Games & Tournaments – III

Though questions from Games and tournaments have appeared only sporadically in CAT and other
management entrance exams, they still need to be taken seriously. A sound understanding of these
underlying concepts can come handy in solving various other kinds of problems in data interpretation.

Key concepts discussed:

• If ‘n’ teams participate in a tournament where each team plays exactly ‘k’ games against each of
the other teams, then total number of matches played in the tournament is k × nC2 .
• Consider a tournament where ‘n’ matches are played and ‘k’ matches ended in a draw. If the winner
of a match is awarded x points, whereas loser is awarded 0 points and in case of a draw, each
player is awarded y points (x > y), then the total number of points in the tournament is (n − k)x + 2ky .
• Consider a knockout tennis tournament played among ‘n’ players that are seeded (ranked) from
1 to n. In the first round the highest seeded player plays against the lowest seeded player, the
second highest seeded player plays against the second lowest seeded player and so on, then
o Number of matches played in the tournament = n – 1;
o The rth match in first round will be played between players seeded 'r' and that of 'n – r + 1';
o The rth match in any round will be played between the winner of the rth match and that of
(n – r + 1)th match of the previous round;
o If there is no upset (i.e., no higher ranked player is beaten by lower ranked player), then the
 n 
rth match in pth round will be played between player seeded 'r' and that of  p–1  – r + 1.
2 

Highlight: This session deals with a mixed bag of questions which are moderate to difficult in nature.

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The questions discussed in the session are given below along with their source.

DIRECTIONS for Questions 1 and 2: Answer the questons on the basis of the information given below.
The year was 2006. All six teams in Pool A of World Cup hockey, play each other exactly once. Each win
earns a team three points, a draw earns one point and a loss earns zero points. The two teams with the
highest points qualify for the semifinals. In case of a tie, the team with the highest goal difference (Goal For
- Goals Against) qualifies.

In the opening match, Spain lost to Germany. After the second round (after each team played two matches),
the pool table looked as shown below.

Ga m e s Goa ls Goa ls
Te a m s W on Dra w n Lost Points
Pla ye d For Aga inst
Germany 2 2 0 0 3 1 6
Argentina 2 2 0 0 2 0 6
Spain 2 1 0 1 5 2 3
Pakistan 2 1 0 1 2 1 3
New Zealand 2 0 0 2 1 6 0
South Africa 2 0 0 2 1 4 0

Q1. Which one of the following statements is true about matches played in the first two rounds?
(a) Germany beat New Zealand by 1 goal to 0.
(b) Spain beat New Zealand by 4 goals to 0.
(c) Spain beat South Africa by 2 goals to 0.
(d) Germany beat South Africa by 2 goals to 1.
(CAT 2004)

Q2. Which one of the following statements is true about matches played in the first two rounds?
(a) Pakistan beat South Africa by 2 goals to 1.
(b) Argentina beat Pakistan by 1 goal to 0.
(c) Germany beat Pakistan by 2 goals to 1.
(d) Germany beat Spain by 2 goals to 1.
(CAT 2004)

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DIRECTIONS for Questions 3 and 4: Answer the questons on the basis of the information given below.
Four teams – India, Pakistan, Srilanka and Bangladesh– participated in the Asian Cricket Championship.
A match happens between two teams and a team must play exactly one match with each of the other
teams. A match can result in win for a team and loss for the other or a draw. Three points are awarded to
the winning team in each match and the losing team doesn’t get any points. In case the match ends in a
draw, one point is awarded to each of the two teams. At the end of the championship, India had seven
points, Pakistan also had seven points whereas Bangladesh and Srilanka both had just one point each.

Ma tch Sche dule

If not Draw
Draw
W inning Team Losing Team
India vs
18-6-2006
Srilanka
Pakistan vs
19-6-2006
Bangladesh
India vs
20-6-2007
Bangladesh
Pakistan vs
21-6-2007
Srilanka
Bangladesh vs
22-6-2008
Srilanka
India vs
23-6-2008
Pakistan

Q3. Based on the information given above, in how many ways can the above Match Schedule be filled?
(a) 1 (b) 2 (c) 3 (d) 4
(CL material)

Q4. Which of the following statements could be true?

(I) Only one of the six matches ended in a draw.
(II) Srilanka vs. Bangladesh match ended in a draw.
(III) India vs. Pakistan match ended in a draw.

(a) (I) and (II) only (b) (I) and (III) only (c) (II) and (III) only (d) (I), (II), (III)
(CL material)

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