Tournaments

Tournaments are structured competitive events with multiple participants, a schedule, and a prize distribution.

Tournament Lifecycle

flowchart TD
  A["Organizer creates tournament"] --> B["Players register"]
  B --> C["Registration closes"]
  C --> D{"Minimum participants met?"}
  D -- "No" --> E["Tournament cancels or becomes refundable"]
  D -- "Yes" --> F["Tournament starts"]
  F --> G["Matches are played"]
  G --> H["Results are verified"]
  H --> I["Tournament finalizes"]
  I --> J["Winners claim rewards"]

Stake Modes

ModeWhat It Means
FreePlayers do not pay an entry fee. Rewards may be custom or sponsor-funded.
Entry feePlayers pay an entry fee that contributes to the prize pool.
SponsoredA sponsor or organizer funds the prize pool.
HybridPrize pool includes both sponsor funding and player entry fees.

Tournament Detail Page

A complete tournament detail page should help users understand the event without guessing. It should include:

  • Details: host, format, rules, timing, seats, and entry requirements
  • Players or teams: who has registered and check-in state
  • Lobby: active match details when the user has a match
  • Scoreboard: match and ranking state
  • Bracket or standings: tournament progression
  • Prize: distribution and claim information
  • Chat: available to registered players where enabled
  • Results: winners and payouts after completion

Check-In

Some events may require check-in before start. A player who registered but does not check in may lose their seat, miss round one, or become ineligible depending on event rules.

Finalization

Finalization confirms the winner data and unlocks reward claims. For Solana-backed tournaments, finalization may involve a verifier and a Merkle proof flow so eligible winners can claim their specific prize amount.

Tournaments - Showdown Docs