The efficacy-competitiveness frontier in the Swiss system

2026-10-01

AI Summary

This study addresses the inherent trade-off between selection efficiency and spectator appeal in Swiss-system tournaments, focusing on team chess competitions. By integrating computer simulations, game-theoretic analysis, and statistical evaluation, it systematically explores the efficacy–competitiveness frontier under varying round configurations and scoring rules. The research reveals the fundamental limitations of conventional scoring systems and demonstrates that a hybrid mechanism combining game points and match points significantly outperforms the traditional match-point-only format. These findings advance the theoretical foundations of Swiss-system schedule design and provide a rigorous scientific basis for tournament format innovation across competitive domains, including esports.

Abstract

An ideal tournament is both efficacious and attractive: it selects the best player as the winner, but only at the end of the tournament in order to maintain suspense as long as possible. We identify and explore the trade-off between these criteria in Swiss-system chess team tournaments via simulations. Organising more rounds is shown to improve efficacy but increase the probability of a stakeless last round. The 2008 reform in the Chess Olympiad ranking is found to be a questionable move, as the previous rule based on board points determines the efficacy-competitiveness frontier, regardless of whether two or three points are awarded for winning a match. Combining board points and match points is better than using match points only. Our results can help optimise the design of the Swiss system, which, besides chess, is also widely used in e-sports.

Problem

• Swiss system
• tournament design
• efficacy-competitiveness trade-off
• ranking rules
• chess

Innovation

• Swiss-system tournament
• efficacy-competitiveness frontier
• simulation
• tournament design
• ranking rules