Buchholz
Example:
| Team | Record | Opponents' records | Buchholz |
|---|---|---|---|
| Team A | 0-2 | 2-0 and 1-1 | (2 - 0) + (1 - 1) = 2 |
| Team B | 0-2 | 1-1 and 1-1 | (1 - 1) + (1 - 1) = 0 |
Both teams are 0-2, but Team A lost to stronger opponents, so it ranks higher.
What it does: from the second Swiss round on, teams with the same record are ranked by Buchholz, and the highest-ranked team plays the lowest-ranked one in that group. The playoff bracket is also seeded using Stage 3 results and Buchholz.
The idea is fairness: a team that has faced strong opponents gets a slightly easier next match.
The name comes from chess, where Buchholz scores are a common tiebreak in Swiss tournaments.
Learn more in CS2 Major Format: Swiss System Explained.
Related guides
CS2 Major Format: Stages and the Swiss System ExplainedHow a CS2 Major works: three 16-team Swiss stages where 3 wins advance and 3 losses eliminate, Buchholz seeding, BO1 vs BO3 matches and the 8-team playoff.
DeciderThe decider in CS2 is the last map of a series: map 3 of a BO3 or map 5 of a BO5.
VetoThe veto is the pick and ban process before a CS2 series: teams remove and choose maps from the 7-map pool.
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