Tie-break Systems

Originally posted by Tigran Vartanovich
I am involved in running a tournament and I need either a reference for, or an example of, the Sonneborn-Berger tie-break system. Alternatively the sum of opponent's scores method may be appropriate. Can anyone kindly help please?

Sonneborn-Berger: Only used in groups where every one plays EVERY opponent once (or twice...)
Sum up the points of the opponents you BEAT. Sum up HALF the points of the opponents you TIED. Sum up the sums. There you go.
This is usually used as a third ranking system only when the players have an equal amount of points AND the games between the players with equal points have ended with an equal amount of points(,for example: all games between two players are drawn).

The sum of the opponents SCORES is used only when there are so many players that you don't get to play every one. (Usually here the Swiss System is used.) This is the second ranking system in this case. The third is usually the sum of the SUM of the opponents you played.

Depending on the set up of the tournament (do you play everyone?) you could use one of these systems.
If the players are still tied maybe you have the time to let them play out one (or more) decisive games.