Start with the group, then choose the format
Round robin works well when a small group should all meet each other. With six players, each plays five games across five rounds. With seven players, there are seven rounds and each student has one bye. Allow a meaningful task for the student who is waiting.
Swiss is useful when you want a fixed number of rounds without requiring everyone to meet. Knockout creates a bracket, but eliminated students need another activity. Choose for participation and your teaching objective, not just a dramatic final.
Budget time for both clocks
For a 5+3 game lasting 40 moves per player, a planning estimate is 14 minutes: ten minutes of combined base time plus four minutes of increments. Four such rounds with three-minute breaks between them take about 65 minutes, before introductions and the final review.
This is an estimate, not a maximum. Increment games can last longer when more moves are played. For a short class, reduce the rounds or choose a simpler time control rather than rushing the debrief.
Set up the event in CoachMate
- Create a standard tournament and give it a name your students will recognise.
- Choose Swiss, round robin or knockout, then the rounds and time control.
- Select students from your roster, schedule the event and check the invitation list.
- Share each student's private link. Check arrival before starting play.
Keep the group together during play
Watch boards and standings while using chat for announcements. Solo lets the coach lead on video, with up to 30 seated players and one live room at a time. Student video is not part of the tournament camera policy.
Decide in advance how to handle breaks, a missing player or a disputed result. Check a completed round before continuing. For informal classes, explain these expectations in language your students understand.
End with two decisions worth discussing
Choose one good plan and one instructive mistake from the games. Ask the players to explain their reasoning before showing an alternative. The standings tell you who scored points; the discussion tells you what to teach next.