A chess tournament has 16 players competing in a single-elimination knockout format (where the loser of each match is immediately eliminated). How many total matches must be played to crown a single champion?
15 matches.
In a knockout tournament, every single match eliminates exactly one player. To eliminate 15 out of 16 players down to 1 champion, exactly 15 matches must take place.
About this riddle
Logic riddles give you a few facts and ask what must be true. List what you know, cross out what cannot be, and see what is left.
Difficulty: Medium. More like this: Logic riddles with answers or try Einstein's Logic Grid for a different kind of puzzle.
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