# Clipped Group Ranking Rules

A **clipped group** is a 4-team round-robin variant that plays only **4 games** instead of the usual 6. It is used when 2nd and 3rd place still advance to elimination but a full head-to-head record is not required — it saves a round so all pools in a tournament finish at the same time before crossovers.

### How a Clipped Group Is Played

The four teams enter ranked by seed (1, 2, 3, 4). Games are played in two rounds:

**Round 1**

1. **Game 1** — Seed 1 vs Seed 4
2. **Game 2** — Seed 2 vs Seed 3

**Round 2** (winners and losers cross over)

3. **Game 3** — Winner of Game 1 vs Winner of Game 2 *(decides 1st place)*
4. **Game 4** — Loser of Game 1 vs Loser of Game 2 *(decides 4th place)*

> **Note.** Draws are **not allowed** in clipped pool games. Every game must have a decisive result.

### How Final Places Are Determined

After all 4 games are played, two teams will be 2-0 / 0-2 and two teams will be 1-1.

* **1st place** — Winner of Game 3 *(the only 2-0 team)*
* **4th place** — Loser of Game 4 *(the only 0-2 team)*
* **2nd and 3rd place** — the two 1-1 teams (Loser of Game 3 and Winner of Game 4), separated by the tie-breakers below.

#### Tie-breakers for 2nd vs 3rd place, in order:

1. **Head-to-head** — if the two 1-1 teams already played each other in Round 1 (Game 1 or Game 2), the winner of that game is ranked higher.
2. **Goal difference** — points scored minus points allowed across both of their games.
3. **Goal difference against common opponents** — both 1-1 teams played the same two opponents (the 1st-place and 4th-place teams); compare goal difference in those games.
4. **Average goals scored per game** — total points scored across their two games.
5. **Higher pre-pool seed** — if every numeric criterion ties, the team with the better pre-pool seed (lower seed number) is ranked higher.

> The final criterion replaces the disc-throw used in full round-robin pools — clipped pools resolve all ties deterministically based on results and seeding.

### Standings While the Group Is in Progress

Until all 4 games are completed, standings show a **provisional ranking** based on:

1. Number of wins
2. Goal difference
3. Total goals scored
4. Pre-pool seed

Once the final game finishes, the official tie-breakers above are applied to determine the final order.


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