Updated for the 2024-2025 Season
Tie-breaker rules will not apply for all team positions that do not qualify to advance in official competition at Leagues, Districts, Regionals, or Nationals. Some larger districts may require additional elimination competitions, such as semi-finals, which are also considered official competition. Tie-breakers may also be used to determine placement for trophies, awards, etc.
For ties in official competition, the Official Competition Tie-breaker Rules must be used (except for the Championship and Challenger brackets at National Finals, see “Special National Finals Tie-breaker Rules” below), and all the teams involved in the tie will be ranked by points scored (if identical, then the “head-to-head” results between just the teams with identical points scored will determine the higher rank).
- For ties in the Preliminary Brackets at National Finals, the Official Competition Tie-breaker Rules must be used.
- For any unofficial competition, the coordinator will determine and announce what tie-breakers will be used for that quizzing event.
To determine what tie-breaker to use, first determine how many positions are open for advancement from the place (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc.) in which the teams are tied for. Then follow the tie-breaker rules for the number of teams involved in the tie.
One Position Open
If one team is undefeated against all the other teams involved in the tie scenario, then they automatically advance to the next level of competition.
- If two teams are tied:
a. One game will be played, and the winner will advance.
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If three teams are tied:
a. The 2nd ranked team will play the 3rd ranked team. The winner of that round will move on to another round, and the loser eliminated. b. The highest ranked team will play the winner of the 2nd vs 3rd match, and the winner will advance.
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If four teams are tied:
a. The highest ranked team will play the 4th ranked team, and the 2nd ranked team will play the 3rd ranked team. The winners will move on to another round, and the losers eliminated. b. The winners from round one will play each other, and the winner will advance.
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If five teams are tied:
a. The 4th ranked team will play the 5th ranked team, with the winner moving on to another round, and the loser eliminated. b. The highest ranked team will play the winner of the 4th vs 5th match, and the 2nd ranked team will play the 3rd ranked team. The winners will move on to another round, and the losers eliminated. c. The winners from round two will play each other, and the winner will advance.
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If six teams are tied:
a. The 3rd ranked team will play the 6th ranked team, and the 4th ranked team will play the 5th ranked team. The winners of this round will move on to play another round, and the losers eliminated. b. The highest ranked team will play the lowest remaining ranked team from round one, and the 2nd ranked team will play the other remaining team, with the winners moving on to play another round, and the losers eliminated. c. The winners from round two will play each other, and the winner will advance.
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If seven teams are tied:
a. The 2nd ranked team will play the 7th ranked team, and the 3rd ranked team will play the 6th ranked team, and the 4th ranked team will play the 5th ranked team. The winners will move on to play another round, and the losers eliminated. b. The highest ranked team will play the lowest remaining ranked team from round one, and the 2nd highest remaining ranked team will play the other team, with the winners moving on to play another round, and the losers eliminated. c. The winners from round two will play each other, and the winner will advance.
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If eight teams are tied:
a. The highest ranked team will play the 8th ranked team, and the 2nd ranked team will play the 7th ranked team, and the 3rd ranked team will play the 6th ranked team, and the 5th ranked team will play the 5th ranked team, with the winners moving on to play another round, and the losers eliminated. b. The highest remaining ranked team will play the lowest remaining ranked team, and the second highest remaining team will play the other remaining team, with the winners moving on to another round, and the losers eliminated. c. The winners from round two will play each other, and the winner will advance.
Multiple Positions Open
If one team is undefeated against all the other teams involved in the tie scenario, then they automatically advance to the next level of competition.
Two Positions
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If three teams are tied:
a. The highest ranked team will play the 2nd ranked team, with the winner advancing, and the loser moving on to another round.
b. The loser will play the 3rd ranked team, with the winner advancing, and the loser eliminated. -
If four teams are tied:
a. The highest ranked team will play the 4th ranked team, while the 2nd ranked team will play the 3rd ranked team, with the winners advancing, and the losers eliminated.
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If five teams are tied:
a. The 4th ranked team will play the 5th ranked team, with the winner moving on to another round, and the loser eliminated.
b. The highest ranked team will play the winner of the 4th vs 5th match, and the 2nd ranked team will play the 3rd ranked team, with the winners advancing, and the losers eliminated. -
If six teams are tied:
a. The 3rd ranked team will play the 6th ranked team, while the 4th ranked team will play the 5th ranked team, with the winning teams moving on to play another round, and the losers eliminated.
b. The highest ranked team will play the lowest remaining ranked team, while the 2nd ranked team will play the other team, with the winners advancing, and the losers eliminated. -
If seven teams are tied:
a. The 2nd ranked team will play the 7th ranked team, and the 3rd ranked team will play the 6th ranked team, and the 4th ranked team will play the 5th ranked team. The winners will move on to play another round, and the losers eliminated.
b. The highest ranked team will play the lowest remaining ranked team, and the 2nd highest remaining ranked team will play the other team, with the winners advancing, and the losers eliminated. -
If eight teams are tied:
a. The highest ranked team will play the 8th ranked team, and the 2nd ranked team will play the 7th ranked team, and the 3rd ranked team will play the 6th ranked team, and the 4th ranked team will play the 5th ranked team, with the winners moving on to play another round, and the losers eliminated.
b. The highest remaining ranked team will play the lowest remaining ranked team, and the second highest remaining team will play the other remaining team, with the winners advancing, and the losers eliminated.
Three Positions
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If four teams are tied:
a. The highest ranked team will play the lowest ranked team, and the 2nd ranked team will play the 3rd ranked team, with the winners advancing. b. The losers of that round will then play each other, with the winner advancing, and the loser eliminated.
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If five teams are tied:
a. The highest ranked team will play the 2nd ranked team, with the winner advancing, and the loser moving on to another round. b. The loser of round one will play the 5th ranked team, and the 3rd ranked team will play the 4th ranked team, with the winners advancing, and the losers eliminated.
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If six teams are tied:
a. The highest ranked team will play the 6th ranked team, and the 2nd ranked team will play the 5th ranked team, and the 3rd ranked team will play the 4th ranked team, with the winners advancing, and the losers eliminated.
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If seven teams are tied:
a. The 2nd ranked team will play the 7th ranked team, and the 3rd ranked team will play the 6th ranked team, and the 4th ranked team will play the 5th ranked team. The winners will move on to play another round, and the losers eliminated.
b. The highest ranked team will play the lowest remaining ranked team, and the second highest remaining team will play the other remaining team, with the winners advancing, and the losers moving on to another round. c. The losing teams from round two will play each other, with the winner advancing, and the loser eliminated. -
If eight teams are tied:
a. The highest ranked team will play the 8th ranked team, and the 2nd ranked team will play the 7th ranked team, and the 3rd ranked team will play the 6th ranked team, and the 4th ranked team will play the 5th ranked team, with the winners moving on to another round, and the losers eliminated.
b. The highest remaining team from round one will play the lowest remaining team, and the second highest remaining team will play the other remaining team, with the winners advancing, and the losers moving on to another round.
c. The losing teams from round two will play each other, with the winner advancing, and the loser eliminated.
Four Positions
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If five teams are tied:
a. The highest ranked team will play the 4th ranked team, and the 2nd ranked team will play the 3rd ranked team, with the winners advancing, and the losers moving on to another round.
b. The losing teams from round one will play each other, with the winner advancing, and the loser moving on to another round.
c. The loser of round two will play the 5th ranked team, with the winner advancing, and the loser eliminated. -
If six teams are tied:
a. The highest ranked team will play the 4th ranked team, and the 2nd ranked team will play the 3rd ranked team, with the winners advancing, and the losers moving on to another round.
b. The highest remaining ranked team will play the 6th ranked team, and the second highest remaining ranked team will play the 5th ranked team, with the winners advancing, and the losers eliminated. -
If seven teams are tied:
a. The highest ranked team will play the 4th ranked team, and the 2nd ranked team will play the 3rd ranked team. The winners will advance, and the losers will move on to another round. Simultaneously, the 6th ranked team will play the 7th ranked team with the winner moving on to another round and the loser eliminated. The 5th ranked team will have a bye.
b. The highest remaining ranked team from round one will play the winner of the 6th vs 7th match, and the second highest remaining ranked team from round one will play the 5th ranked team, with the winners advancing, and the losers eliminated. -
If eight teams are tied:
a. The highest ranked team will play the 8th ranked team, and the 2nd ranked team will play the 7th ranked team, and the 3rd ranked team will play the 6th ranked team, and the 4th ranked team will play the 5th ranked team, with the winners advancing, and the losers eliminated.
Five Positions
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If six teams are tied:
a. The highest ranked team will play the 6th ranked team, and the 2nd ranked team will play the 5th ranked team, and the 3rd ranked team will play the 4th ranked team, with the winners advancing, and the losers moving on to another round.
b. The two highest remaining ranked teams will play each other, with the winner advancing, and the loser moving on to another round.
c. The loser of round two will play the lowest remaining ranked team from round one, with the winner advancing, and the loser eliminated. -
If seven teams are tied:
a. The highest ranked team will play the 6th ranked team, and the 2nd ranked team will play the 5th ranked team, and the 3rd ranked team will play the 4th ranked team, and the 7th ranked team will have a bye. The winners will advance, and the losers will move on to another round.
b. The highest remaining ranked team from round one will play the 7th ranked team, and the second highest remaining ranked team from round one will play the third highest remaining ranked team, with the winners advancing, and the losers eliminated. -
If eight teams are tied:
a. The highest ranked team will play the 8th ranked team, and the 2nd ranked team will play the 7th ranked team, and the 3rd ranked team will play the 6th ranked team, and the 4th ranked team will play the 5th ranked team, with the winners advancing, and the losers moving on to play another round.
b. The highest remaining team from round one will play the lowest remaining team, and the second highest remaining team will play the other remaining team, with the winners moving on to another round, and the losers eliminated.
c. The winners from round two will play each other, with the winner advancing, and the loser eliminated.
Special National Finals Tie-breaker Rules
Championship Bracket
Ties will be broken for 1st place only. All other ties will be broken by head-to-head results first, and then, if necessary, by total points scored during all the rounds of the bracket.
Challenger Bracket
Ties will be broken by head-to-head results first, and then, if necessary, by total points scored during all the rounds of the bracket.