Buchholz
A higher Buchholz means your opponents scored more points as a group, which usually signals a tougher schedule.
Tournament Director Tool
Chess tiebreak calculator for Swiss-system tournaments
Estimate simple Buchholz, Buchholz Cut 1, Median Buchholz, and Sonneborn-Berger scores from each opponent's final score and the player's result against that opponent.
Useful for TDs explaining standings to players and parents
Covers common Swiss tiebreaks used in chess tournament workflows
Makes the math visible instead of hiding it inside a final table
Links back to practical tournament setup and registration workflows
Supported tiebreak outputs
At a glance
Buchholz
Adds the final scores of all opponents.
Buchholz Cut 1
Drops the lowest opponent score before adding.
Median Buchholz
Drops the single highest and single lowest opponent score before adding.
Sonneborn-Berger
Weights opponent scores by your result against each opponent.
Use this as an explainer and planning aid. Always confirm the rulebook and event-specific tiebreak policy.
Enter opponent scores and results
Calculated tiebreaks
Buchholz
13
Buchholz Cut 1
10.5
Median Buchholz
6.5
Sonneborn-Berger
8.5
This intentionally uses simple examples. For US Chess Modified Median, FIDE unplayed-round management, byes, forfeits, withdrawals, and official standings, use your event's rulebook and pairing software.
How to read it
What each tiebreak is trying to measure
Tiebreaks usually try to separate players with the same score by looking at opponent strength, direct performance against those opponents, or a version that removes outliers.
Buchholz Cut 1
Dropping the lowest opponent score can reduce the impact of one opponent who had an unusually poor event.
Median Buchholz
Dropping both the highest and lowest opponent scores can make the result less sensitive to outliers. This tool always drops just one high and one low score; FIDE's Median Buchholz can drop more in longer events.
Sonneborn-Berger
Wins against high-scoring opponents count more than wins against low-scoring opponents, while draws count half. It is most common in round-robin events; Swiss events usually lean on Buchholz or Solkoff.
US Chess and FIDE notes
Why this may not match your final wall chart exactly
Official tiebreaks are not just formulas. They also depend on the federation, the published tiebreak order, unplayed-round handling, and the exact settings in the pairing program.
Solkoff is the no-cut opponent-score sum
In US Chess terminology, Solkoff is close to this calculator's Buchholz output, but official events may adjust opponent scores for unplayed rounds.
Modified Median is not always Median Buchholz
US Chess Modified Median changes which opponent scores are dropped depending on whether the tied player has a plus, even, or minus score.
FIDE modifiers have official names
FIDE describes Buchholz, Sonneborn-Berger, Cut 1, Median-1, and related modifiers, plus special management for unplayed rounds in Swiss events.
Sonneborn-Berger weights results
For each opponent, multiply that opponent's final score by the points scored against them. A win counts the full opponent score, a draw half, and a loss zero.
Tournament director caveats
Confirm the official tiebreak order before publishing final standings.
Document how byes, forfeits, withdrawals, and unplayed games are handled.
Use the same tiebreak policy across registration copy, player announcements, and live standings.
When running rated events, verify federation and organizer requirements before submitting final reports.
For US Chess events, distinguish Solkoff, Modified Median, Cumulative, Opponents' Cumulative, and Sonneborn-Berger instead of calling all opponent-score systems Buchholz.
For FIDE-rated events, check the current FIDE Handbook because Swiss and tiebreak regulations changed in 2026.
Official References
Verify the calculator against your event rules
These are the rule sources to check before using any tiebreak result for awards, qualification, ratings, or final published standings.
Defines Buchholz, Sonneborn-Berger, Cut modifiers, Median modifiers, and unplayed-round management for FIDE-rated competitions.
Current basic Swiss pairing requirements for round count, repeat pairings, score groups, byes, colors, and transparency.
Official US Chess tournament director education and rules resources for rated events in the United States.
Frequently asked questions
Related Pages
Running a real event? Use Chess67 tournament software to keep registration, sections, pairings, standings, and communication connected.