To generate more interest in one pocket at my local pool room, I'm trying to organize a one pocket "ladder" tournament and would appreciate any suggestions about how to go about it. I'll also ask this question at onepocket.org, but since it's really not so much about one pocket but about how to organize this kind of tournament in general, I thought AzB might be a good place to start.
The idea is to have a small-money tournament ($10-$15 entry) that lasts for several weeks and encourages players to get acquainted with each other by matching up on their own initiative over that time. Everybody starts out on the same level, anybody can challenge anybody else (see restrictions below) and the winner moves up a level, and so forth until a "pyramid" is formed with the winners at the top (like a single-elimination tournament bracket, except with no eliminations).
Game rules are the easy part; it's the tournament rules I wonder about. The tournament rules I've thought of so far are:
1. Must win against another player on your own level before challenging anybody above you.
2. Can only challenge one level above your own level.
3. At the end of the tournament period, the players at the top of the bracket/pyramid are declared the winners (payout 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc., depending on size of field).
4. Any others?
Here are my questions:
1. How can we ensure that enough matches take place to have an outcome that reasonably reflects the players' skills (and still stick to a predetermined time period - say, two or three months)?
2. Is there a danger that somebody could rise quickly to the top of the bracket/pyramid and be insulated from challenges there because only the two players immediately below can challenge? How do we avoid that risk?
3. How can we ensure that challenges are answered quickly enough to keep the tournament moving along? What time limit for answering a challenge, and what consequence for failing to do so?
4. Is the long-term nature of the tournament enough of a deterrent to keep away carpetbagging sharks who just want to take off a smalltime tournament like this for the cash? If not, what else can we do? What restrictions can we reasonably place on entries? The intent is to encourage new or less experienced one pocket players.
5. What kind of payout structure works best with the small money and overall intent of this tournament? How can we give the less experienced one pocket players a chance to win something?
6. What questions should I ask that I haven't?
Thanks for any and all input!
pj
chgo
The idea is to have a small-money tournament ($10-$15 entry) that lasts for several weeks and encourages players to get acquainted with each other by matching up on their own initiative over that time. Everybody starts out on the same level, anybody can challenge anybody else (see restrictions below) and the winner moves up a level, and so forth until a "pyramid" is formed with the winners at the top (like a single-elimination tournament bracket, except with no eliminations).
Game rules are the easy part; it's the tournament rules I wonder about. The tournament rules I've thought of so far are:
1. Must win against another player on your own level before challenging anybody above you.
2. Can only challenge one level above your own level.
3. At the end of the tournament period, the players at the top of the bracket/pyramid are declared the winners (payout 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc., depending on size of field).
4. Any others?
Here are my questions:
1. How can we ensure that enough matches take place to have an outcome that reasonably reflects the players' skills (and still stick to a predetermined time period - say, two or three months)?
2. Is there a danger that somebody could rise quickly to the top of the bracket/pyramid and be insulated from challenges there because only the two players immediately below can challenge? How do we avoid that risk?
3. How can we ensure that challenges are answered quickly enough to keep the tournament moving along? What time limit for answering a challenge, and what consequence for failing to do so?
4. Is the long-term nature of the tournament enough of a deterrent to keep away carpetbagging sharks who just want to take off a smalltime tournament like this for the cash? If not, what else can we do? What restrictions can we reasonably place on entries? The intent is to encourage new or less experienced one pocket players.
5. What kind of payout structure works best with the small money and overall intent of this tournament? How can we give the less experienced one pocket players a chance to win something?
6. What questions should I ask that I haven't?
Thanks for any and all input!
pj
chgo
