In tournaments, what is the main advantage of a round robin format?

The main advantage of a round robin format is that every participant has the chance to compete against all others. This format ensures that each player or team faces all of their opponents at least once, which promotes a fair assessment of performance and skill level throughout the tournament. Unlike elimination formats, where a single loss can result in disqualification, the round robin allows participants to play multiple matches, giving them the opportunity to prove their capabilities and potentially recover from a poor performance.

This system is particularly beneficial in contexts where it is important to gauge overall ability rather than just success in individual matches. Because all participants face each opponent, it minimizes the impact of any single match's outcome and provides a comprehensive view of who performed best overall.

In contrast, formats that involve only one match per participant limit exposure and competitive integrity, as they do not consider the overall performance across multiple matches. The quick resolution of tournaments might favor other formats, but the round robin is favored for fairness and competitiveness. Additionally, having fewer total matches would not contribute to the full round robin experience, which inherently involves more matches to ensure every participant competes against all others.