# Modes

A **mode** defines how Kickertool draws matches and ranks the participants of a **stage**. Every discipline
starts with one mode. Most modes are qualifying modes: they produce a ranking. You can add an
**Elimination** stage on top of that ranking at any time, with a different mode and different match settings.

## Which mode for which event

| Mode | Entries | Use it for |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [Swiss System](/kickertool/modes/swiss-system/) | singles, doubles, teams | Ranked events of any size. Pairings follow the standings, no rematches, fixed number of rounds. |
| [MonsterDYP](/kickertool/modes/monster-dyp/) | single players | Open evenings. New partner and new opponents every round, players join or leave at any time. |
| [Round Robin](/kickertool/modes/round-robin/) | singles, doubles, teams | Small fields or group stages. Everyone plays everyone, full schedule from the start. |
| [Rounds](/kickertool/modes/rounds/) | singles, doubles, teams | Round robin pairings, but one round at a time. Stop whenever time runs out. |
| [Last One Standing](/kickertool/modes/last-one-standing/) | single players or teams | Survival format. Every loss costs a life, the last one with lives wins. |
| [Whist](/kickertool/modes/whist/) | single players | Fully balanced partner rotation for 4n or 4n+1 players. |
| [Elimination](/kickertool/modes/elimination/) | singles, doubles, teams | Classic knockout bracket, as a start mode or after a qualifying stage. |
| [Double Elimination](/kickertool/modes/double-elimination/) | singles, doubles, teams | Knockout with a loser bracket. Two losses until you are out. |
| [Direct Playoffs](/kickertool/modes/direct-playoffs/) | after a qualifying stage | Every place is played out in a single match: 1 vs 2, 3 vs 4, and so on. |
| [Lord Have Mercy](/kickertool/modes/lord-have-mercy/) | after a singles qualifying stage | Knockout with teams of two that are split and re-mixed after every round. |

Direct Playoffs and Lord Have Mercy do not appear in the mode selection of a new discipline. You reach
them through **Create Elimination** once a qualifying stage has a ranking.

## Entry types

The entry type decides what one participant is. Not every mode supports every type; the discipline settings
only offer the types the selected mode can handle.

- **Single**: one player per entry. Results and ranking are per player.
- **Doubles**: two players per entry. You enter both names, the team stays together for the whole stage. Kickertool knows the players, so a singles ranking can later be drawn into doubles, and player search finds both.
- **Team Name**: two or more players under one team name. Kickertool does not track the individual players. Use it for club teams or when the line-up changes from match to match.
- **MonsterDYP**: individual players. Kickertool draws them into new teams every round. Points and ranking are per player.

## Settings every mode shares

Each stage has its own match settings. You set them when you create the discipline and again when you
create an elimination stage, so the knockout can use different values than the qualifying.

- **Goals to Win** or **Quick Entry**. With Quick Entry you only record who won, no goals. Goal difference is then not available as a tie-breaker.
- **Winning Sets**: 1 for a single game, 2 for best of three, 3 for best of five. Set difference becomes a tie-breaker.
- **Draw**: allow drawn matches. Only useful with a fixed number of goals per match, for example 5 goals with a time limit.
- **Points for Win** and **Points for Draw**: default 2 and 1. A loss gives 0.
- **Points for Close Matches**: the losing side gets points for a narrow loss. You define the goal difference that counts as close, the points for a close win and the points for a close loss. Typical values: difference 1, win 2, loss 1.
- **Play with Multiple Encounters**: one match consists of several encounters, for example two singles and one doubles per team match. The match is won by the side with more encounters won. Each encounter can have its own goals and sets.

:::note
Set values apply to the whole stage. A final with more sets than the semi-final is not possible. What you
can do: give the elimination stage more sets than the qualifying stage.
:::

## How the table is sorted

Every mode has its own table columns, listed on the mode's page. Kickertool sorts by the columns from left
to right: the first column decides, the second breaks ties, and so on. You can add columns, hide them and
change their order in the Column Configuration of the standings. Every column, from Points to Buchholz to
Stage Result, is explained under [Table columns](/kickertool/table/table-columns/).

## Next steps

Pick a qualifying mode from the table above, or read how to add a knockout stage under
[Elimination](/kickertool/modes/elimination/).