M5: L1 vs L2 → W5 M6: W5 vs Loser of M4 → W6 Losers Final: Loser of Winners Final vs W6
Good news: It works beautifully. The 5-team double-elimination bracket is a fantastic way to run a small tournament where everyone deserves a second chance. It avoids the "one bad game and you’re out" feeling of single elimination, without dragging on as long as a full round-robin. 5 team bracket double elimination
Have you run a 5-team bracket before? Let me know how you handled the bye in the comments M5: L1 vs L2 → W5 M6: W5
Local bar trivia, small esports nights, office cornhole tournaments, or any time you have 5 friends who refuse to let one loss end their day. Have you run a 5-team bracket before
(Winner of Winners Final vs Winner of Losers Final) Pro Tip: Manage the "Dead Match" The oddity of the 5-team bracket is Match D (Team 5 vs. Loser of Match C). To a casual player, this looks like a losers bracket match happening inside the winners bracket.