Copyright (c) The Ultimate Players Association, 1994
Please direct comments on this document to Eric Simon (70540.1522@compuserve.com).8. Eight Teams
Eight teams is a wonderful number to have. Besides the standard UPA options, there are other possibilities that can be used for non-UPA sanctioned play. They are listed at the end of this section. Not yet.- For Regional Championships:
- Two days of play are expected for teams that will be competing for spots at nationals. You must use one of the two-day options.
- For Sectional Championships:
- As mentioned above, a one-day tournament is only permitted under extreme circ*mstances and only at Sectionals. (See the discussion on "A One-Day or Two-Day Format".) The fair one-day format, and thus the only exception to this rule, is when only one team advances. Care must be taken, however, so that no team plays more than four games in one day.
8.1. Seeding Into Two Pools Of Four
The pools should be set up so that pool A has seeds 1, 4, 5, and 8. Pool B should have seeds 2, 3, 6, and 7.8.2. Four Fields
There are two pools of four, and each pool plays a round-robin. This takes up three rounds. This is followed by an eight-team double elimination format (see Table 8.1.1). The first round of the double elimination starts on the fourth round of the first day. In the table, A1 refers to the first place finisher of pool A, etc.Note, if more than four teams are advancing, the format described in 8.3 can be used.
Note: what's the point of double elimination if only one team is advancing?
8.3. Three or Four Fields; more than four teams advancing
This is a format that gives each team lots of games. It is an unaccaptable format, however, if less than four teams are advancing.On the first day, play a round-robin. On the second day, split the teams as following: the top two teams in each pool move to pool A, the other two teams in each pool move to pool B. Then, the teams each new pool can play a round-robin. The teams from pool A finish in 1st through 4th. The teams from pool B finish in 5th through 8th.
The format can be done with only three fields, because, fortunately, two pools of four can be played on three fields, in four rounds. (See Table 8.2).
Note that on the second day's play, each team will play one other team that they have already played the day before. If there is extreme weather (e.g., very hot, cold and rainy, etc.) or if many of the teams are new or low on numbers, you can eliminate the repeat game. In other words, pool A plays a round-robin on the second day, but instead of playing a repeat game, count the game from the day before. So, in effect, in each pool on the second day, two teams will be starting with a 1-0 record, and two teams with an 0-1 record, and will have to play two games to complete the round-robin. This format, then, gives each team three games the first day and two games the second day. This format was used in the Spring 1989 M.A. Regionals, where (a) some of the teams were new; (b) it was a very hot weekend; and, (c) all eight teams qualified for Easterns.
The schedule for the second day's pool play should be tailored to the strength of the teams. See the discussion of the "flexible" four team round-robin (4.2). You can also play, instead of the second day's round-robin, a modified four-team elimination on the second day (see Table 4.4).
The reason why this format is unacceptable for qualifying four or less teams is that it is possible to finish fifth while losing only one game. If, in one of the pools, there is a three way tie for first, one of those teams will be relegated to the losers pool and can finish no higher than fifth despite losing only one game. This less of a problem if five or more teams are qualifying.
8.4. Four Fields, Four Or More Advancing, Round-Robin
The only two problems with round-robins are: (a) the three-way tie situation; and (b) not all the teams may be able to stand up to the rigors of seven games in one weekend. In other formats where there may be seven games, if a team can't hack it and forfeits, then that team simply doesn't go on. But in a round-robin, suppose a team is 2-4 going into the seventh round and drops out? What are you supposed to do with the teams that already lost to the dropping team? Suppose they drop out in the middle, creating an unfair "bye" situation?If you're certain that teams will not drop out, and if you are qualifying more than four teams, a round-robin will guarantee the most possible games for everyone.
A round-robin of eight teams takes seven rounds. If the first four rounds are the first day, and the last three on the second day, there is time for a finals pitting the top two teams, if everyone is up for it.
Table 8.1.1. Eight-Team Double Elimination Format
Saturday Sunday . . . last Round 1 Round 2 round A1 ----- A ---------_ B4 ----- _ 1st place - winner of I E __________ 2nd place - winner of N B2 ----- _ _ 3rd place - loser of N B --------- _ 4th place - loser of M A3 ----- _ 5th place - winner of Q I _ ___________ 6th place - loser of Q A2 ----- _ first place 7th place - winner of P C ---------_ _ 8th place - loser of P B3 ----- _ _ F __________ B1 ----- _ D --------- A4 ----- Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 LA -------- G ---------- LB -------- J -----------_ LF --------- _ LC -------- M --------- H ---------- - _ LD -------- K ----------- N _ ____________ LE --------- _ second place LI ------- LG --------- P ----------- LH --------- LJ ---------- Q --------- LK ----------
Table 8.1.2. Eight-Team Modified Elimination Format
NOTE: This format is not UPA approved for when more than one team advances. In such cases, the format in Table 8.1.1 should be used (or some variation).Sunday . . . Round 1 Round 2 round A1 ----- A ---------_ B4 ----- _ E ___________ B2 ----- _ _ B ---------_ _ A3 ----- _ I _ ___________ A2 ----- _ 1st place C --------- _ B3 ----- _ _ 1st place - winner of I F ___________ 2nd place - loser of I B1 ----- _ 3rd place - winner of K D --------- 4th place - loser of K A4 ----- 5th place - winner of J 6th place - loser of J LA --------- 7th place - winner of M G -----------_ 8th place - loser of M LB --------- J _ __________ LC --------- _ 5th place H ----------- LD --------- LE ----------- K ---------- LF ----------- 3rd place LG ----------- M --------- LH ----------- 7th place
Table 8.2. Two Pools Of Four On Three Fields
A1-A3 A2-A4 B1-B4 A1-A4 B1-B3 B2-B4 A2-A3 B1-B2 B3-B4 A1-A2 A3-A4 B2-B3
Table 8.3. Eight Team Round-Robin
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 - - - - - - - 1 - 7 2 5 3 6 8 4 1 v 2 3 v 8 4 v 7 5 v 6 2 - 6 1 4 7 8 5 3 1 v 5 2 v 4 3 v 6 7 v 8 3 - 5 8 6 1 4 7 2 1 v 3 2 v 7 4 v 5 6 v 8 4 - 8 7 2 5 3 6 1 1 v 6 2 v 8 3 v 4 5 v 7 5 - 3 6 1 4 7 2 8 1 v 8 2 v 5 3 v 7 4 v 6 6 - 2 5 3 8 1 4 7 1 v 4 2 v 3 5 v 8 6 v 7 7 - 1 4 8 2 5 3 6 1 v 7 2 v 6 3 v 5 4 v 8 8 - 4 3 7 6 2 1 5
8.5. Two-Division Modified Single Elimination
(Note - this is not to be used for UPA qualifying tournaments; however it is an excellent format for other tournaments where the object is to pick a single winner, while giving all teams as many games as possible).DIVISION I Round #1 Rnd 2 Rnd 3 Rnd 3 A1 ----- LE ----------- A ---------_ K --------- D2 ----- _ LF ----------- 3rd place E _----------_ B2 ----- _ _ LG ----------- B --------- _ M --------- C1 ----- _ LH ----------- 7th place I _____________ A2 ----- _ 1st place C ---------_ _ D1 ----- _ _ F _---------- B1 ----- _ D --------- C2 ----- LA--------- G ----------_ LB--------- J _____________ LC--------- _ 5th place H ---------- LD--------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- DIVISION II Round #1 Rnd 2 Rnd 3 Rnd 3 A3 ----- LE ----------- A ---------_ K --------- D4 ----- _ LF ----------- 3rd place E _----------_ B4 ----- _ _ LG ----------- B --------- _ M --------- C3 ----- _ LH ----------- 7th place I _____________ A4 ----- _ 1st place C ---------_ _ D3 ----- _ _ F _---------- B3 ----- _ D --------- C4 ----- LA--------- G ----------_ LB--------- J _____________ LC--------- _ 5th place H ---------- LD--------- Recommendation: All games to 15, except Division I games E, F, and I, which are to 17, and I to 19 by mutual agreement. For the sixteen game schedule, all games to 17, and Division I finals to 19 by mutual agreement.
