Holiday office tournament in one evening
Ping-pong, FIFA, darts or table football before the holidays — the hard part is fitting it into one evening. Enter how many people play, how long one match takes and how many tables or consoles you have.
Which format fits your evening
| Format | Matches | Games per person | About how long |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knockout (single elimination) | |||
| Everyone plays everyone | |||
| Groups of 3–4, then knockout |
The estimate counts only real matches and assumes the next match starts as soon as a table is free. Add 10–15 minutes for the draw and the final.
Tips that save the evening
- Knockout is the fastest, but half the players are out after one game. If people came to play, groups of 3–4 and then a knockout gives everyone at least two games.
- Typical match length: ping-pong to 11 points, best of 3 — about 10 minutes; FIFA with 6-minute halves — about 15; darts 501, best of 3 legs — 15–20.
- Draw by lot in front of everyone, or seed the strongest players apart so they don't meet in the first round.
- Print the bracket and hang it on the wall: everyone sees who plays next, and nobody asks the organizer every five minutes.
- Agree on the tiebreakers before the first match — goal difference, then head-to-head. Arguments start when the rules are made up at the end.