# Overview

At **TradersYard**, we empower traders not only through professional **Prop Trading Challenges** but also through competitive and exciting **Trading Tournaments**.

While **Challenges** focus on reaching predefined targets under strict rules (documented [here](https://docs.tradersyard.com/traderchallenge/rules)) **Tournaments** are all about **competing against other traders**. Your success is measured by how well you perform in relation to others — it’s not about passing a level, but about outperforming your peers.

Tournaments vary in theme, rules, and prizes — ranging from **free-to-play events** with real rewards, to **exclusive competitions** requiring an entry fee. Whether you’re a short-term scalper or long-term swing trader, there’s something for everyone.

## Key Characteristics

* 📊 **Competition-based**: Tournaments rank all participants by **total profit & loss (P\&L)**.
* ⏳ **Join anytime**: You can join **before** the tournament starts or even **after it has already begun**. The earlier you join, the more time you have to accumulate profits and climb the leaderboard.
* 🪙 **Free or Paid**: Some tournaments are free to enter, others may have an entry fee depending on the prize pool.
* 🧾 **Individual Rules**: Tradable instruments, duration, and conditions differ from one tournament to another. You’ll always find a **“Rules & Prizes”** section per event.
* 🔒 **Privacy by Nickname**: Your rank and results are shown under your **nickname**, not your real name. You can change this in your **Profile Settings**, otherwise a nickname is generated automatically.