rubber match
Series-deciding contest
A rubber match is the deciding game in a series where competitors are tied.
After splitting the first two games of a three-game series, the third becomes the rubber match: Game 7 was the rubber match of the World Series.
The term comes from card games, where a rubber was a set of games, with the final game breaking the tie.
One who resolves matters
- tiebreakerContest deciding drawn competitors
- clincherFact that settles matters
- showdownDecisive final confrontation
- finaleConcluding part of performance
determinant · settlement · resolution · conclusion · culmination · endgame · deciding game · series finale
decider
One who resolves matters
- tiebreakerContest deciding drawn competitors
- clincherFact that settles matters
- showdownDecisive final confrontation
finale · determinant · settlement · resolution · conclusion · culmination · endgame · deciding game · series finale · sudden death
game
Organized play or sport
- fixtureAttached building component
- seriesOrdered set of related items
- playoffContest deciding advancement
championship · tournament · athletics · baseball · tennis · cricket · boxing · wrestling · decider · final set
contest
Organized competitive event
- boutLimited stretch of something
- duelPrearranged one-on-one combat
- clashViolent disagreement or collision
battle · face-off · matchup · showdown · rivalry · confrontation · series · playoff · championship
- competitionscontests, tournaments, game, race, final
- Decisive Momentsfinal round, tiebreaker, sudden death, overtime, grand final
- tournament roundsfirst round, second round, third round, final round, opening round
- playground rulesdibs, do-over, finders keepers, called it, time out
- baseball seasonregular season, playoffs, postseason, World Series, spring training
rubber matchsweep
Brush clean with broom
clean sweep · whitewash · rout · mismatch · walkover
rubber matchexhibition game
Non-competitive preparatory match
scrimmage · garbage time · preseason game · friendly · practice match
rubber, match, rubbers, rubbery, rubberize, rubberized, matches, matched, matching