Those who aren't simply satisfied by entertaining guests with a simple "games night" might consider trying a self-run, friendly tournament. A tournament can help spark competitive spirits and raise enthusiasm of whatever game is being played.
Mapping Out the Time
Season/Round RobinOne option for tournament play is to simply set up a round robin where each contestant or team plays all other contestants or teams at least one time. The host will still have to determine what to do in the case of ties. This is the more traditional way of conduction a tournament, where players/teams are set into a bracket and move to the next opponent depending on whether or not they win their previous matchup. The challenge about a bracket is determining how to rank people in order to fit into the bracket. One way to do it is to combine the bracket method with a season. Here are tournament bracket templates that can be used.
The Enhancements
Subtle enhancements applied to a friendly tournament can mean the difference between an informal game night set up like a tournament and something folks will truly remember.
- Include trophies/prizes - It's always more fun to play for something, even if that something is cheap, or even used. Purchasing and engraved plastic medal for the winners can be a good investment, especially if the host plans on having more similar tournaments in the future.
- Have a theme song - This suggestion might seem silly, and it certainly isn't for everybody. However, if the goal is to keep things light and informal, a theme song might be a fun way to do it, especially if your tournament becomes tradition.
- Status board - Posting a "rankings" board and "tournament bracket" in a central area where everyone can see brings credibility to the tournament. One method is to attach cards with team names or individual contestants to the board with velcro. Then, when a players rank changes, or they win a tournament game, the host can move their card to the appropriate spot on the board via the velcro. This board can lay flat on a table, or be hung. Card stock might be a good, affordable material to make a board out of.
- Have an official rules sheet - Do your homework and make the game rules visible for everyone to see and consult. If there are variations of the game you've chosen, make sure to touch upon all those variations so that there's no conflict about them later in the tournament.
- Have team names/mascots - If participants are on teams, allow them to come up with their own team names and tell them in advance what their team color might be so they can coordinate informal uniforms or match their clothing. This could raise cameraderia, thereby raising excitement for the game.
- Results webpage - If the tournament is one of many, create a free website, or free MySpace or Facebook account that features the tournament. Include pictures, official documents you've created (i.e., official rules, results, etc.). Send the link out to all participants.
- Track results - If the tournament is one of many to come, track the results and records. That way, participants might see how they've done over time. The host might even track records or create a "hall of fame."
- Create a logo - For those who are artistic, either through a graphic illustrator, like PhotoShop, creating a logo for the event can be fun and would add to the ambiance of the tournament.
If the goal is to keep people playing, it might be a good idea to have consolation games. That way, if a player or team loses a game and gets knocked out of the bracket, they can play other players or teams that have also lost. Perhaps the most difficult part about running a tournament is factoring timing. For instance, if you only have an evening to get through the tournament and the game you've chosen tends to be longer, you'll need to factor that in when determining how to set up the matches. If the tournament is intended to be combined with a party or gathering of friends in a friendly nature, you might want to factor in breaks for food, bathroom and mingling. It might also be helpful to set up multiple games at once to save on time and to ensure contestants aren't waiting too long between games. It isn't good for participants to lose interest in the game.
Phil Partington - Phil Partington is a writing enthusiast of many years and has been published in national magazines, web publications and other media ...
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