Pacts (Forced Pairings)
A pact is a forced pairing that guarantees two specific cards will fight each other, regardless of their weight difference. Pacts bypass the normal matching algorithm and are useful for pre-arranged fights, grudge matches, or special exhibition bouts.
Pacts are an Advanced tier feature. They are not available in Basic or Demo licenses.
When to Use Pacts
- Pre-arranged matches — Two owners agreed to fight each other before the tournament
- Grudge matches — A rematch from a previous event
- Exhibition bouts — Special fights outside normal weight-based matching
- Tournament finals — Ensuring specific teams meet in championship rounds
How to Create a Pact
Go to the Teams tab
Navigate to the Teams view where you can see all registered teams and their cards.
Select the first card
Click on the card (entry) you want to include in the pact. The row will be highlighted.
Hold Ctrl and select the second card
Hold Ctrl (or Cmd on Mac) and click on the second card. Both cards should now be selected.
Create the pact
Right-click on either selected card and choose "Create Pact" from the context menu. Alternatively, use the toolbar button.
Verify the pact
Pacted cards are visually marked with a link icon. You can view all active pacts in the Pacts panel.
How Pacts Work
When you generate a schedule with active pacts:
- The matching engine guarantees the pacted cards will fight each other
- Pacts are honored even if the weight difference exceeds the tolerance
- Pacted fights appear in the schedule like normal fights, but are marked as "Pact"
- The remaining cards are matched normally based on weight
Pacts ignore weight tolerance. If you pact two cards with a large weight difference, the fight will still be scheduled. Make sure this is intentional.
Removing a Pact
To remove a pact:
- Select either card that is part of the pact
- Right-click and choose "Remove Pact"
- The pact is removed and both cards return to normal matching
You can also remove all pacts at once using Edit > Clear All Pacts.
Pact Restrictions
- A card can only be in one pact at a time
- You cannot pact cards from the same team
- You cannot pact cards from teams with the same owner (same player)
- Pacts apply to the current phase only — they don't carry over to the next phase
Pacts vs. Exclusions (Omits)
Pacts and exclusions serve opposite purposes:
| Feature | Purpose | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Pact | Force a specific fight | Two cards MUST fight each other |
| Exclusion (Omit) | Prevent a fight | A team or card is excluded from matching |
Regional Terminology
Pacts are known by different names in different regions:
- Pacto — Mexico, Central America
- Compromiso — Mexico (some regions)
- Gallo compromiso — Used when referring to the card itself
Related Features
- Wildcards — Reserve entries that can be promoted
- Matching Modes — How the algorithm pairs cards
- FAQ — Common questions about matching