How to run a Floating Tournament

From RabbitWiki

[edit] The Floating Tournament Concept

Whereas most tournaments at the Big Experiment (or anywhere for that matter) are scheduled to start at a specific time and consist of a limited series of games, floating tournaments are different. These competitions have a very loose structure, and run for an extended time, usually during the full course of an event (such as the 4-day Origins game expo). Players can choose to play just a few times, or they can aggressively pursue victory by getting in as many matches as possible. Dedication becomes a factor in this challenge.

The Floating Tournament format is best suited for slow & thoughtful 2 player games (like Binary Homeworlds and Volcano). Games can happen at any time, whenever two players decide to meet up for one or more matches.

[edit] Rules & Procedures

• Schedule (Origins-specific):
  • Event begins at 8 PM on Wednesday night
  • Event concludes at 12:45 PM on Sunday.
  • Winners are announced at 1 PM.
  • At least one Meetup Event will also be held at some point during the weekend; consult the schedule for details. (Attendance at Meetup sessions is not required, it's just a convenience for players looking to schedule matches.)

• Players may join the competition at any time.
  • Each participant gets an extra ribbon for their badge, so that other players can recognize them and thus challenge each other games.
  • To further assist players in locating others for matches, a list of Floating Tournament Participants will be posted prominently in the gaming space.

• Official games may begin whenever two players agree to a match.
  • All games are voluntary. No one is required to enter any game if they do not want to.
  • The players agree to the terms of what constitutes a win (winner-take-all, best 5 out of 9, whatever), and play until someone wins.

• Each game is played according to the standard published rules for that game.
  • A printed version of the rules will be on hand to consult if any questions or disputes arise.
  • Consult with the Tournament Director for any special rules or unusual situations.

• Each game will be documented.
  • When the players finish, they fill out a little form (available from the Tournament Director), detailing who played and who won.
  • The loser verifies that the data is correct, and the winner verifies that the form is promptly submitted to the Tournament Director.
  • Each form must be date/time stamped.
  • A secure collection box must be provided, for the score sheets to be placed in.

• Scoring:
  • Any loss is worth -1 point. If this is the first time you are playing this opponent, the win is worth 2 points. Otherwise, the win is worth 1 point. (That way, no group of players can artificially inflate their joint score without it being a severe mental exercise. Also, this encourages people to play other participants without penalty.)
  • All scores are kept secret until the winner is revealed. Savvy players may calculate their own score, and are free to say whatever they wish about what they believe their scores to be. However, the actual scores will be neither revealed -- nor even calculated -- until the tournament is over.