Hi everyone, That means a few things: 1. If you have any changes to make in terms of the number and division of teams that you are bringing, please make them soon. As it stands right now, though, the field has really started to take shape. After Ottawa's switch to D-I and Queen's dropping a team, we're at 4 teams for a full D-I field, and we've got 14 D-II teams ready to go. Here's who we have so far (with appropriate discounts): D-I Alfred A (Buzzer, distance x2) McGill A (Buzzer) Ottawa A (Buzzer) Ottawa B D-II Alfred B Brock (moderator, distance x2) Carleton A Carleton B Laurentian (new team) McMaster A (distance) McGill B McGill C Queen's A (2 buzzers, 2 staff) Rochester C (possible moderator, distance) Rochester D Toronto (2 buzzers, 2 staff) Wilfrid Laurier A (Buzzer, 2 scorekeepers, possibly 2 moderators, distance) Wilfrid Laurier B Here's who we're waiting on that I know of: Brandeis (D-I) McMaster B (D-II) Western Ontario (Div. unknown) The sooner you could get back to me to confirm on this, the better. And if anyone still wants to add extra teams from their school or if a currently unrepresented school wants to show up, we are able to handle them. However, I can accept or reject any changes at my discretion after Feb. 4, so make sure to let me know before the deadline. 2. It's time to start confirming your discounts. This is especially important for buzzers. As it stands right now, we have 8 buzzers for 18 teams, leaving us one short. First of all, all teams that have said they are bringing a buzzer, please confirm that you are actually bringing it. Secondly, if there is any way any of the teams could scrounge up an extra buzzer, it would be extremely appreciated. Rochester, in particular, I know you're bringing a buzzer to Maryland, but perhaps you could double check with them to see if they still need it. 3. Also, please start confirming your staff attendance as well. The more staff you bring, the bigger your discount, and the easier you make it on us, so it's win-win. Please let me know staff in terms of scorekeepers, experienced moderators and inexperienced moderators. If you have extra players who will rotate into games, then they are considered scorekeepers and you will get $5 off for them. If you have a decidated, experienced moderator, you will get $15 off (although this person may also be asked to scorekeep). Inexperienced moderators will be tested out and then we will decide if they should continue to read (or share reading duties with someone else) throughout the event, or if they should scorekeep. Inexperienced moderators, so long as they do not play in a game, will earn you a $15 discount each, even if they only end up scorekeeping and do not read. 4. For new teams and/or in case it is unclear, team roster changes are allowed up until the day of the tournament, but team number or division changes are not. After the field closes on Feb. 4, I would ask teams to start sending in tentative rosters, along with the names of any scorekeepers/(potential) moderators. However, in the interests of helping keep me organized, please do not send them before this date. 5. I'm still waiting to hear from NAQT on further discounts. Even if I hear back the day before the tournament, I will let you know at sign up and pass those discounts on to you. 6. The fact that the field is still open means we can't decide a play structure yet, but here is what I'm tenatitively thinking: D-I: Four-time round robin (12 games each) plus a max. two-game weighted playoff if the top two teams are within two games of each other. D-II: Teams divided (somewhat) randomly into two groups of seven (attempts made to separate two teams from the same school), and play a round-robin (6 games). Top four teams from each group move on to the top bracket; bottom three teams from each to the bottom bracket. Each does a round-robin (top teams get 7 games, bottom teams 5). If the top two teams are within one game of each other, a weighted playoff is held (max. two games). That guarantees each team at least 11 games, uses 13 packets, and reserves three packets for tiebreakers (one to break pool ties, two for weighted final). If, by some chance, we need the pool tiebreaker and we need to do a tiebreaker to determine which team is in second place, we will play a 12-question game to determine which team will place second, and then the weighted final will consist of the remaining 12 questions (counted as a full game) and an additional full packet. While this may seem convoluted, I much prefer it to just having 13 games in round-robin format. I think pitting the top teams against the top teams in the afternoon makes for better gameplay and a more interesting and fair tournament, and will also help offset any late-afternoon "trivia fatigue" by making the late-afternoon games particularly meaningful. All this, of course, is pending NAQT approval for the format and a lack of team changes. Your thoughts are certainly welcome on this proposal. 7. We're starting to get an idea of where this even will actually be held. We're thinking that everyone meet up between 8:00 and 8:45 a.m. on Saturday in the William Shatner(!) University Centre, 3480 McTavish, on the west side of campus (the building with the red dot on this map: http://www.mcgill.ca/maps/?Building=172). In an effort to encourage teams to arrive early, we will be providing food. This building is not where we will be hosting the tournament, but is the only building where we can get a room big enough to do the introductory meeting without being charged. At 8:45, we will do our introduction and rules meeting and schedules will be handed out, with the goal of having everyone there and ready to go by 9:00. At 9:00, we will head over to a building just off campus, located at 688 Sherbrooke St. West (found on this map: http://www.mcgill.ca/maps/?Building=233). All games throughout the day, with the possible exception of any finals, will take place in this building on either the third or fourth floor. We would like to have everyone in their rooms and ready to go for their first game by 9:15. Assuming our pool-play system is both desired by participants and approved by NAQT, we will play the six preliminary games before lunch, which should take us to approximately 12:15 (D-I will play two round-robins). We will break for lunch until 1:15; there are plenty of restaurants and fast-food joints within a 10-minute walk of campus, and instructions on how to get to them will be provided on tournament day. We will then return and play any tiebreakers, along with the final five/six/seven games until 5:00 (teams playing fewer games can take a longer lunch). If finals are necessary, we may hold them either in 688 Sherbrooke or back in the Shatner building, depending on timing and room availability. The final announcement of winners and of top players will take place in Shatner. We hope to have everything wrapped up at the very latest by 6 p.m. All this will be confirmed in an e-mail in the week before the tournament. 8. Also tentatively, we may be having a trivia-related event on Friday night on McGill campus. It would involve the showing of a trivia-related movie and/or trivia-related episodes of classic TV shows (possibly including "Saved by the Bell," "Undergrads," and more). All visiting students are welcome to attend if this event actually gets off the ground. I will include more details on this in a future e-mail. 9. After the field closes, I will start sending teams "bills" with their total costs and any discounts factored in. If you have an issue with the costs on your bill, please let me know before the tournament date. American teams, please let me know if you plan to pay in Canadian or US dollars, and if you will be needing to purchase Canadian money from the club on the day of the event. I think that is (thankfully) all for now. Let me know if you have any questions, concerns or suggestions, or need any assistance with anything related to getting to/staying in/eating in/surviving in Montreal. - Andrew ------------------- Andrew Segal President Trivia Club McGill University triviaclub_at_...
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