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9 Team Single Elimination Bracket

This post discusses how to use a 9 team single elimination bracket to hold a tournament. Begin by right-clicking on the image below and selecting “Save Image As” or simply download the PDF version for easy printing. Keep reading to learn how it works.

What is a 9 Team Single Elimination Bracket?

A 9-team single elimination bracket is a scoresheet you can use to keep track of a mid-sized tournament involving nine teams. In single elimination matches, teams compete in a series of games where the loser of each match is immediately eliminated. The winners of each game progress to the next round, and the tournament continues until a single champion emerges.

To balance the competition, nine player eliminations begin with a preliminary round of play between two teams. The second round then moves into a competition between the winner of the first round and another team competing alongside the remaining teams in the tournament. Let’s dive into how it works. 

Using the Downloadable Bracket

Our downloadable bracket uses “Game” labels to organize teams into various positions. To use the bracket:

  1. Preliminary Round (Game 1): Write the names of the two teams competing in "Game 1" in the designated slots. Scroll down to learn more about how you can select the teams for this preliminary round. 

  2. Quarterfinals (Games 2-5): Record the winner of "Game 1" in the appropriate position and match the rest of the teams based on your desired strategy (scroll down for tips on team selection). 

  3. Semifinals (Games 6 & 7): Proceed to fill out the bracket as matches conclude, including scores if desired.

  4. Finals (Game 8): In the finals, the last two teams face off to select the winner. After the game, highlight the name of the winner prominently somewhere in the “winner” slot and at the top of the sheet, if you wish. 

Scheduling Matches

Scheduling for a 9-team single elimination tournament is a matter of accounting for rest time and considering whether you want a fast-paced tournament or to allow all teams to spectate while others are playing:

  • Preliminary Match ("Game 1"): Begin the tournament with "Game 1," pairing two teams based on random draw or seeding criteria. This match should take place before the quarterfinals, allowing the winner adequate rest before their next game.

  • Quarterfinals and Beyond: Schedule the remaining matches as you would for an 8-team bracket, ensuring enough time for recovery between rounds. You can schedule these games consecutively so that everyone participates at the same time, or you can handle them sequentially, which allows the other teams to spectate. The choice depends on the space you have to play and what you believe will be the most exciting option for your participants. It is often a good idea to hold semi finals consecutively, however, so that eliminated teams can watch. 

What Happens in the First Round?

In the first round, two of the teams are paired into a matchup while the rest of the teams sit out the game. These are sometimes called “Preliminary rounds,” but we have chosen to simply label them “Game 1” on your bracket sheet. Preliminary matches determine which team advances so that there are an even number of players. 

What Happens in Subsequent Rounds? 

After the first round, the tournament moves into the quarterfinals, semifinals and finals. Quarterfinals involve most of the players and the highest level of engagement from all players. It can often be a good idea to hold these simultaneously if that’s an option. In the semifinals, the winners of the first round compete to determine the two finalists. In the last round, the two teams left standing face off to select the tournament winner. 

Selecting the First Round Teams

As we noted above, the first round teams in uneven matches will play a “preliminary” match in order to determine the even number of teams that advance to the quarterfinals. There are several approaches to selecting these teams, and you should choose the one that makes the game fairest based on the players you have: 

  1. Random Selection: Names or numbers representing each team are drawn at random to select the first-round teams. This choice involves the least bias, but may result in teams with mismatched skill levels if your teams are unbalanced. 

  2. Lowest Seeded Teams: If you’re organizing a tournament based on skill (i.e. “seeding”), then it’s customary to choose the lowest ranked teams to face off in the first round to ensure a better balance in later games. 

  3. Volunteer or Rotational System: In casual settings, teams can volunteer for the first round, or it can rotate between teams if the tournament format allows for multiple rounds.

Different Ways to Draw

A "draw" refers to the method used to determine how teams or participants are placed into the tournament bracket. 

Blind or Random Draw

Blind (aka Random) Draws involve assigning teams to their bracket positions randomly. This method is simple and adds an element of unpredictability to the tournament, but it does not take into account skill level, which can sometimes impact the fairness of the outcome.

Seeded Draw

In a seeded draw, teams are ranked based on skill, age, or past performance, and placements are designed to prevent the strongest teams from meeting in early rounds. Teams are assigned a “seed” (a number that designates their strength), and then paired so that the top two teams are not assigned together. This can be ideal in, for instance, a family setting where adults might have an advantage over younger children. 

Randomized but Balanced

Teams are drawn randomly, but adjustments are made to avoid early matchups between the strongest participants. This method balances fairness with excitement.

How to Handle Tiebreakers

Tiebreakers can occur in tightly contested matches, and it’s essential to establish clear rules beforehand. Having a plan in place ensures fairness and helps avoid disputes later on. To resolve a tie, you can try one of the following methods:

  • Extra Time: Adding additional playtime to break the tie.

  • Sudden Death: The tied teams face off, and the first team to score or achieve a point wins.

  • Skill Challenge: Similar to sudden death, this type of tiebreaker involves setting up a specific skill-based competition, such as a penalty shootout or face-off. 

Dealing with Eliminations Gracefully

Losing is an inherent part of single elimination tournaments. It’s important to handle eliminations in a way that maintains a sense of good will. Make sure to celebrate participation by appreciating and acknowledging the efforts of eliminated teams. You may also choose to offer consolation matches, which means allowing eliminated teams to play additional matches for placement. Finally, sharing performance highlights can keep morale high and encourage future participation. 

Using Single Elimination Bracket for Nok Hockey Tournaments

Single elimination brackets are a great fit for Nok Hockey tournaments, especially within families and friend groups. Tournaments can be the perfect way to encourage longer play that’s both intense and engaging. It also allows you to involve a larger number of people even when you only have a single Nok Hockey table. 

Nok Hockey tournaments in the single elimination format are especially good for engaging competition within larger group settings, such as birthdays, family gatherings, and holidays. It allows you to compensate for different skill levels as well, making competitive play possible amongst mixed-age groups.

Learn how to play Nok Hockey, Skittles, or Carrom by clicking one of the links! 

All Tournament Brackets for Download

Coming Soon

  • 14 Team Single Elimination Bracket
  • 15 Team Single Elimination Bracket
  • 16 Team Single Elimination Bracket
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