As suggested by someone, the term "Bracket" is not so appropriate for the style of the game. If anyone can think of a better name for the game, I'd consider it.
This is the second Bracket Game. For the first one, please see http://www.badmintoncentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=79818. You will get a good idea of how it is played if you browse through the thread.
The changes and additions to the original rules are in red. Bracket Game - (Re)Introduction Sample Gameplay and Key Points Consider the following MS pick for R32: MS R32 - Sasaki If Sasaki wins (see definition of "win" later) his R32 match, you progress to R16. Consider next the following pick for R16 (Sasaki cannot be picked again for the MS event throughout the tournament): MS R16 - Park SH If Park loses his R16 match, you proceed no further and collect points for reaching R16. The further you progress, the more points you collect (based on the BWF ranking points). For each event, you can only use a player only once throughout the whole tournament. (If you used a player in MS, you can still use the same player in other events i.e. MD and XD.) This game is played for all five events. Rounds The game is only for the main draw. Qualifying rounds are not played. For the sake of consistency, the following terms will be used to signify the rounds. F - Final SF QF R16 R32 R64 - Round of 64 etc. This is to avoid confusion in some tournaments where there could be more rounds in MS than other events. For each event, the opening round is the first round of the main draw IF the number of valid matches (see definition of "valid match" later) makes up at least 25% of the possible matches in the round. If the number of valid matches is less than 25%, then the second round will be the opening round. For example, in a R64 first round, there are 32 possible matches. If 8 or more matches are valid, then this is the opening round for the game. If not, the R32 (the next round) will be the opening round and all the R64 picks will be rendered non-existent. This rule is to prevent having to pick a player from only a few matches due to the fact that all the other matches in that round are byes or walkovers. Valid match A valid match is a match in which at least one point has been played. A bye or walkover is not considered a valid match. Win For a player/pair to win, he/she/they must be triumphant in a valid match. Receiving a bye or walkover is not considered a win. Triumph by retirement is considered a win, even if the player/pair is/are losing before the opponent(s) retire(s). (Henceforth, for the sake of brevity, the terms "player" and "he" will be used instead of the more cumbersome "player/pair" and "he/she/they".) Substitutes For every round, substitutes can be chosen as standby in case the main pick's match becomes invalid. There is no limit to the number of substitutes, although common sense is encouraged. Unused players in the lineup can still be used in later rounds. One way to use a substitute is when you are expecting a qualifier to advance to the main draw. If you think he is going to win the opening round of the main draw, you can pick him as your main pick. But just in case he fails to make the main draw at all, the next player in line will step in. Another is when you will have no access to the forum for subsequent rounds. Since you are not certain who will go through to subsequent rounds, use as many substitutes as you can. Basically, your pick for the round will be the first player in your lineup who is involved in a valid match for that round. So, the order of your picks is important. A player who has been used before can be in your lineup, but he will always be passed over. If no players in your lineup can be used, then you lose in that round. Format For every round, make your picks before the deadline in the following format. [Round] [Event] - [Pick1], [Pick2] ... [*]e.g. in the R32, with Sasaki as the main pick and Park SH as substitute: R32 MS - Sasaki, Park SH WS - Wong MC, Hwang HY MD - Koo/Tan, Boe/Mogensen WS - Chin/Wong, Du/Yu, Ma/Wang XD - ..., ... Note again that you can have as many substitutes as you want (within bounds of reason). Also note that the order of your lineup matters. There is no restriction for the names used (you can use full names if you wish), but make sure it is clear enough to identify the pick. In some cases, you may have to be very clear, like stating "Taufik (not Akhbar)", if Taufik Hidayat Akhbar also happens to be in the same round. No emails and PM will be accepted. It will all be out in the open. You can keep changing your lineups. The last lineups before the deadline will be valid ones. Deadline The deadline for a round pick is the starting time for the first match of the day. For example, if the first match of the day starts at 9 am, then any pick for that day's round after 9 am (for all events) will be deemed too late. The exception is the case where two rounds of the same event are to be played within the day. For this case, the later round's deadline for picks will be the starting time the first match of that round. In cases where there is ambiguity on the deadline, the game administrator will give a notification in advance. For the Super Series, it is clear cut since only one round is played every day, so the deadline will be the starting time for the first match of the day as usually published in advance in tournamentsoftware. You do not have to make any picks for the Finals. This is because you can have at most one pick remaining once you reach the Final (the other finalist has been picked during the SF). The game will automatically assume the pick for you. If none of the finalists can be picked (because both finalists have been picked before), then you automatically end up in the runner-up (RU) position. Demotion Rule If you fail to post a valid entry for a round, fret not. You can continue to post for subsequent rounds. However, for each round that you fail to post a valid entry, you get demoted one position from your final result achieved. e.g. If you win an event, you get the runner-up spot instead if you get demoted once; a second demotion will take you down to SF achivement. e.g. If you only take part in the Final, then if you win, you will only achieve R16; if you lose, you will only achieve R32. Final Note This game is mostly self-governed. Make all the picks you want for every round. The game administrator can collect the results at the end of the tournament. The game administrator is well aware that the rules may yet be foolproof. In cases of disputes not covered by these set of rules, the game administrator will give final judgement bearing in mind the spirit of the game.
How about.. Pick-A-Substitute, PAS??..since the theme surrounds the idea of picking substitute players... ..just a suggestion.. Btw, what was the reason that it's not "appropriate"??..
Bracket is normally associated with picking all the players/teams that will win in every round. This game is about picking only one player/pair in each round. Most of the time, substitutes are not used. They're just there for insurance. It's like PAW's Alternates in the final. We can't all Sandy's game Pick-An-Alternate. I was thinking along the lines of Road-To-Final-Match (RTFM). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RTFM, but it's too jokey and it's a mouthful.
I'll throw in a few more.. ..just throwing these out: Survival Challenge Pick 'em & Survive Pick and Survive Baddy Pick'em Second Chance Challenge ..btw, what happened to the Survival Challenge game??..
R32 MS: Park Sung Hwan, Muhammad Hafiz Hashim WS: Bae Seung Hee, Yip Pui Yin MD: Sun Junjie/Tao Jiaming, Kasper Faust Henriksen/Anders Kristiansen WD: Jenny Wallwork/Gabrielle White XD: Tao Jiaming/Zhang Yawen, Chan Peng Soon/Goh Liu Ying
R32 MS: Chong Wei Feng, Wong Choong Hann WS:Juliane Schenk, Yip Pui Yin MD:Chen Hung Lin/Lin Yu Lang, Luluk Hadiyanto/Joko Riyadi WD:Jenny Wallwork/Gabrielle, Hsu Ya Ching /Tai Tzu Ying XD:Shin Beak Cheol/Yoo Hyun Young, Hirata Maeda
R32 MS - Nguyen TM, Wong Choong Hann WS - Schenk, Hirose MD - Songphon/Sudket, Chan Chong Ming/Chew Choon Eng WD - Kim MJ/Park SY, Ng Hui Lin/Ng Hui Ern XD - Shin BC/ Yoo HY, Robertson/Wallwork
Actually, these are not too bad. I like the word "Survive". Seems to gel with the nature of the game. Survive-or-Die. SOD. When two players are duking it out with each other, they are having a SOD-off.
R32 WS - Bae Seung Hee, Wang Xin MD - Clark/Robertson, Chen Hung Ling/Lin Yu Lang WD - Kim Min Jung/Park Sun Young, Ha Jung Eun/Lee Kyung Won XD - Shin Baek Cheol/Yoo Hyun Young, Tai Jiaming/Zhang Yawen
R32 MS-Park Sung Hwan, nguyen tien minh WS- Hee bae sung, wong mew choo MD-Gan Teik Chai/Tan Bin Shen, Choong Tan Fook/Lee Wan Wah WD-Kim Min jung/Park Sun Young, Anneke/Annisa XD-Robert Mateusiak/Nadieza Kostiuczyk, Shin Baek Cheol/Yoo Hyun young
