Pokémon TCG: Sword and Shield—Brilliant Stars

Length of Gym Challenge

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WeileMom

New Member
How long did your Gym Challenge run?

In LA (Irvine) play started at 12noon and ended just short of 11pm.
We had 7 rounds of swiss, followed by a cut to top 8 in the 15+ and 11-14 groups, top 4 in the 10 & U.
We had 67 players.
All rounds went to the 30 min time limit, but the pairings for the next round were up within 10 minutes. We had no software glitches and we took a 30 minute break for lunch (some players had longer if they finished their round early).
I'm wondering if all of the Challenges are running this long.
If so, how are the Stadium's going to be able to complete the tournament in one day? I'm guessing the attendance will be larger.
Best 2 out of 3 really is the way to go, but the rules on it are vague and it makes the day run really long.
---Nicole
WeileMom
 
Well nearly 11 hours is pretty long.

In Houston we had 41 players and played 5 rounds I believe. Our tourney there with 2/3 in top 8 went from about 12-7pm the latest. And that's not starting at exactly 12. The pairings to the next rounds were up in close to 5mins or less at times or if technical issues (hardly ever) up less then 10. We also had a 30 to nearly 45min break depending on if you left right after your match ended.

Now in Plano this past weekend, there were probably close to 70 players we did 5 rounds of swiss cutting to top 8 or 4 with single lim at top. We started close to 1pm and we all were out by 6 after hanging out after winners were announced. Same thing with getting pairings up and so forth.

We've had tourneys in OK that had 6 rounds of swiss and none of our tourneys turned into nearly a 12 hour day with side events running after the main events

Surely your 1 extra round of swiss didn't add on that much time.
 
West Palm Beach GC ran five rounds of swiss as recommended by POP Guidelines.

15+ cut to top eight single elimination best two out of three matches, no time limit. The last game finished around 11:00pm.

11-14 cut to top four single elimination best two out of three matches, no time limit. The last game was finished around 9:00pm.

10-Under (I believe) cut to top four (due to POP Guidelines) single elimination best two out of three matches, no time limit. The last game was around 9:00pm. I do not think that the POP Guidlines allowed cuts to top two in the single elimination finals, I'll have to verify that.

So we set up at 9:00am and cleaned house at 11:30pm. Fourteen hours. Stupid 2/3 matches. =/
-Phil
 
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wow wayyyyyyy to long. I agree that that is to long. The one yesterday in Ny ended in 7 hours. It went almost to 7 when the pokemon center closed. It started at 1130 am. I agree gym challneges get to be long when they are 2 out of 3 but if it makes for a great series to the end it is all worth it.
 
I'm glad to hear ours wasn't the only one.
I'm not sure what you guys in Texas did, but please share your secrets!
I was scorekeeping and printing the rounds so 10 minutes may not have been how long it took, it probably took less time, but I never really checked my watch. The round would end and we would usually have 3 games finishing up.
Maybe we just take longer to play our games here in California, I don't know, but I really don't see any way to make the day shorter.
---Nicole
WeileMom
 
I cannot speak for all the Stadium PTOs, but I can speak for me!

We will be able to get this event in in one day!

Each of the age groups will be separated for individual tourneys (run by hand if the software is still what it is) - so we are preparing for 70-80 in each age group in the South.

That would translate into 6 swiss rounds, then a cut to a top 16...

4 rounds of 2/3 finals, which would make the total time of play....7 hours to the champion.

Which means there would be 8.5 total hours with lunch break and between rounds factored in...

If we start at 11:00 for play, we will be done at 7:30, which is acceptable, and launch the rochester draft event at that point!

I am betting that the main event will be done, with elimination rounds closer to 6:30, but that is just from experience with 2/3 matches.

All will work out, you will see!

Meganium45
 
11:30 pm...wow. What on earth are those guys doing that would take so long to play best 2 of 3. We had 51 in Memphis this weekend and we were finished by 6:30 and begining at 11:30 . And the tournament program locked up so all pairings had to be done by hand. We had 5 rounds of swiss with only a few of the rounds going a full 30 minutes and a 45 minute lunch break in between

I cannot comprehend pokemon games lasting that long unless some serious stalling was going on. What time did you start?
 
Poke_Dad said:
11:30 pm...wow. What on earth are those guys doing that would take so long to play best 2 of 3.
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No time limits, since there is no POP Supported Guidelines to determine the outcome when timed.
-Phil
 
GymLeaderPhil said:
No time limits, since there is no POP Supported Guidelines to determine the outcome when timed.
-Phil
Click to expand...

Exactly.
My daughter and I have literally played 2 hour games at home and we weren't stalling either.
You can practically hear the gears turning when some of these kids are playing.
Pokemon would have been smart to make the 2 out of 3 matches 30 min. timed games.
---Nicole
WeileMom
 
I understand "No time limits". My question was "what are they doing to take so long?" I mean, are they stalling, taking 15 minute breaks between turns and games, ordering pizza and eating it while playing....

I understand taking time and trying to figure out the perfect move and this is the case then more power to them.

I must seem pathetic posting so much today. Boredom here at school getting students ready for final exams. I hate the last days of school...

--Clay (Poke_Dad)
 
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ToysRUsKid said:
The time is worth it if a trip is on the line, if you dont wanna go for 8+ Hours, Dont bother showing up.
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Thats pretty much my sentiments...in Nashville it lasted atleast 10 hours w/ registration, by the time 11-14 had finished all that was left was the winners of other age divisions, their friends/family, and the Tourney staff. If you didn't make the cut and you wanna leave, ask for your prize and go...once your elimated from the Top 4/8/16/whatever, if you don't wanna stick around to see the winner then don't, get your prize and go. If you're in Top 4/8/16 and you're winning...don't complain about the time...its worth it. Big tourneys take big time. Can't wait until South Stadium...hope I'm able to go...I'll be one of the ones there till the very end hopefully ^_~
 
Not much of a reason to stall with no time limits. ;)

I believe all of the 11-14 and 10-Under matches were finished in two games. I was watching one 15+ player with a Flygon deck, almost no draw power, and one of his matches took three games. His match took two hours all together, both players were carefully mulling over what to play. Trust me, we were trying to finish up the event as soon as possible. :)
-Phil
 
meganium45 said:
IEach of the age groups will be separated for individual tourneys (run by hand if the software is still what it is) - so we are preparing for 70-80 in each age group in the South.

That would translate into 6 swiss rounds, then a cut to a top 16...
Click to expand...
So you're running 1 round less? 70-80 players should be 7 rounds, as 64 players is the cut for 6.

Yes, Best of 3 is extremely time intensive. The two Gym Challenges we staffed went roughly 10-11 hours after all the Top Cut Elims were finished.

The new catch phrase is "LONG DAY"
 
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True, that, 7 rounds is correct.

Time intensive, but with so much at stake, I am sure we can do it...

Steve, how is Nationals being run?

M45
 
Poke_Dad said:
11:30 pm...wow. What on earth are those guys doing that would take so long to play best 2 of 3. We had 51 in Memphis this weekend and we were finished by 6:30 and begining at 11:30 . And the tournament program locked up so all pairings had to be done by hand. We had 5 rounds of swiss with only a few of the rounds going a full 30 minutes and a 45 minute lunch break in between

I cannot comprehend pokemon games lasting that long unless some serious stalling was going on. What time did you start?
Click to expand...


The top players normally take a lot of time... the think out each move and even several turns ahead of what could happen. We look at every single card in play, discard piles and our hands... think of what happens when we play every single card what can happen next turn and so on. It can take a very long time which is understandable if a trip is on the line I think the players are going to be thinking a lot.
 
I can only offer speculation at this point, but should know more as it gets closer. Jimmer will be your Head Judge. Rules Enforcement should be pretty tough as this is a National Championship (supporters, deck list accuracy, procedural type stuff, etc). We have a pretty experienced and knowledgable staff on hand to make this event goes smoothly:

Myself, Margaret, Sensei, Doug Zuver, Mr. Grass, Farbsman, Jimmer Siversten, and some others whose names elude me right now.

Our intent is separate age groups with standard swiss. Then untimed best of 3 Top Cuts.
 
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Colordo started the 5 rounds of 50-minute Swiss (best-of-3, age-pods) at 1030am and ended at 430pm (45-minute lunch). The top 4 rounds ended about 6pm for the 10-under and 11-14. The 15+ players went the full distance until after 730pm.
 
SteveP said:
Colordo started the 5 rounds of 50-minute Swiss (best-of-3, age-pods) at 1030am and ended at 430pm (45-minute lunch). The top 4 rounds ended about 6pm for the 10-under and 11-14. The 15+ players went the full distance until after 730pm.
Click to expand...

So, you played best 2 out of 3 games all day? Instead of 5 regular of swiss? Wow!
Just curious, when the games went unfinished in 50 min, how did you decide the winners?
---Nicole
WeileMom
 
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