Running a Live Tournament

From Start to Grand Finals

Once registrations are closed and seeding is finalized, it is time to run your tournament. This guide covers everything from generating the bracket to reporting the final result.

Starting the Bracket

Navigate to your tournament page and click Start Tournament. The bracket is generated based on the current participant list and seed order. Once started, new registrations are closed and the bracket becomes live. All participants and spectators will see the bracket update in real time thanks to Spaghetti Showdown's Socket.io integration.

Reporting Scores

Match results can be reported in two ways:

• Organizer reporting - Click on any match in the bracket to open the score reporting dialog. Enter the game count for each player and confirm. The bracket advances automatically.
• Player self-reporting - If enabled, both players in a match can submit their result. When both reports agree, the match is confirmed automatically. If there is a discrepancy, the match is flagged for organizer review.

Calling Matches

For in-person events, the bracket view highlights which matches are ready to be played. Use the Call Match feature to announce matches and assign them to specific stations or setups. Called matches appear prominently in the bracket and can trigger notifications to the players involved.

Handling Disputes

If two players report conflicting results, the match enters a disputed state. As a tournament organizer, you will see a notification and can resolve the dispute by selecting the correct result. The platform logs both reported scores so you have context for your decision. For in-person events, always verify results with both players before overriding.

Disqualifications & Forfeits

If a player does not show up for their match or needs to be removed mid-tournament:

• DQ (Disqualification) - Removes the player from the entire tournament. All remaining matches are awarded to their opponents. Use this for players who have left the venue or are unreachable.
• Forfeit - The player loses the current match but remains in the bracket (relevant for Double Elimination where they would drop to losers). Use this when a player concedes a specific set but wants to continue competing.

Resetting a Match

Made an error? Tournament organizers can reset a completed match to re-enter the correct score. Be cautious with this feature in later rounds, as resetting a match may cascade and require re-reporting of subsequent matches.

Finishing the Tournament

Once Grand Finals is complete, click Finalize Tournament to lock the results. This triggers ELO calculations, updates player statistics, awards league points (if applicable), and makes the final standings available. The bracket is preserved and viewable by anyone at its permanent URL.