--- title: "Rapid playoff in chess" url: "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/rapid-playoff.md" canonical_url: "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/rapid-playoff" last_updated: "2026-11-07" type: "reference" summary: "A rapid playoff is a short extra game or mini match, played at a faster time control, that decides the winner after players tie in a tournament or match." related: ["https://georgelichess.com/glossary/armageddon.md", "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/tiebreak.md", "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/sudden-death.md", "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/rapid-chess.md", "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/blitz-chess.md", "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/time-control.md", "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/category/time-controls.md", "https://georgelichess.com/glossary.md"] --- # Rapid playoff in chess > **For AI agents:** the complete index of GeorgeLiChess pages is [llms.txt](https://georgelichess.com/llms.txt). Every page is also served as markdown at its URL plus .md. A rapid playoff is a short extra game or mini match, played at a faster time control, that decides the winner after players tie in a tournament or match. A rapid playoff is a short extra game or mini match, played at a faster time control, that decides the winner after players tie in a tournament or match. When two players or two teams finish with the same score and one must advance or win a prize, organizers often use a rapid playoff. The tied players play a game or a short series with a faster [time control](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/time-control.md) than the main event, perhaps ten to twenty-five minutes each, often with a small [increment](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/increment.md). If the main event was played at classical speed, a rapid playoff allows a quick decision on the same day. The format varies. Some events play one game with colors chosen by lot. Others play two games with the colors reversed, then go to blitz and finally to [Armageddon](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/armageddon.md) if the score is still level. The rules are published in advance in the tournament regulations, so players should read them before the event. Rapid playoffs are used in [knockout](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/knockout-tournament.md) events, championship matches and school finals. They test different skills from classical games, because quick judgment, steady nerves and simple [endgame](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/endgame.md) technique matter more than long preparation. A student who expects to reach a final should practice rapid games and be comfortable playing with little time on the clock. Also called: tiebreak playoff. Also worth reading is [Sudden death](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/sudden-death.md). Sudden death is a time control in which each player has one fixed amount of time for the whole game, with no extra time added, so a player whose clock reaches zero loses on time. Compare it with [Rapid chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/rapid-chess.md). Rapid chess is a medium speed format, with each player getting roughly ten to sixty minutes, which keeps games thoughtful while allowing several rounds to be played in one day. If "Rapid playoff" is the format you play most, the [improvement plans by rating band](https://georgelichess.com/improve.md) give a weekly routine for your rating range. ## Related terms - [Armageddon](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/armageddon.md) - [Tiebreak](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/tiebreak.md) - [Sudden death](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/sudden-death.md) - [Rapid chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/rapid-chess.md) - [Blitz chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/blitz-chess.md) - [Time control](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/time-control.md) ## Guides that go further - [Chess time control calculator](https://georgelichess.com/tools/time-control-calculator.md): See whether a base time and increment counts as bullet, blitz, rapid or classical. - [Average chess rating and a good chess rating](https://georgelichess.com/chess-rating-percentiles.md): What share of active Lichess players are rated above 800, 1200, 1500, 1800 or 2000, by time control. - [Chess ratings explained](https://georgelichess.com/chess-ratings-explained.md): What a rating measures, how FIDE, Lichess, US Chess and chess.com compute theirs, and why the numbers differ. [Book your first lesson](https://georgelichess.com/book.md) and George Li reviews your games and builds a study plan around them. Questions about lessons: write to hello@georgelichess.com. ## Related - [Armageddon in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/armageddon.md) - [Tiebreak in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/tiebreak.md) - [Sudden death in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/sudden-death.md) - [Rapid chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/rapid-chess.md) - [Blitz chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/blitz-chess.md) - [Time control in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/time-control.md) - [Chess terms: Time controls and formats](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/category/time-controls.md) - [Chess terms glossary: plain definitions](https://georgelichess.com/glossary.md)