Topic: Creating a Foosball Tournament

[ajr225]

Hi,

We have a small league of players (14), and statistics for each individual player (based on a formula taking into account wins, points and teammate rankings). Now we would like to make a tournament, but are not sure how to form the teams.

Should we,

a) Match top 2 players on a team, next 2 on a team, etc...

b) Match the best player with the worst player, etc...

c) Choose random teams

d) Is there a better option?

There is discrepency among the players here about how we should do it, so I wanted to see if you guys might have some suggestions. Right now, we are considering having a tournament consist of 3 sub-tournaments, of type (a), (b) and (c).

Any input is appreciated.

Thanks,

Alex Robinson
University Club Foosball League
www.personal.psu.edu/ajr225/foosball

[SumnerH]

Should we,

a) Match top 2 players on a team, next 2 on a team, etc...

b) Match the best player with the worst player, etc...

c) Choose random teams

d) Is there a better option?

Normally there are three relevant kinds of events at bigger tournaments.  There's also a fourth common system used at local events.  Each has advantages and disadvantages:
1. An "open DYP (Draw Your Partner)", where everyone who enters is paired with a random partner.
2. An "open BYP (Bring Your Partner)", where everyone picks whoever they want to be partners with
3. A "Limited" event, where you can't have 2 top players on the same team (but you pick your own partners, not randomly).  Usually a ranking system assigns a certain number of points to each player (e.g. 0-499 points = Beginner, 500-999 points = Intermediate, 1000+ points = Master), and then you say that the event is a "1200 Limited", so the total points for the two players can't be more than 1200.  That way a couple low intermediate players could play together, but a top intermediate player with, say, 900 points would have to partner with a beginner.  And a Master would have to partner with a low beginner.

The fourth option, used more often at smaller weekly tournaments, is an "A/B Draw" where you take the top half of the players and pair them randomly with the bottom half of the players.  So if you have 16 players, you take the 8 highest rated players and randomly pair them with the 8 lowest rated players.

Also, note that big tournaments will have a "beginner doubles", "intermediate doubles", "beginner singles", etc.  But with only 16 people that is overkill--if you want to run multiple events I would strongly suggest including an open BYP as one of them (since that is the format that most rewards players competing at the highest level, and also allows them to build teams with good chemistry, practice together ahead of time, etc).  I also like the Limited format since it tends to reward players who are improving their game rapidly.

The DYP events (open or A/B draw) are good random fun, but they do leave a lot up to chance and can be frustrating if you get two good goalies (neither of whom is a good forward) paired together or vice-versa, or just get people who don't have good chemistry paired up.  So I wouldn't run JUST a DYP at a big event, but most weekly tournaments are DYP events (not a big deal if your partnership isn't ideal since you'll just play again next week).

[sanjuro]

Hi Alex

I am also searching for help on how to promote and run a succesful foosball tourie your site doenst seem to work.

Well we dont have a league but we do have a bunch of players ranging from beginners to masters...(relative)

Also the point system how do you structure it?

[SumnerH]

I am also searching for help on how to promote and run a succesful foosball tourie your site doenst seem to work.

Well we dont have a league but we do have a bunch of players ranging from beginners to masters...(relative)

Also the point system how do you structure it?

Decide on a mid-point, say 1000 points.  Divide up your players into good, average, and bad based on guesses, and assign them 1200, 1000, and 800 points to start.  Every match someone wins is +5 points, every one they lose is -5 points.  Whenever a new player shows up, watch them play a little and make a guess as to about how good they are.  They'll get adjusted to the right level fairly quickly.

When a tournament starts, take the players and divide them into the half with the highest points (A players) and the half with the lowest points (B players).  If there's a tie in the middle (say you have 2 guys with 1200, 2 with 800, and 2 with 1000) pick randomly who's A and who's B (one of the 1000 point players will be B, the other A, and the 1200 point players will be A and the 800 point players are B).

Pair the names randomly.  A deck of cards is handy here--if you have 5 A players, take ace through 5, shuffle, and use them to randomly assign numbers to the A.  Do the same for B.  Then team up A1 and B1 (as Team 1), A2 and B2 (as Team 2), etc.

Get a double-elimination chart on the web that has seedings.  Seed the teams according to the chart (the chart has Team 1 playing Team 8 in the first round, Team 2 playing Team 7, etc).  If you have less teams than the chart size, write in "Bye" in those spots (so if you have 5 teams, and an 8-team bracket, then Team 6, Team 7, and Team 8 are all "Bye").  Bye plays just like anyone else but automatically loses (and goes wherever the loser of that match would go in the loser's bracket).

Toss a coin to start each match, the winner of the coin toss can opt to serve first, or to choose sides.  The other team gets the remaining option.

Play 2 out of 3 matches, moving people along in the chart.

If you have an odd number of players, either:
1. Have the tournament director sit out; or
2. Designate the odd man out as Mr X.  One of the players from the first team that loses gets paired w/ Mr X (if Mr X is an A player, pair the B player with him and vice-versa).  If you do this, write Mr X in the bracked and make sure the first matches you play are ones that can eliminate a team and get him paired up--otherwise it'll take forever to run the draw.

[mstahlpullkicker]

seed the top players so they they can't draw each other and put the other players in a hat and draw partners. play a double elimination tournament 3 out of five in the winners bracket and 2 out of three in the loosers bracket. winner of the loosers bracket must beat the king seat team twice 3 of 5 in the finals.