats, some competitors might only get two matches before being knocked out.
From our very first event on March 26, 2023, we experimented with alternatives. That first event in the basement of a bar was run as a Swiss tournament. By our second event on June 4, 2023, we had already shifted into a modified Swiss format to refine the system further.
Then in 2024, we made another adjustment: introducing the 3–1 advancement rule into the single elimination bracket. This change provided a clearer, fairer way to determine which competitors advanced past the Swiss rounds.
Each of these steps came from the same goal: making sure builders got more arena time, more learning opportunities, and a fairer shot at competing for the top placement.
More Matches, More Opportunities
In a traditional double elimination bracket, competitors are knocked out after two losses. This often means many competitors only fight twice before being sidelined for the rest of the day.
With our four-round modified Swiss format, competitors typically get around four matches each (exceptions are byes and forfeits) , regardless of whether they’re winning or losing. That means more time in the arena, more chances to learn, and more entertainment for everyone involved.
This approach is especially valuable for new builders. Instead of being eliminated right away, they get more time to test their designs, refine their driving, and gain valuable experience.
How Our Modified Swiss Works
Here’s a quick breakdown of how we run it:
- Round 1: Pairings are completely random. Unfortunately this also means if you have other bots that are on your team, you may get paired against each other. It’s just a roll of the die.
- Rounds 2–4: Competitors are paired against others with the same (or very similar) record. For example, if you win your first match, you’ll face someone else who also won in Round 1. In these rounds you will not fight the same bot.
- Byes: If there’s an odd number of competitors, one person receives a bye. This typically gets assigned to those who have already lost. The system does this automatically.
After the four Swiss rounds, we advance to a single elimination bracket to determine the champion.
Clear, Fair Advancement
One challenge with typical Swiss formats is deciding who moves into the single elimination bracket. Often, only the top eight or top 12 competitors advance, which can create frustration when multiple competitors have the same record but only some move on.
At Robot Smashing League, we take a different approach:
- Any competitor who finishes 3–1 or better advances to the bracket. This makes it clear for those who are competing if they are going to make it into the bracket and it isn’t based on any additional factors.
- Seeding is based on Swiss placement, so going 4–0 gives you an advantage with higher seed placement.
This structure makes the process clear and transparent. If you get three wins, you’re in—no confusing tiebreakers, strength of schedule, or debates.
Why Not Other Formats?
We considered alternatives like round robin, but with the number of competitors at our events, it would quickly become unmanageable. Modified Swiss strikes the right balance: enough guaranteed matches to keep everyone engaged, but still efficient enough to wrap up in a single event.
FAQ: Modified Swiss at Robot Smashing League
Here are some additional questions we get related to our tournament format. If you have other questions, please feel free to email us at robotsmashingleague@gmail.com.