State reference
Tournament lifecycle reference
The implemented thirteen-state tournament path, the supported steps back, and the operational meaning of each transition.
Canonical state sequence
| State | What it means | Typical next action |
|---|---|---|
| DRAFT | Organizer-only structure is still changing | Publish |
| PUBLISHED | Public context may exist; entries are not yet accepted | Open registration |
| REGISTRATION_OPEN | Entries can be collected | Close registration |
| REGISTRATION_CLOSED | Entry field is stable for preparation | Start check-in or seeding |
| CHECK_IN | Arrival status is being reconciled | Start seeding |
| SEEDING | Seeds and placements are being prepared | Publish draw |
| DRAW_PUBLISHED | Competitive placement is visible | Publish schedule |
| SCHEDULED | Sessions and tables are ready | Start |
| IN_PROGRESS | Live match operations are active | Complete |
| COMPLETED | Competition play is finished | Archive |
| ARCHIVED | Event is retained as a closed record | None — this is the only terminal state |
| CANCELLED | Tournament was cancelled | Archive |
| PAUSED | Live operations are suspended | Resume — see the note below |
Transition rules that prevent surprises
- Publish before opening registration.
- Close registration before seeding from a final field.
- Check-in mode is set on the tournament, not per event. In manual mode the server refuses to start seeding straight from a closed registration and requires the check-in state first; in auto mode check-in is skipped entirely.
- Publish the draw before the schedule.
- Start only after a published schedule is operationally ready.
- Complete only after live results and progression are reconciled.
- Archive is the only terminal state. Cancelling does not end the path: a cancelled tournament is still archived, and that is how it is retained as a closed record. A draft tournament cannot be cancelled — delete it instead.
- Some steps back are supported: reopening registration, regenerating a draw from seeding, and regenerating a schedule from a published draw. Each one sets a progression hold so nothing auto-advances behind you.
Who moves the tournament forward
Stage and event completion cascade from match results, so an event finishes when its matches do rather than waiting to be closed by hand. Manager evaluates the next step on the server and shows it in the Next up ribbon.
A tournament carries a progression mode. In manual mode nothing advances without an operator; assisted and autonomous modes let the evaluated next step run on its own. A hold pauses that progression and a release resumes it — use the hold whenever you are stepping back to redo a draw or a schedule.
Lifecycle is not the same as access
A tournament's state tells you where it is operationally. Its access tier determines who can see it. Portal supports public, unlisted, and private behavior, with private reads protected by signed-in membership-aware checks.