The school holds a table tennis competition. Group A and Group B each have 18 people. Each group competes in pairs. The loser is eliminated and the winner enters the next round. The first place in the last two groups goes to the final. How many matches will be played in the two group matches?
学校举行乒乓球比赛，A组、B组两个小组各有18人，每组两人一对进行比赛，负者被淘汰、胜者进入下一轮，最后两组第一名进行决赛．两个小组赛一共要进行多少场比赛．
<gadget id="calculator">18 - 1</gadget>
<output>17</output>

<gadget id="calculator">17 * 2</gadget>
<output>34</output>

<gadget id="calculator">34 + 1</gadget>
<output>35</output>

<result>35</result>