BOWLLIARDS Tournament
July 27, 2024.
Slate Street, Rio Rancho, NM.

Contents:

1. Tournament Overview.
2. Reminders.
3. Entry fee and Donations.
4. Payouts.
5. Signing Up.
6. Divisions ('A' and 'B').
7. Time Management.
8. TOURNAMENT RESULTS.

This tournament is offered as a fun diversion using a game that mimics bowling.  The self-seeding format being used should allow it to run in a, more or less, predictable amount of time (about 75 to 90 minutes per round, with at most 5 rounds).

The competition is pure offense.   The shooter always starts with a fresh rack (there is never a need to respond to an opponent's leave – keeping up with their score is a separate issue).

Doors will open at 9:00am.  Players must be registered and should have their entry fee paid by 10:00am to be in tournament.

Around 9:30 we will briefly go over playing BOWLLIARDS, scoring each player's turn, time-management, and managing the flow between players (shooter, ball returner, and score-keeper).  With a bit of time for questions I'm hoping to get matches started by 10:15.  There will be about a 15-minute break after a round to set groups for the next round.

This BOWLLIARDS tournament will use a SELF-SEEDING format.  As there are multiple versions of Bowlliards rules on the internet be sure you review the set referenced above.

A minimum of 16 players (4 foursomes) is needed for the self-seeding aspect of the tournament to work decently.

Both BOWLLIARDS tournaments of 2023 ( June, and October) can give you examples of how the self-seeding works.

Two larger examples of the self-seeding format are from  Cut Throat tournaments.  The first is from 1990 (first shot at it): Spring 1990 Cut Throat Tournament.  The second is from 2015: Spring 2015 Cut Throat Tournament.

Some reminders are in order before the tournament begins (some may need to be repeated as it's going along too).

• The tournament will use the following rule sets (please take the time to read them).
  • Tournament Rules and Regulations.
  • The General Rules of Pocket Billiards.
  • The rules for BOWLLIARDS.  As there are multiple versions of Bowlliards rules on the internet be sure you review these.

• As there will be no less than three players per match the following will help keep things moving at a good pace.  While one player is shooting, another will be (at the table, out of the shooter's way) ready to: rack, spot balls as needed, and return the cue ball to the shooter when needed.  A third player will be keeping score.

  With three people playing the following works as a smooth rotation. The person keeping score would be the next shooter, the person who was managing the table would become the score keeper, and the person who was shooting would manage the table.

  When there are more than three players the person who was shooting gets to rest some while another player manages the table.

• A clip-board should be kept by the Tournament Director(s).  It's useful to write down any decisions or rulings made by an official in case the same situation comes up again.

  That will help with giving consistent rulings.  It can also help with future tournaments.

The entry fee is $50.  The player entry fee needs to be paid before matches start in order to be in the tournament.

Donations will be accepted to cover prizes like most all-strikes games in games of at least 6 frames (e.g. 300 for 10 frames), and to increase the prize money for placing in either division (if there's more than one).

— Placing —

When playing FOURSOMES:

• 64 players will result in four divisions ('A'. 'B', 'C', & 'D') with the following payouts based on entry fees.

  'A' — First: 22%,  Second: 13%,  Third: 8%.
  'B' — First: 13%,  Second: 8%,  Third: 4%.
  'C' — First: 8%,  Second: 6%,  Third: 4%.
  'D' — First: 7%,  Second: 5%,  Third: 2%.

• 48 or more players will result in three divisions ('A'. 'B', & 'C') with the following payouts based on entry fees.

  'A' — First: 25%,  Second: 15%,  Third: 10%.
  'B' — First: 15%,  Second: 9%,  Third: 5%.
  'C' — First: 10%,  Second: 7%,  Third: 4%.

• 32 players will result in two divisions ('A' & 'B') with the following payouts.

  'A' — First: 30%,  Second: 18%,  Third: 12%.
  'B' — First: 20%,  Second: 12%,  Third: 8%.
  
  Additional money (from donations) has each: 'A' place getting an additional $30, and each 'B' place getting an additional $15.

• 16 players will result in one division with the following payouts.

  First: 50%,  Second: 30%,  Third: 20%.
  
  Additional money (from donations) adds $200 to the place money.

When playing THREESOMES:

Additional money (from donations) adds $200 to the place money.

• 18 to 24 players will result in two divisions ('A' & 'B') with the following payouts.

  'A' — First: 36%,  Second: 24%.
  'B' — First: 24%,  Second: 16%.

• 9 to 12 players will result in one division with the following payouts.

  First: 60%,  Second: 40%.

— Most-Strikes —

Prize for scoring most all-strikes games in games of at least 6 frames (e.g. 300 in 10 frames).

• This prize is currently $300.  Specified donations for this can push it higher.

Prize for highest not-all-strikes game not placing: 1^st,  2^nd,  or 3^rd.

• This prize is currently $50 per division.  Specified donations for this can push it higher.

  Ties will be broken by players' second highest games.   If it's still tied after the third highest games then flip coin(s).

A minimum of 16 players is recommended for this tournament.

You can sign-up through NM Pool Players Facebook page, or arriving early on tournament day.  You can phone Ray if you have questions (please leave voice-mail if no answer)
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You don't need to choose a division to play in as the flow of the tournament will sort that out as it goes along.  The first two rounds will seed players for the remaining rounds (2 or 3 more depending on number of players).

At the end of the second round the field will be cut so the self-seeding in the remaining rounds gives the appropriate number of divisions and prize places.

The cut will be determined by where you placed, group-wise (i.e. round points), in the first two rounds (see the self-seeding format description for an idea of how things may shake-out).

The number of divisions will depend on the number of people playing.  The following are some examples.

When playing FOURSOMES:

• 48 players yields three divisions ('A'. 'B', & 'C').
• 32 players gives two divisions ('A' & 'B').
• 16 players ends up with one division.

If THREESOMES are played (18 or 24 players):

• 18 to 24 players will result in two divisions ('A' & 'B') each with First and Second places.  This would take five rounds.  (The second round cut leaves 18 players.)
• 12 players will result in one division for First and Second places.  This would take four rounds.

• To help the tournament run smoothly please be ready to play at least 15-minutes before the next round is scheduled to start.  If no time is shown (somewhat likely to happen for all but the first round) the players should be in ear-shout for when the round start is called.

• The number of frames played per match is adjusted to help keep the rounds within the allotted time.  When it looks like the allotted time may be exceeded the TD will announce "Last Frame".  At that point once the current frame is completed scoring will continue using the 10^th frame (to allow scoring of three strikes in a player's last turn).

  As an EXAMPLE —
  About 15 minutes before a round runs out of time "Last Frame" will be announced.  Say two of the four players at the table have had their turns in the sixth frame when 'last frame' is called.  Once all players have completed frame 6 then frames 7, 8, and 9 will be scratched out.  Then frame 10 will be played to complete the round.

  When the 10^th frame is finished the score sheet is turned in so the next round's groupings can start being made.

• Allowances may be made for a player to take a quick break (for a pressing problem) during a match by skipping to the next shooter (or two).  This should be avoided as it can mess with the flow of the match.