Best tourney format for foreign coaches

[Canales]

Last year we experienced a surge in the number of Blood Bowl tourneys held in Spain. Last weekend, for instance, there was a tourney in Valencia with 130 coaches, some of them from Italy.

Since the community of players willing to drive for 4 or 5 hours to join a tourney is growing, all tourney organizers have decided to have 4 games played on Saturday and 2 more on Sunday in order to leave players plenty of time to return back home on the same day.

Now, some Spanish players are beginning to show interest in attending tourneys in other countries. However, it seems that many European tourneys have a 3+3 format (i.e. 3 games on Saturday and 3 on Sunday). In most cases, that means players must spend one additional night there and return home the next day.

My question is, would organizers be willing to change those tourney formats from 3+3 to 4+2 in order to facilitate the attendance of foreign players? What is your opinion on this?

[Old Man Draco]

I still think that 3+2 is the best format. It gives you 5 games of entertainement and after the games you get some time to be together with the foreign coaches and share your thoughts.

4+2: Saturday will take a big toll on most players (IMO). No evening dinner in a relaxed atmosphere, but playing another game.

3+3: Sunday will have to end very fast, so start of game 4 will have to be early. Not easy to accomplish if the evening before was late.

You have to decide for yourself, why you are going to a tournament. Is it to socialise with BB coaches and have a couple of games, or is it to play as much BB as you can. I prefer the first option, hence the 3+2. I know some English coaches who prefer as many games as possible, tournaments with 4+3 are not uncommon any more. Heck, some evil Dutch people have organized a 24 hours continues BB tournament!

[Canales]

I still think that 3+2 is the best format. It gives you 5 games of entertainement and after the games you get some time to be together with the foreign coaches and share your thoughts.

Nice point. Even among us there are differences between those who want to play as many games as possible and those who would rather spend some time sightseeing. I probably fall in the first group, since I would take a few days off before or after the tourney to travel around if I were really interested in the area. In that case, however, the tourney format would be irrelevant.

But if all I want is to play foreign coaches, then I guess I would try to play as many games as possible. Dinner is not a big concern, since here in Spain we are used to dining at 10 p.m. or later.

[frikipe]

I still think that 3+2 is the best format. It gives you 5 games of entertainement and after the games you get some time to be together with the foreign coaches and share your thoughts.

Nice point. Even among us there are differences between those who want to play as many games as possible and those who would rather spend some time sightseeing. I probably fall in the first group, since I would take a few days off before or after the tourney to travel around if I were really interested in the area. In that case, however, the tourney format would be irrelevant.

But if all I want is to play foreign coaches, then I guess I would try to play as many games as possible. Dinner is not a big concern, since here in Spain we are used to dining at 10 p.m. or later.

The fact of the diferents schedules for meals between spain and maybe Italy, and the rest of european conuntries, is the major incovenient of the 4+2 tournaments.

[Podfrey]

Echoing Frikipe, the 4+2 is perfect for the culture of meal times in Spain, but not good for others (especially UK). For next year's Waterbowl (last year it was the UK's biggest tournament apart from the BB GT and the NAF World Cup ) we want to build on the success of the last few years and attract some more coaches from further away, so we will explore the idea of 3+2, giving lots of time to socialise with other players and still finish no later than 3pm so people can drive 4 or 5 hours or fly easier.

[dwarfcoach]

last year it was the UK's biggest tournament apart from the BB GT and the NAF World Cup )

Really? How many players ended up taking part then?

Anyway, to the topic at hand. There are a couple of different events that maximize your gaming time such as Poo Bowl (7 game, 4 games on the Saturday, 3 on the Sunday) and the A'hof 24hrs of BB in Holland which I think on average gets you 11 games of BB in 24 hours ( ).

As you say, it's really dependent on what kind of weekend you're looking for. I for one absolutely love the Dutch Open which runs a 3, 2 format. The main reason for this is that it draws a truly international crowd with loads of good mates who I would probably not see until the next years Dutch Open and so socializing is the highest order of the weekend, plus it ends with the Superbowl on the Sunday night. Perfect!!

With UK events I'm not too sure how many would want to change to only 2 games on the Sunday, not really the way things work over hear and with a decent amount of planning (things such as lunch break being flexible etc) I've never been at one that has over-run to any serious extent.

These differences are just another thing that makes the international scene such a vibrant environment. Possibly the better question / idea would be to see if you can get help from local folks to an event to help plan your journey home (well from the event to an airport in decent time) so as to maximize your stay?

[Podfrey]

last year it was the UK's biggest tournament apart from the BB GT and the NAF World Cup )

Really? How many players ended up taking part then?

46 mate, with more capacity planned for next year to cope with the continued growth.

[stick_with_poo_on_the_end]

I think 5 games is not enough bang for your buck.

I like tge 4 + 2 idea

[lauth81]

Personally, I prefer the 3+3 format, because:

- my old brain is not capable of 4 BB games on one day
- 4+2 makes a dent in saturday evening fun
- 3+2 is a bit on the short side IMO
- If I travel to a tourney (and I have to travel out of country to any tourney I intend to attend this year), I have to take days off from work anyway. That's the curse of having to work on sundays. Therefore, I take the easy route and travel back on monday anyway unless I don't get the monday off. less stress.

[kithor2002]

If I go to tournaments at a long distance I usually try to get the Monday off....

So I prefer the 3+3 system

The Poo Bowl this year was a new experience where I played in a 4+3 tournament. This was only possible when you have a strict time shedule (2hours per game) so that the Sat evening program won't suffer.

[dwarfcoach]

If I go to tournaments at a long distance I usually try to get the Monday off....

Yep, me too. Makes the whole thing alot more enjoyable and relaxed.

[Grumbledook]

I hate travelling for only 5 games

[Valen]

I hate travelling for only 5 games

Says the man who has been to the Chaos Cup for the last two years

[vanGorn]

3+3 is best. 4 matches a day would exhaust me too much.

[Grumbledook]

I hate travelling for only 5 games

Says the man who has been to the Chaos Cup for the last two years

yer and I would rather it was 6

chicago is a great place, didn't go just for the tournament, shame about my room mate ;o