Tips for organizing a tournament
- Thread starter justnum
- Start date
All depends on the scope of your tourney? What type of tourney, how big a field, entry fees?
Obviously logicistical things need to be worked out. Make sure you have enough tables for the size of your tourney. What are the races to? Is it double elim? Is there a Calcutta? Is it handicapped? Rules? Then there is promotion of the tourney.
Honestly, it's like the pool stroke. Do all the hard work and thinking and planning in your pre shot routine, then when it comes time to shoot, shoot (aka iron out EVERY DETAIL of the tourney and then run the tourney).
You don't want to leave any detail out, and need to plan for every situation because pool players will gripe about anything and everything if things don't go smoothly (and rightly so in most cases).
If you give us some answers on the scope of what you are trying to run we can probably help better.
Obviously logicistical things need to be worked out. Make sure you have enough tables for the size of your tourney. What are the races to? Is it double elim? Is there a Calcutta? Is it handicapped? Rules? Then there is promotion of the tourney.
Honestly, it's like the pool stroke. Do all the hard work and thinking and planning in your pre shot routine, then when it comes time to shoot, shoot (aka iron out EVERY DETAIL of the tourney and then run the tourney).
You don't want to leave any detail out, and need to plan for every situation because pool players will gripe about anything and everything if things don't go smoothly (and rightly so in most cases).
If you give us some answers on the scope of what you are trying to run we can probably help better.
West Texan
Registered
Weekly tournament or one time event?
I run 2 weekly tournaments and biggest problem is getting players. Have done a few benefit tournaments and haven't really had any problems on those.
Have the set of rules your using ironed out well in advance. All my tournaments are full BCA rules, but have run a few that were modified BCA, and a few that were bar room rules. There are so many versions of bar room rules that I actually typed up all the rules for the version I was using so there could be no disputes.
I run 2 weekly tournaments and biggest problem is getting players. Have done a few benefit tournaments and haven't really had any problems on those.
Have the set of rules your using ironed out well in advance. All my tournaments are full BCA rules, but have run a few that were modified BCA, and a few that were bar room rules. There are so many versions of bar room rules that I actually typed up all the rules for the version I was using so there could be no disputes.
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I have been running tournaments for up to 64 players for 15 years and have a lot of tips.
Give me projected size of field, single or double elimination, how many tables, entry fee, whether or not it's handicapped, game (8/9/10-ball), desired length of races, projected field strength, and how long (hours and/or days) you have for the tourney to run.
Give me projected size of field, single or double elimination, how many tables, entry fee, whether or not it's handicapped, game (8/9/10-ball), desired length of races, projected field strength, and how long (hours and/or days) you have for the tourney to run.
If time is tight, or the matches are running long. Do some things to save some time like letting the next match on a table know to start right after the prior match is done. Ten minutes can easily pass if you have to find someone who is taking a break etc.
I ran a T yesterday with 9 teams. The loser side of the extra match had split the first two games and two guys were talking about how to make a shot. They were setting it up and shooting it several times. After I asked if they were done, they realized the urgency to keep things moving.
We have done one game matches in the loser's bracket once. Often the final is late and the last two teams split the money.
I have joked about playing a match on two tables. The rack would be ready to break on table 2 right after the end of the game on table 1. Never tried this.
If it is a larger tournament, have someone to back you up that understands a bracket. This will help a lot if you are also playing.
I ran a T yesterday with 9 teams. The loser side of the extra match had split the first two games and two guys were talking about how to make a shot. They were setting it up and shooting it several times. After I asked if they were done, they realized the urgency to keep things moving.
We have done one game matches in the loser's bracket once. Often the final is late and the last two teams split the money.
I have joked about playing a match on two tables. The rack would be ready to break on table 2 right after the end of the game on table 1. Never tried this.
If it is a larger tournament, have someone to back you up that understands a bracket. This will help a lot if you are also playing.
A bracket can only move as fast as the slowest match, so keep an eye on laggards and if part of the bracket gets behind, make sure you are ready with the next match right away to catch up.
If you do double-elim, there are more matches in the losers side than the winners, so you want a shorter race there to even things out.
When people whine, and someone always does, don't give an inch or you'll invite much more whining!
Also, I've never heard of an entry fee with a complete payout (no house rake) being considered gambling. And I've played in tournaments with entry fees and payouts in three universities. I think that's pretty common.
Good luck!
If you do double-elim, there are more matches in the losers side than the winners, so you want a shorter race there to even things out.
When people whine, and someone always does, don't give an inch or you'll invite much more whining!
Also, I've never heard of an entry fee with a complete payout (no house rake) being considered gambling. And I've played in tournaments with entry fees and payouts in three universities. I think that's pretty common.
Good luck!
Getting people to show up..