On the subject of alternates...
It is not uncommon for players to drop out during the course of the game due to time constraints. It is not even unheard of for it to happen multiple times in a tournament.
That's where the alternates come in. If it happens in the first round, a single alternate will be take the place of the person who dropped. If it happens in the second round, two alternates will face off and the victor will take the position of the person who dropped. If it happens in the third round, the other person becomes Iron DM Champion by default.
If a player drops out in the middle of his/her face-off, the other player will have the option to either accept the win, or face an alternate.
Good luck to our players and our alternates!