Define the predictability number α(T) of a tournament T to be the largest supermajority threshold $${\frac{1}{2} < \alpha\leq 1}$$ for which T could represent the pairwise voting outcomes from some population of voter preference orders. We establish that the predictability number always exists and is rational. Only acyclic tournaments have predictability 1; the Condorcet voting paradox tournament has predictability $${\frac{2}{3}}$$ ; Gilboa has found a tournament on 54 alternatives (i.e. vertices) that has predictability less than $${\frac{2}{3}}$$ , and has asked whether a smaller such tournament exists. We exhibit an 8-vertex tournament that has predictability $${\frac{13}{20}}$$ , and prove that it is the smallest tournament with predictability < $${\frac{2}{3}}$$ . Our methodology is to formulate the problem as a finite set of two-person zero-sum games, employ the minimax duality and linear programming basic solution theorems, and solve using rational arithmetic.