Enter your players, rounds, and cut size, instantly see which win-loss records advance, who’s on the bubble, and how many Swiss rounds to run.
Calculate which Swiss records advance to top cut in a tournament.
| Record | Est. Players | Distribution | Status |
|---|
Built specifically for Swiss-format events, from small locals to major championships.
Records that definitely advance to top cut are shown in green, no ambiguity for you or your players.
The exact win-loss record on the bubble is flagged clearly, so players know they may need tiebreakers.
Uses the standard ⌈log₂(n)⌉ formula to recommend the correct number of rounds for any field size.
Estimates how many players will finish at each win-loss record using proven probability math, so you can plan your top cut size confidently.
See every possible record from X-0 to 0-X with estimated player counts at each record.
No accounts, no paywalls, no limits. Just open the calculator and get your answer in seconds.
No setup, no registration. Just fill in your tournament details and get your results immediately.
Type in the total number of participants registered for your event. Works for any size, 8 to 10,000+.
Input your Swiss round count and desired top cut size, Top 8, Top 16, Top 32. Leave rounds blank to auto-calculate.
Instantly see which records make top cut, green (safe), yellow (bubble), red (eliminated). Share results with your players in one click.
From trading card games to esports and board games, any Swiss tournament format is supported.
Pokémon, Magic, Yu-Gi-Oh, Lorcana, One Piece TCG, any card game with Swiss rounds.
Smash Bros, fighting games, and any esports event using a Swiss + top cut structure.
Swiss-system chess tournaments, Warhammer, and other hobby game competitions.
Tournament organizers and head judges who need instant answers during a live event.
Players always ask do I need to play my last round? Give them a definitive answer before the round even starts.
| Record | Est. Players | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 7-0 | ~1 | Safe ✓ |
| 6-1 | ~7 | Safe ✓ |
| 5-2 | ~21 | Bubble 🫧 |
| 4-3 | ~35 | Eliminated ✗ |
| 3-4 | ~35 | Eliminated ✗ |
Quick answers about top cuts and how the calculator works.
A top cut is the playoff stage that follows Swiss rounds. After all Swiss rounds are complete, the top X players by record (e.g. Top 8, Top 16) advance to a single or double elimination bracket to determine the final standings.
The tool uses a binomial distribution to estimate how many players finish at each win-loss record, assuming equal skill and no intentional draws or drops. Records that produce more than enough players to fill the cut are marked safe. The record right on the boundary is the bubble.
The standard formula is ⌈log₂(n)⌉ where n is the number of players. For 64 players that’s 6 rounds; for 128 players it’s 7 rounds. This ensures players can be uniquely ranked before the cut. Our calculator can recommend the correct round count automatically.
Yes! The calculator is format-agnostic and works for any Swiss-format event. It’s commonly used for Pokémon TCG, Magic: the Gathering, Yu-Gi-Oh, Lorcana, One Piece TCG, and many other card games and tabletop events.
Completely free, no account required, no paywalls, no limits on usage. Just open the calculator and start calculating.
The bubble record is the win-loss record where players may or may not advance depending on tiebreakers (like opponent win percentage). Players with the bubble record need to wait for tiebreakers to be calculated before knowing if they made the cut.
Free, instant, no sign-up needed. Calculate your top cut in seconds.
