Everything you need to
run pro tournaments.
GG Arena is a purpose-built tournament management system for backgammon. Live brackets, real-time scoring, and a player experience that works flawlessly on every device — from a phone in the player's hand to a big screen in the venue.
Sound familiar?
Put the bracket on the big screen.
Share a live display URL on any screen in the venue — TV, projector, or tablet. The bracket updates in real-time as results come in. No refreshing, no manual updates.
Players and spectators always know what's happening. Active matches are highlighted. Completed results appear instantly.
The shareable link works from anywhere — meaning remote spectators and commentators can follow the bracket live, even from home.
Real-time scores, not just final results.
Every match has a built-in clock with configurable time bank and delay per move. As players score points, the score updates live in the bracket. Spectators can follow a tight 9-7 battle — not just a sudden 11-0 at the end.
The clock handles Crawford rule automatically. When the match finishes, the winner advances to the next round with zero manual work.
Flexible: The match clock can be turned on or off per tournament. If your event doesn't use clocks, simply disable it — the rest of the platform works exactly the same.
Follow every point.
Feel every comeback.
Right now, spectators stare at a bracket showing 0–0 for an hour or more, then suddenly see 7–0 or 11–0. The match might have been incredible — a dramatic Crawford comeback, momentum swings, tension at every roll — but nobody watching would ever know. That era is over.
It's about the story.
Imagine a semifinal: Player A leads 6–1 and it looks like a blowout. Then Player B hits a Crawford game, fights back to 6–4, then 6–5, then 6–6. The entire venue is watching. Remote viewers are glued to their screens. The final game goes down to the wire — Player B wins 7–6.
That story is completely lost when people only see the score jump from 0–0 to 7–6 at the end. Live score updates let everyone experience the tension, the momentum swings, and the excitement as they happen.
Table 1 · Semi Final
How it works
Staff or players update
Open the match on any phone or device. Tap to update the score — it takes two seconds. The built-in match clock does this automatically.
Scores broadcast instantly
Every score change propagates in real time to the bracket, the venue display, mobile phones, and online viewers — all at once.
Everyone follows along
Big screens show live scores from all tables. Spectators at home follow via a shareable link. Players in the tournament see what's happening.
Venue screens
Live scores from all tables on big screens around the venue. Creates energy and keeps everyone engaged.
Mobile viewers
Spectators and remote viewers follow match progress point-by-point on their phones.
Other players
See which matches are close to finishing, estimate when your next round begins.
Online audiences
Combined with live streaming, makes backgammon accessible and exciting for audiences worldwide.
“Let's create a more modern, more dynamic, and much more exciting future for backgammon tournaments everywhere.”
See every active match at a glance.
The admin dashboard shows all ongoing matches across all tournaments in one view. Tap any match to register a result — or let the players report it themselves with one tap.
No more walking around with a pen. No more asking “who won table 4?” Results flow in naturally and the bracket updates itself.
Only see what matters right now.
Running a tournament means dozens of matches in various states — waiting, active, finished. The live match dashboard strips away the noise and shows you exactly what needs your attention, nothing more.
Instant live-match filter
One tap toggles the active matches view. Only matches that are currently being played appear — everything else fades away. When you're managing 30 matches across 3 events, this is the difference between calm control and frantic scrolling.
Click-to-bracket navigation
See a player in the active matches list? Tap their name and you're instantly taken to their exact position in the bracket. No scrolling through a 64-player draw hunting for the right match — one tap and you're there, ready to register the win.
Picture this at your next event
It's round 3 of a 32-player tournament. Six matches are active, twelve are waiting, fourteen are done. You tap “Active” and your screen shows only those six matches — clean, clear, no clutter. A player at table 5 calls out that they've finished. You tap their name, land directly on their bracket match, register the winner in two taps, and the next match auto-activates. Total time: four seconds. No paper. No searching. No stress.
Every feature in GG Arena is designed around one question: “Can we do this in fewer taps?” The live match dashboard is the purest expression of that — filter, find, register, move on. Tournament management should feel effortless.
Assign matches to physical tables.
Enable table numbers and every match in the bracket shows which table it's being played at. Players see their table number on their phone — no announcements needed.
On the venue display, spectators can glance at the screen and instantly know which table to walk to for the match they want to watch. It's a small feature that makes a massive difference at larger events.
Run Main, Consolation, and Side Events — all at once.
Switch between tournaments in seconds. Each event has its own bracket, player list, and live display — but they all live under one club dashboard.
No juggling tabs, no separate software. Create a new side event in under a minute and move players between events effortlessly.
Players see all their matches across all events in a single view — they always know what's next, regardless of which draw they're in.
Your tournament, your rules.
Every setting is configurable per tournament. Turn the match clock on or off. Show or hide table numbers. Enable or disable player self-registration. Choose your format, match length, and grand final mode.
Scan. Join. Play.
Print a QR code poster and place it at the venue. Players scan it with their phone and register instantly — no forms, no waiting, no admin overhead.
No app download required — everything runs directly in the browser. Players can choose to create a user account or simply use their personal link for quick and easy access.
Registrations can be set to require organizer approval before players are added to the bracket — giving you full control over who participates.
Scan the QR code
Player opens their phone camera, scans the poster, and lands on the tournament page.
Enter name & register
One field — their name. Tap register and they're in. Account creation is optional.
Get a personal link
Each player gets their own link — see matches, bracket position, and clock. No login needed.
Players arrive ready.
Players can receive everything in advance by email — tournament information, their personal access link, and clear instructions on how the system works. This means they are ready before arriving at the venue.
No explaining on site. No confusion. No “how does this work?” questions. Every player opens their email, taps the link, and they're in.
One link. Everything a player needs.
Each player gets a personal link where they can see upcoming matches, check which tournaments they're registered for, view full event details, start the match clock, and report results with a single “I Won” tap.
No app download. No login required. Just open the link and everything is there. Players who want more features can optionally create an account — but it's never required.
The personal link is sent by email before the event and is also available via the QR code registration. It's the single point of entry for the entire tournament experience.
See upcoming matches
Next opponent, table number, match length — everything at a glance.
Tournament overview
All registered tournaments, event details, and schedule in one place.
Start match clock
Tap to start. Scores update live. Crawford handled automatically.
Report result
One tap on "I Won" — the bracket updates instantly for everyone.
Duplicates? Merged in seconds.
When players register via QR code or personal link, duplicate accounts can occasionally appear — someone enters their name slightly differently, or registers again from a new device.
For tournament leaders, this is handled with a simple and efficient merge process. Select two profiles, tap merge, and all tournament history, match records, and registrations are combined into one clean profile. No data is lost.
It takes seconds, not minutes — and it's designed to be so straightforward that you can do it mid-tournament without breaking your flow.
Mistakes happen. Fix them instantly.
Wrong result entered? One tap to undo — and the system automatically cascade-resets every downstream match that was affected. No redrawing. No confusion. No data loss.
Edit any score, change any winner, adjust any match — even after the bracket has progressed. You stay in full control at all times.
Edit anything, anytime — even mid-tournament.
Brackets aren't locked once the tournament starts. Need to swap two players? Move someone into a bye slot? Replace a no-show with a late arrival? It's all just a tap away.
If a player arrives late and there's an open bye, insert them directly into the bracket. If a name was entered incorrectly, edit it on the spot. If one player needs to be replaced by another, swap them without rebuilding anything.
Full customization, full freedom, zero rigid limitations. You stay in complete control from the first round to the final.
Teams in the bracket. Players inside.
GG Arena introduces something completely new to backgammon: team brackets where each slot in the bracket is a team, and when you open it, you see the individual players competing inside.
A team of three faces another team of three. Each player plays their individual match — best of three wins the round for the team. The bracket advances the winning team, just like a regular tournament.
It's the same bracket experience organizers and players already know, but with a team layer on top. Clean, intuitive, and genuinely exciting to play and watch.
First of its kind. No backgammon tournament software has done team brackets like this before. It adds a completely new format dimension — team strategy, individual pressure, and collective drama all in one bracket.
Same experience on phone and laptop.
GG Arena is built mobile-first. Players use their phone. Admins use whatever they want. Everything works perfectly — no app download required, just open the link.
Every format you need — built in.
Cross-seeded losers brackets prevent immediate rematches. Configurable match lengths per bracket (main, losers, grand final). Swiss/Monrad with Buchholz tiebreakers.
Eliminated? Straight into consolation.
When a player is eliminated from the main event, they're automatically placed in the consolation bracket. No re-registration, no manual moves, no waiting around.
All you need to do is start the consolation tournament and confirm which eliminated players want to play. That's it — one tap per player.
The system handles the rest: seeding, bracket generation, and match assignments. Players who don't want to continue simply skip — no cleanup needed.
FIBS & GNU export — one click.
Export all results in formats compatible with established rating systems. FIBS, GNU Backgammon, CSV, and JSON — all built in.
Plug straight into your existing workflow. No manual data conversion, no copy-pasting between tools.
Your club — your home base.
Every tournament lives under a club. Public club pages show your location, contact info, social links, upcoming tournaments, and member information.
Manage members, assign roles, track seasons and leaderboards — all from one dashboard.
What visitors see
The public club page is your event's home online — tournaments, members, events, and everything a visitor needs to know. Fully responsive on phone and desktop.
Players love it too.
No app to install. Players receive everything by email in advance — tournament details, their personal link, and instructions. At the venue, scan a QR code to register instantly. Everything runs in the browser.
Everything you need to run a world-class event.
Built specifically for backgammon tournaments — not a generic bracket tool adapted afterwards.
10 tournament formats
Single, Double, Triple Elimination, Swiss/Monrad, Round Robin, Consolation, Nordic Open, Munkebjerg, and Team events.
Built-in match clock
Configurable time per point + delay. Scores sync live to the bracket. Turn on or off per tournament.
Live display mode
Shareable URL for any screen. Auto-refreshes in real-time — perfect for venue TVs and spectators.
QR registration
Print a poster, players scan and join. Zero admin overhead. No app download needed.
Email system
Players receive tournament info, personal access link, and instructions by email — ready before arriving at the venue.
Personal player link
Each player gets a unique link: see matches, start clock, report results. No account required.
Duplicate merge
Accidentally created two profiles? Merge them in seconds — all history, matches, and registrations combined.
Undo & cascade-reset
One tap to undo a result and cascade-reset all downstream matches. No redrawing.
FIBS & GNU export
Export results for established rating systems. CSV and JSON also available.
Instant bracket generation
Add players, hit generate. Seeding, byes, and cross-seeded losers bracket handled automatically.
Edit brackets mid-tournament
Swap players, fill bye slots with late arrivals, edit names, replace participants — all after the bracket has started.
Team brackets (3v3)
First-of-its-kind: teams in the bracket, players inside. Best-of-three individual matches decide each round. A completely new format.
Multi-event management
Main, consolation, and side events — switch in one tap. All under one dashboard.
Mobile-first design
Built for phones first, scales beautifully to desktop and big screens.
Table numbers
Assign matches to physical tables. Players see their table on their phone, spectators see it on the display.
Flexible settings
Clock on/off, self-registration on/off, visibility controls, configurable match lengths per bracket.
Player self-reporting
'I Won' button with two-tap confirmation. Players submit results themselves — admin verifies if needed.
Crawford rule
Automatic Crawford game detection and tracking in the built-in match clock.
Staff roles
Tournament Director and Assistant roles — delegate without losing control.
Social sharing
Auto-generated OG images for every tournament. Share links that look great on social media.
How does it compare?
| Feature | Traditional tools | GG Arena |
|---|---|---|
| Players see bracket on phone | Limited | ✓ Live, auto-updating |
| Built-in match clock | ✕ Separate app | ✓ With live score sync |
| Live score updates | ✕ Only final result | ✓ Point by point |
| QR registration | ✕ | ✓ Scan & join |
| Undo / cascade-reset | Manual redraw | ✓ One tap |
| Tournament formats | Limited | ✓ 10 formats |
| Venue display URL | ✕ | ✓ Real-time |
| Multi-tournament switching | Tabs / separate | ✓ One dashboard |
| Table assignments | ✕ Manual | ✓ Built-in |
| Clock on/off per event | N/A | ✓ Per tournament |
| FIBS / GNU export | Maybe | ✓ Built-in |
| Crawford rule | Manual | ✓ Automatic |
| Player self-reporting | ✕ | ✓ One tap |
| Email with personal link | ✕ Manual | ✓ Automatic |
| Players prepared before arriving | ✕ | ✓ Email + instructions |
| Duplicate player merge | Manual / impossible | ✓ Two taps |
| Account optional | Required | ✓ Link-only access |
| Edit bracket mid-tournament | ✕ Locked | ✓ Swap, replace, insert |
| Team brackets (3v3) | ✕ | ✓ First of its kind |
| Mobile-first | Desktop-focused | ✓ Designed for it |
Who benefits?
Tournament Directors
Players
Spectators
Fine-tune every detail.
Configure match lengths, visibility, registration rules, and more for each tournament.
Built for backgammon. Ready for anything.
GG Arena started as a platform for backgammon, but it quickly evolved into something bigger — a complete tournament system that works for any sport or competition that uses brackets, scores, and standings.
Chess, ping pong, pool, darts, esports, board games — if your competition has players, rounds, and results, GG Arena can run it. The core engine is format-agnostic: brackets, Swiss pairings, round robin, team events, and live scoring all work regardless of the sport.
Need a feature that's not here yet?
GG Arena is actively developed and new features ship fast.
If you have a specific need — a special format, a custom display layout, integration with your scoring system, anything — just get in touch. Turnaround is typically days, not months. This isn't a support ticket queue. It's a direct conversation with the developer.
Common questions
We already use another tool. Why should we switch?
Existing tools have served the community well. GG Arena is about offering what players now expect: live brackets on their phone, real-time scores, QR registration, and a venue display that makes the event feel professional. Try it for one tournament — you'll see the difference.
Is it stable enough for a major event?
Yes. GG Arena runs on modern cloud infrastructure with a PostgreSQL database. It handles real-time updates across many simultaneous connections. And because the developer is directly involved, any issue gets immediate personal attention.
Can players learn it fast?
Players don't need to learn anything. They scan a QR code, see their matches, and tap "I Won" when they win. The interface is designed so a first-time user is comfortable within 30 seconds.
Can features be customized for our event?
Absolutely — this is one of GG Arena's biggest advantages. The developer has direct access to every part of the system. Tell us what you need and it gets built. Turnaround is typically days, not months.
What does it cost?
GG Arena is currently free for tournament organizers. The goal right now is adoption and feedback from the community.
What if the internet goes down at the venue?
The match clock uses a local-first architecture — it continues running even if the connection drops temporarily and syncs when connectivity returns. Results can be entered as soon as connectivity is restored.
Does it work for large tournaments (64+ players)?
Yes. The bracket engine handles tournaments up to 256 players with proper seeding and bye placement. Double Elimination with 64 players generates a full bracket with cross-seeding automatically.
Ready to level up your tournaments?
Join tournament directors who run smoother events with GG Arena. Free to start, no credit card needed.
Works on any device · No app to install · Free tier available