How to speed up tournaments?

B

BillyKoda

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
We run a 8-Ball and 9-Ball tournament every Sunday, start at 1:00pm and have to be out of the bar at 8:30pm. Only one table in the bar so we run the tournaments back to back. Yesterday we had 20 8-Ball players (partnered up) and 16 9-Ball players (singles), The 8-Ball tourney is the featured event so more time is spent on it but we are constantly running out of time on the 9-Ball tourney, last night we had to go with single elimination in 9-Ball because of time constraints (American Legion Bar manager won't budge on closing time).

The goal is to get both tournaments finished up in 7 1/2 hours and both tournaments being double elimination. 20-26 8-Ball players and 10-16 9-Ball players is a typical Sunday. Any suggestions on how to speed up play? It only takes about 5 minutes to draw numbers and get things going so I am looking for suggestions to speed things up during play.

Here are some of the suggestions from the players last night.

Shot clock (is there one out on the market)?
7-Ball instead of 9-Ball?
9-Ball race to 2 instead of double elimination?

TIA

BK
 
BillyKoda said:
We run a 8-Ball and 9-Ball tournament every Sunday, start at 1:00pm and have to be out of the bar at 8:30pm. Only one table in the bar so we run the tournaments back to back. Yesterday we had 20 8-Ball players (partnered up) and 16 9-Ball players (singles), The 8-Ball tourney is the featured event so more time is spent on it but we are constantly running out of time on the 9-Ball tourney, last night we had to go with single elimination in 9-Ball because of time constraints (American Legion Bar manager won't budge on closing time).

The goal is to get both tournaments finished up in 7 1/2 hours and both tournaments being double elimination. 20-26 8-Ball players and 10-16 9-Ball players is a typical Sunday. Any suggestions on how to speed up play? It only takes about 5 minutes to draw numbers and get things going so I am looking for suggestions to speed things up during play.

Here are some of the suggestions from the players last night.

Shot clock (is there one out on the market)?
7-Ball instead of 9-Ball?
9-Ball race to 2 instead of double elimination?

TIA

BK
Click to expand...


Go 2 on the winner's side of the bracket and then go to race to 1 on the loser side. just a sugestion that help make it go faster.:) :)
 
First thing I would suggest is START earlier.

Do the same players that play in the 8 ball usually play in the 9 ball?
If so... make it an 'OR' event.. 8 ball or 9 ball your choice, but not BOTH.

If Not, alternate. one Sunday 8 Ball, then next 9 Ball

One Table?

As far as play goes, 8 Ball games should (on average) take about 10minutes. 9 Ball games about 5 minutes.

Slow players are hurting the tournament. Warn them if they continue to play slow, they won't be able to play in future tournaments.

Make both tournaments SINGLE elimination race to 1.

Raise the entry fee to $25 that will weed out the nits.

Winners and runnerups (of either event) are banned for 4 weeks.
 
Maybe I missed it, but I did not see what they were races to. Like Tom said, starting a little earlier would probably be the best thing to do. I also agree with everyone else that two tournaments may be pushing it. I was also curious wheather the American Legion closed at 8:30 or that they had something else going on at 8:30? Have the bar put in about five more tables for you guys! Is that too much to ask???
 
Only one table? Ick :( Though your average American Legion post only has one table, if they have any at all. (My dad's a vet, been to the local AL many times with him.)

Like others said, running two tournaments back to back is kinda too much. I'd maybe either ditch the 9-ball altogether, or move it to another night, or just alternate - 8-ball one week, 9-ball the next, rinse, repeat.

I'd also consider putting a cap on the number of participants.
 
rossaroni said:
Maybe I missed it, but I did not see what they were races to. Like Tom said, starting a little earlier would probably be the best thing to do. I also agree with everyone else that two tournaments may be pushing it. I was also curious wheather the American Legion closed at 8:30 or that they had something else going on at 8:30? Have the bar put in about five more tables for you guys! Is that too much to ask???
Click to expand...

Heh, it's an American Legion post. Those places run on shoestring budgets as it is. It's not a "bar" per se. Plus, those places usually don't have a lot of extra room.

And closing at 8:30? That seems early even for an AL post. But consider that the vast majority of folks who go to these places are fairly ancient folks - senior citizens. So a closing time of 8:30 doesn't strike me as TOO terribly odd, considering.
 
ScottW said:
Heh, it's an American Legion post. Those places run on shoestring budgets as it is. It's not a "bar" per se. Plus, those places usually don't have a lot of extra room.

And closing at 8:30? That seems early even for an AL post. But consider that the vast majority of folks who go to these places are fairly ancient folks - senior citizens. So a closing time of 8:30 doesn't strike me as TOO terribly odd, considering.
Click to expand...
Ok, Ok. Have them put in three maybe four tables then. That should work.
 
BillyKoda said:
We run a 8-Ball and 9-Ball tournament every Sunday, start at 1:00pm and have to be out of the bar at 8:30pm. Only one table in the bar so we run the tournaments back to back. Yesterday we had 20 8-Ball players (partnered up) and 16 9-Ball players (singles), The 8-Ball tourney is the featured event so more time is spent on it but we are constantly running out of time on the 9-Ball tourney, last night we had to go with single elimination in 9-Ball because of time constraints (American Legion Bar manager won't budge on closing time).

The goal is to get both tournaments finished up in 7 1/2 hours and both tournaments being double elimination. 20-26 8-Ball players and 10-16 9-Ball players is a typical Sunday. Any suggestions on how to speed up play? It only takes about 5 minutes to draw numbers and get things going so I am looking for suggestions to speed things up during play.

Here are some of the suggestions from the players last night.

Shot clock (is there one out on the market)?
7-Ball instead of 9-Ball?
9-Ball race to 2 instead of double elimination?

TIA



BK
Click to expand...

Try Fast 8, 4 stripes 4 solids, 8 ball in the middle rack em like Nine Ball. Make it open table for faster play or shoot what ya make, it'll save allot time plus the bar owner will like it because quarters are going into the slot quicker.
 
Also ....

You did not state what the race is to for 8 ball and 9 ball NOW? That would help in evaluating your situation.

But I would suggest:
1) Race to 2w, 1L for 8 ball. (reduce to 1W, 1L if have to)
2) Race to 3W, 2L for 9 ball. (reduce to 2W, 1L if have to)
3) If players are called for a match, NO side conversations allowed. Allow 1 minute to get to the table to play.
4) 30 second shot clock. (get an egg timer, or cooking timer).
5) Make sure the TD does not wonder off and not call the next match as soon as the previous one is done.
6) Only 1 time out per match (for partner match, and no more than 2 minutes per timeout).
 
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