Ok guys, I'm putting out the call for your help once again. I'm helping formulate a standard way of running a bunch of upcoming tournaments. The goal is to them be among the better run a scored events out there. So I'm sure there will be more aid needed in the near future.
What is the best way to handle bye rounds in a tournament?
Full points?
Half points?
Have access to an "on call" player, with an army ready to play?
I really appreciate all comments and feedback!
-Jim
From experience both of having suffered a few bye games where there was no-one to step in (was awarded maximum points), and from previous tourneys I have run, if possible always have a spare player and army on stand by.
ReplyDeleteSeriously even if this means you have to jump in and play a game do so.
The player has paid cold hard cash for X amount of games and not to get them always leaves people feeling a little sour.
Not sure what you mean by bye rounds. My input is to no matter what have a few guys "on call" that can fill in whatever number you need to hit an even number, and never say any thing about "bye" rounds what so ever. Just have a stand bye scrub who can throw in his lot and get beat down for three games incognito, rather then publicize a fill in. Most guys will appreciate a weak early opponent and in the greater scheme of things will balance out the tournament. In the last game he will most likely end up vs an opponent he may be able to beat.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I hate bye-rounds. I have had to take a few of them because sometimes you can not just get a person to fill in.
ReplyDeleteThe way I think it is best to handle it, is to give the player the benefit of the doubt. If a player has to have a bye, take the scores for the round he has a bye in and average the top 25 percent. That way he doesn't get max points, but at least he is still in the running.
Giving a player half points can be a death sentence. Especially if that player is typically a player who is in the running for top honors. That would be my suggestion.
Have a few extra players at hand (local?). Best solution by a furlong! I agree with the previous speakers.
ReplyDeleteObviously, having a "spare" player around to do the byes is best-case. The one thing I would never do is have the TO play. Not only does it hurt your impartiality, but I feel it is disrespectful to the odd man out. With how often a TO gets interrupted for questions, updates, scoring and everything else, how can you play a good game of 40k too?
ReplyDeleteFor any big event, I always made sure to have an extra judge who could play the bye. For smaller events, I had players sign up in pairs. If someone was "odd man out", they could either hunt up another player or show up earlier next month. In the rare case that someone had to drop mid-day and there was no choice, the bye would value at the average of their other games.
Thank you all for the input, I really appreciate it!
ReplyDeleteOnly two of these events will be local to our group. So the 'Spare' player will have to be our painting judge. Who's main job will be done before the first game.
No doubt the actual TO would never have time to play in this fashion and wouldn't want too in the first place.
We just wanted to get some input before laying out the plans for handling this type of situation.
Thanks again guys!
-Jim