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Vegas Showdown (VSD) Links Email GM   Last updated 7/15/2017.
Class B: Beginning Players Welcome You may play if you have read the rules, played previously, or participated in a scheduled demo. Be on time for the scheduled demonstration. The GM will remain for only 15 minutes if no one is present.
Schedule  GM: Eric Freeman (9th Year)
Round Day Start Time Duration Location
Demo Mon 14 1 Exhibit Annex Table 6
Heat 1 First Sun 16 2 Ballroom
Heat 2 Mon 17 2 Maple Room
Heat 3 Wed 9 2 Ballroom
Semi Thu 15 2 Alpine
Final Fri 9 2 Alpine
2017 Tournament Format century event HMWG

Vegas Showdown was named Games Magazine's Game of the Year for 2007 and has been proclaimed by many as the best "Gamer's Game" produced by the new Avalon Hill. Designed by a long-time Magic player, Henry Stern, Vegas Showdown players are challenged to bid for and place basic and specialty rooms, all in an effort to build the best Hotel/Casino on the Vegas strip.

Number of players per game:

  • 4 (first choice);
  • 5 (second choice);
  • 3 (only if necessary).

If there are more than 25 winners, then the top 25 winners will advance according to the tiebreaker criteria outlined below. If there are 25 or less total winners, then all winners will advance to the semifinals. If less than 16 winners appear for the semifinal, then the semifinal will be filled to 16 if the total field was 32 or more total participants or up to half the field (rounded down) if there was less than 32 total participants.

Semifinal advancement for non-winners plus seeding for the SF will be determined according to the following criteria:

  1. SortingS score based on the following (sum of all heats played):
    • 1st place finish in a 5-player game: 90 points plus (your score/second place score)
    • 1st place finish in a 4-player game: 80 points plus (your score/second place score)
    • 1st place finish in a 3-player game: 75 points plus (your score/second place score)
    • 2nd place finish in a 5-player game: 30 points
    • 2nd place finish in a 4-player game: 20 points
    • 3rd place finish in 5-player game: 5 points
  2. Average finish in all heats entered
  3. Average Total Points behind first place
  4. Lowest total points behind first place in any heat
  5. Most heats entered
  6. High dice roll

Seating for the semifinals will be in rank order seeding with the highest ranked player at table 1, followed by the second highest player at table 2 and continuing until the tables are full in the 16-, 20- or 25-player format.

If two players are tied on points and money in an individual game in the preliminary heats, the players will split the points from 1st and 2nd place.

However, both players will be considered "winners" when determining the size of the semifinal field.

  • In a 16 person semifinal, four 4-player games will be held.
  • If 17-20 winners attend the semifinal, the field will be filled to 20 using the tiebreaker outlined above. Five 4-player games will be held.
  • If 21+ winners attend the semifinal, the field will be filled to 25 using the tiebreaker outlined above. Five 5-player games will be held.

In the above scenarios, only the winner will advance to the final.

If the total field is 30-31 participants or there are not enough people to fill to 16, then the semifinal field will be 15 people, three 5-player games will be held. Winners and best 2nd place will advance to the final.

If the total field is 24-29 participants or there are not enough people to fill to 15, then the semifinal field will be limited to the top 12. Three 4-player games will be held. Winners and best runner-up will advance to the final.

If the total field is 20-24 participants or there are not enough people to fill to 12, then the semifinal field will be limited to the top 10. Two 5-player games will be held. Winners and runners-up will advance to the final.

If the total field is 16-19 participants or there are not enough people to fill to 10, then the semifinal field will be limited to the top eight. Two 4-player games will be held. Winners and runners-up will advance to the final.

If the total field is less than 16 participants or there is not enough people to fill to eight, then the top four will proceed directly to a final to be held during the semifinal time slot.

Best 2nd place will be determined by least points behind first place. In the event of a tie, the performance in the preliminary rounds using the tiebreakers outlined above will break the tie.

If there are five finalists and one cannot attend the scheduled final, a 4-player game among the remaining finalists will be held.

If there are four finalists and one (or more) cannot attend the scheduled final, the GM will attempt to contact runners-up (in order of proximity to first place) from the semifinal games to ensure a 4-player final. If no runners-up can be found, a 3-player final will be held.

Rules clarifications:

  1. There is a confirmed (with the game designer) misprint on one of the Sports Book tiles in the first edition. There should be two "A" tiles and one "B" tile. Before game play, take one of the "B" Sports Book tiles and shuffle it into the "A" pile. Place the "B" tiles on top of the A tiles and then draw from the bottom of the deck. Once the Sports Book "B" is drawn, place the A tiles back on top of the B tiles and then start drawing from the top.
  2. If the Event card "Lower Prices" is pulled when a Prestige tile is at the minimum bid of 3, that tile is to be discarded and a new one drawn immediately, using a new Event card to determine which stack to pull from.
  3. If two Taxes events are drawn, the effect is not stacked. Income for everyone is halved, not quartered.
  4. If two Visionary events are drawn, the effects are stacked. (i.e. gain 2 fame per overbid)
  5. If two Good Relations events are drawn, the effect is not stacked. The effect is the same as if one had been drawn.

Links:

BGG Link AREALaurels

Map: