Boardgame Players Association  2009-2010 March Madness PBeM Championship Tournament

The tournament format will be two single elimination brackets.  Each player will receive one team in each bracket.  A random die roll will determine the order in which the players draft their teams.  The draft order will be reversed for the two brackets.  The bracket is currently set up for 40 entrants, but will be adjusted to the actual number of people who sign up.

You will be responsible for submitting your draft picks within 24 hours after the person before you picks.  Players are encouraged to email conditional picks where their turn to draft is approaching.  A player whose draft time limit has expired will be assigned the highest seed remaining.

There will be an 5 week time limit on each game.  That means a game can be completed if one of the players does a turn each weekday.  I would expect that most games will finish in less than one month.  Since these are single elimination brackets new games will start as soon as the opponents are both available.

In case adjudiation is needed, I will be resolving all positions starting with the lowest numbered position (Center) and moving upward.  Timeouts will only be used if a 1-6 resolution occurs or on the last position if it could affect the outcome of the game.

Each game must begin within one week of when the matchup is made by the GM, unless they receive special permission from both participants and the GM.  Failure to comply will lead to a forfeiture of the match.

Any games exceeding the time limit will be adjudicated by GM Bruce Monnin and/or assistant GMs Dennis Nicholson or Terry Coleman.

March Madness rules clarifications to be used are found on the Rules Clarifications page.  We will be using the original rule rules that the bonus for the player guarding the Offensive Specialist card is ONE letter grade, as specified on the card.

Please familiarize yourself with the ACTS module before using it.  There are a couple of procedural hints which must be followed:
1)  When rolling your dice vs the clock to start your turn, the first die is considered to be the white die that determines which position gets scored.
2)  After a Technical Foul is played, add 2 points to your score, then return the card to your hand so you can discard it.  Then remember to reshuffle the deck.  Also note on your scoresheet that your opponent has one less coaching move both in this and future periods.
3)  Anytime an improper number of dice are rolled, the roll is voided and all dice must be rerolled.
4)  You signal the end of your turn by adjusting your clock down to the next number.
5)  If an position is resolved which should not have been, it is difficult to undo.  Your best bet is to pick up all of your cards, strart a new half, click to resolve all previously resolved positions, and replace your cards on the gameboard.  This requires a certain amount of trust, so be sure to contact the GM if necessary.

To sign up, email the GM (Bruce Monnin).

The teams for each of the two brackets are listed on the team's page.  Thanks once again to Stuart Tucker who every year makes new teams for each of the Sweet Sixteen teams from the previous NCAA tournament.  These extra teams allow me to keep teams of similar ratings in the event.

The 3rd place player will be the person in the Final Four who lost to the champion.  Likewise, 5th place will be awarded to the Elite Eight player who lost to the champion and 6th place to the Elite Eight player who lost to the runner-up.