At home in the Pre-Con
This year's 18xx event will allow play in 1830,
1856, 1861, 1862, and 1880, as well as 1870, 1846
and 18EU (as voted in by email). The 18xx event
will be held from Saturday through Monday of the pre-convention
weekend. There will be four preliminary rounds, two each on Saturday
and Sunday, with a semifinal and a Final round on Monday. All
games can be played in any prelim, but it is suggested that shorter
games be played during the first prelim each day, and longer
games during the last prelim. Emphsis will be placed on making
all games 4-player whenever possible, since this will be the
preferred format for the semifinal and Final. [For example, if
23 players appear for a round, with nine players for 1856
and 14 for 1830, the games will be apportioned as follows:
1856: a 4- and a 5-player game; 1830: a 4-player
and two 5-player games. If eight of those 23 players want to
play 1856, the division becomes 1856: two 4-player
games; 1830: three 4-player and a 3-player game.] Players
will be placed in games at random, except that players that have
met in previous rounds will be moved where possible.
The semifinals will consist of 16, 20, or 25 players depending
on the number of heat winners who appear. Alternates will only
be used to round to the next higher number if needed. If more
then 25 winners appear for the semifinals, tie-breakers will
be used to determine the 25 winners to advance. Players in each
semifinal game will vote on which tournament eligible game to
play. Once a game receives a majority of votes from the semi
participants, it will become the designated option for that game.
If the players cannot agree to play that game, they will play
the default game of 1830 (classic). Voting among the finalists
for the Final game will be conducted in the same way. The winners
of the semifinal games will advance to a Final Monday night.
If necessary, semifinalist runners-up can move up (again, seeded
by percentage of the winning total), to ensure a minimum 4-player
Final. The top finisher from each semifinal who did NOT advance
to the Final will play in a consolation game at the same time
as the Final to determine the remaining plaques to be awarded.
The WBC Multiple Entry-Single Elimination (MESE) seeding criteria
are: 1) Most wins; 2) Win in first heat entered; 3) Win in second
heat entered; 4) Win in third heat entered; 5) Win in fourth
heat entered; 6) percentage of winning score; 7) average finish
in all heats entered; 8) high dice roll. For all ties, criteria
will be checked in order.
The time limit for all rounds, the semifinal, and the Final
round is 6 hours, with more time available in the evening sessions.
No stock round will begin within 30 minutes of the round conclusion.
In the last 15 minutes of a round, only route running, revenue
collection, and train purchases may be conducted (tile placement,
tile upgrade, or token placement will not be permitted). Unless
there is a player bankruptcy, rounds conclude at the end of that
series of operating rounds.
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