Buchholz

Buchholz is a TypeScript library implementing the Buchholz tiebreak family for chess tournaments, following the FIDE Tiebreak Regulations (section 8). Zero runtime dependencies.

Installation

npm install @echecs/buchholz

Quick Start

import { buchholz } from '@echecs/buchholz';
import type { Game, GameKind } from '@echecs/buchholz';

// games[n] = round n+1; Game has no `round` field
const games: Game[][] = [
  [{ black: 'B', result: 1, white: 'A' }], // round 1
  [{ black: 'C', result: 0, white: 'A' }], // round 2
  [{ black: 'A', result: 0.5, white: 'D' }], // round 3
  // Unplayed rounds use kind to classify the bye type (FIDE article 16)
  [{ black: '', kind: 'half-bye', result: 0.5, white: 'A' }], // round 4
];

const score = buchholz('A', games);
// Returns sum of all opponents' tournament scores (byes excluded)

API

All functions accept (player: string, games: Game[][], players?: Player[]) and return number. Round is determined by array position: games[0] = round 1, games[1] = round 2, etc. The Game type has no round field.

The optional kind?: GameKind field on Game classifies unplayed rounds for FIDE article 16 compliance. Valid values: 'forfeit-loss', 'forfeit-win', 'full-bye', 'half-bye', 'pairing-bye', 'zero-bye'. When absent the game is treated as a normal over-the-board result.

@echecs/buchholz — buchholz / tiebreak

import { buchholz, tiebreak } from '@echecs/buchholz';

FIDE section 8.1 — Full Buchholz score. Returns the sum of the tournament scores of all opponents faced by player. Byes are excluded.

@echecs/buchholz/cut1 — buchholzCut1 / tiebreak

import { buchholzCut1, tiebreak } from '@echecs/buchholz/cut1';

FIDE section 8.1 + modifier 14.1 — Buchholz minus the lowest-scoring opponent. Sorts opponents' scores ascending and removes the first before summing. When the player has voluntary unplayed rounds (VURs), the FIDE article 16.5 Cut-1 Exception ensures the lowest VUR contribution is cut first.

@echecs/buchholz/cut2 — buchholzCut2 / tiebreak

import { buchholzCut2, tiebreak } from '@echecs/buchholz/cut2';

FIDE section 8.3 — Buchholz minus the two lowest-scoring opponents. Removes the two lowest scores before summing.

@echecs/buchholz/median1 — buchholzMedian1 / tiebreak

import { buchholzMedian1, tiebreak } from '@echecs/buchholz/median1';

FIDE section 8.4 — Median Buchholz. Removes one highest and one lowest opponent score before summing.

@echecs/buchholz/median2 — buchholzMedian2 / tiebreak

import { buchholzMedian2, tiebreak } from '@echecs/buchholz/median2';

FIDE section 8.5 — Double Median Buchholz. Removes the two highest and two lowest opponent scores before summing.

@echecs/buchholz/average — averageOpponentsBuchholz / tiebreak

import { averageOpponentsBuchholz, tiebreak } from '@echecs/buchholz/average';

FIDE section 8.6 — Average Buchholz of opponents. Returns the mean of the full Buchholz scores of each opponent faced. Returns 0 when no opponents have been faced.

@echecs/buchholz/fore — foreBuchholz / tiebreak

import { foreBuchholz, tiebreak } from '@echecs/buchholz/fore';

FIDE section 8.7 — Fore-Buchholz. Returns the sum of each opponent's tournament score, with the last round treated as a draw for all games (FIDE article 16.4 adjustment).

Types

All subpath exports re-export the same types from the root entry point.

Game

interface Game {
  black: string;
  kind?: GameKind;
  result: Result;
  white: string;
}

A single game. black and white are player IDs. A bye is represented with an empty string for the absent side (black: ''). The optional kind field classifies unplayed rounds per FIDE article 16.

GameKind

type GameKind =
  | 'forfeit-loss'
  | 'forfeit-win'
  | 'full-bye'
  | 'half-bye'
  | 'pairing-bye'
  | 'zero-bye';

Result

type Result = 0 | 0.5 | 1;

The result of a game from white's perspective: 0 = loss, 0.5 = draw, 1 = win.

Player

interface Player {
  id: string;
}

Minimal player shape. Passed as the optional third argument to all tiebreak functions. When provided, players supplies the full participant registry so that opponents who have no games recorded (e.g. late withdrawals or forfeited rounds with no matching Game entry) can still be resolved for score calculations. If omitted, only opponents found in games are considered.

Contributing

Contributions are welcome. Please open an issue at github.com/echecsjs/buchholz/issues.