Tideman Algorithm ~upd~ May 2026

But there is a more insidious problem: (e.g., A > B, B > C, C > A). Here, no single candidate beats all others head-to-head. The question is: How do we break the cycle fairly?

The Tideman algorithm (Ranked Pairs), invented by Nicolaus Tideman in 1987, answers this by saying: Lock in the strongest landslides first, skip any result that would create a cycle. Imagine a tournament. Candidate A beats B by 52% to 48% (a narrow win). Candidate C beats A by 80% to 20% (a landslide). Tideman argues that the landslide should have more weight in determining the winner than the squeaker. tideman algorithm

1. The Core Problem: The Paradox of Voting Most voting systems (Plurality, IRV, Score) suffer from fundamental flaws: they can elect a candidate who would lose in a head-to-head match against every other candidate. This is the Condorcet Loser problem. But there is a more insidious problem: (e

Its deep insight is that — a landslide should outweigh a squeaker in resolving circular ties, but never override a direct pairwise majority. This balance between strength and directness makes Tideman one of the most intellectually satisfying voting algorithms ever devised. The Tideman algorithm (Ranked Pairs), invented by Nicolaus