Grand Final

BO1 / BO3 / BO5

Best of 1, Best of 3, or Best of 5. The number of maps or games played to determine a match winner. BO3 and BO5 are most common in playoff settings.

LAN

Local Area Network. A LAN event is an in-person tournament where players compete on-site, as opposed to playing online.

Group Stage

The opening phase of a tournament where teams are split into groups and play a round-robin or Swiss format to qualify for the bracket.

Double Elimination

A bracket format with an upper and lower bracket. Teams move to the lower bracket on their first loss and are eliminated on their second.

Swiss Format

Teams with the same record face each other each round. Common in CS2 and LoL group stages. Efficient for large participant pools.

IGL

In-Game Leader. The player responsible for calling strategies and making real-time tactical decisions during a match.