Comparison | Arena tournaments | Swiss tournaments |
---|---|---|
Duration of the tournament | Predefined duration in minutes | Predefined max rounds, but duration unknown |
Number of games | As many as can be played in the allotted duration | Decided in advance, same for all players |
Pairing system | Any available opponent with similar ranking | Best pairing based on points and tie breaks |
Pairing wait time | Fast: doesn't wait for all players | Slow: waits for all players |
Identical pairing | Possible, but not consecutive | Forbidden |
Late join & pause | Yes | Yes but it reduces the number of rounds |
Streaks & Berserk | Yes | No |
Similar to OTB tournaments | No | Yes |
Unlimited and free | Yes | Yes |