RPS Ladder Tournament!

[martinburley]

Okay, first of all, this isn't just yet another of the Masters of the Bull Board clones. This tournament is entirely separate from that. This is an on-going ladder tournament, played over rpsgame.com. You can take part in this tournament whatever your personal opinion is about which if any of the MotBB tournaments are the genuine article.

I considered setting up a tournament with a league format, or round-robin, or regular knock-out tournaments, but the fact that not everyone is online at the same time makes all of those a bit of a nightmare to run. Either some matches will take too long, or some players will be twiddling their thumbs too long. Either way, not so much fun for everyone.

So, I propose a ladder tournament. This allows players to play matches when they want to, and is also a good format for an on-going tournament (though there will be prizes along the way! Prizes I tell ya! Prizes, albeit to be determined what exactly the prizes are).

I initially proposed to run this over Facebook, but not everyone may want to register on Facebook. So I'm proposing to run this over rpsgame.com, which means anyone can take part as long as they have an email address.

The rules of the Bull Board Ladder Tournament are simple:

Registering

1. Registration is now open. Anyone can take part in the ladder as long as they meet the following two conditions:
(a) he or she is a member of the Bull Board, and
(b) he or she has an email address and/or rpsgame.com username

To register for the tournament, send me a message with your email address and/or rpsgame.com username.

2. Players who register in the pre-tournament registration period will be randomly placed in the initial ladder.

After the ladder tournament begins, any new players who join the ladder start at the bottom of the ladder. So sign up now!

Match Format

3. Matches are best of seven - first to four points wins the match.

4. Matches are played over rpsgame.com, and the challenger sends the first throw. After the challenged player responds to that throw (by clicking on the email, and choosing their first throw), they then click the 'challenge...' link and choose their second throw. Play continues to alternate along those lines.

So, the sequence goes:

Challenger sends first throw challenge - challenged player makes his throw
Challenged player sends second throw - challenger makes his second throw
Challenger sends third throw... etc.

Making Challenges

5. You can challenge either of the players 1 or 2 places above you or below you.
6. You can only issue 1 challenge at a time.
7. If you lose a challenge, you cannot challenge the same player again until you have challenged someone else.

8. To make a challenge, first, announce your challenge by posting to this thread.
Then, you can immediately begin the match by sending a challenge via rpsgame.

9. Challenges are based on rankings when the the challenge is announced.

For example, if the ladder is:

1 = Bob
2 = Cob
3 = Dob
4 = Fob
5 = Gob

then Gob can challenge Fob and Dob (but not Cob or Bob), Fob can challenge Dob or Cob (but not Bob), Cob can challenge Bob or Dob, etc... 

Receiving Challenges

10. You cannot refuse a valid challenge.
11. If you are challenged by two other players, the second challenger's challenge is postponed until the first match is completed.

So, you will only be playing in at most two ladder games at once - the challenge you made, and the challenge you accepted.

Results

12. The winner should message me or email me with the throws from the match to make the result official. (Players may wish to save their rpsgame.com emails in case of dispute.) You're also welcome to provide updates during the match (at the end of each set for example) if you want to keep people updated with how your match is going. I will update the ladder rankings as soon as I receive the results of the match.

Forfeits

13. You can claim victory by forfeit if your opponent takes more than a week to make a throw, although hopefully players will rarely take that long!

Ladder Movements

14. If you beat someone higher-ranked than you, then you take their spot, and they move down a spot (along with any other players in between you).

15. If you beat someone lower-ranked than you, then you move up one spot.

16. Rankings movement is based on the rankings when the match ENDS.

Awards and Prizes

17. While the ladder is intended to be an on-going competition, prizes will be awarded every now and again. The WRPSS Strategic Forces Department is sponsoring this tournament. Winners will be decided quarterly, on June 21, September 21, December 21, and March 21.

[custardchuk]

prizes will be awarded every now and again. The WRPSS Strategic Forces Department is sponsoring this tournament.

So you'll be needing a box of 8 X 10's?

regards
custardchuk

[martinburley]

prizes will be awarded every now and again. The WRPSS Strategic Forces Department is sponsoring this tournament.

So you'll be needing a box of 8 X 10's?

I hadn't thought of that, but you're quite right, there should be a 'wooden spoon' prize.

[Maxamillion]

Hi Martin,
Two games on the board. I probably need to decide which to join by playing SPR with you both.
I think i could only manage one at a time & this ladders looks more manageable.

If you and chuck decide which one to run first for a set time then i could probably try both this year.

If everyone goes for this one first count me in.

Cheers
Max

[R Cohrs]

Sounds like fun, can't get enough RPS

(Quick side note, don't know where to put this.  I had talked in some PMs about my friend having serious surgery a few weeks ago, and she just wrote me back.  She made it through, having a little trouble but she sounds really good.  I'm glad I can finally breath a bit easier!)

[martinburley]

Hey, that's great news, R Cohrs, very good to hear. Hope her recovery continues to go well from here.

[Franklint]

Gah. I thought I'd signed up for this one.

Ah well. This sounds brilliant, martinburley. Count me in.

R Cohrs, despite not having heard about your friend in the past, I am extremely happy for you and her. Times like that can be very stressful. I'm sure her recovery will continue from now on.

Cheers,
Franklint

[Maxamillion]

Hi martin,
Have i missed the start of this ladder Or did i mess up my joining message?

looking forward to my next game

Max#

ps what's that message at the top?
are you really only a computer programme?

[martinburley]

The ladder will begin within the next week at the very latest. All players who are keen to be in at the start and haven't yet signed up, do so soon! Remember if you sign up after it's started, you begin at the bottom.

As for the rumours about me being a neural network, rest assured that _{system-2212-455 dsicog sift function= WRPSSBB value = ?@martinburley response =} I am not a neural network

[custardchuk]

I'm in.

[Master Roshambollah]

I would like to enter this tournament, so long as it is understood that Franklint will deliver my throws for me, as his first task towards (possibly) someday becoming my Apprentice.  Franklint, are you game?  Martin, is this legal in your tournament?  I think it's best to resolve these issues up front rather than in mid-stream, don't you?

[Franklint]

Hi Rosh,

I am feeling incredibly honoured right now. Sounds like a great idea. Will I be deciding your throws, or just delivering them upon your command?

My apprenticeship grows nearer... 

Cheers,
Franklint

[martinburley]

Rosh, it's acceptable to let Franklint throw on your behalf, except on the occasions when Franklint (playing on his own behalf) challenges you, or vice versa.

[Master Roshambollah]

Well, let's call this a "pre-apprenticeship."  No actual apprenticeship is stated or implied, and neither party is obligated to pursue an apprenticeship arrangement in the future.  I'm entering the whole thing with a tentative "We'll see..."  

Regarding the throws, I will communicate my selections to you telepathically.  If the throw you deliver loses, I will accept full blame, as I will accept full credit when I win the tournament.  

There will be a couple of specific practices I'll suggest to attune you to the ineffable oneness of RPS.  First, I want you to gather up any money you can find around the house.  Feel free to check in your parents' purses and wallets.  Take all the money, put it an an envelope and mail it to "Committee Against Scissor Hand, DC Metro Office, Box 333, Washington DC, 20003..."

Just kidding.  Don't send any money.  At least not to that address.  

Instead, I'm going to suggest three Lesser Observations

-Once the tournament begins, take a moment every day at noon local time to meditate on RPS.  This need only take a second or two.  It may help to visualize that we are both researching ways to defeat our opponents, and that by tuning in on that frequency we'll get closer to that goal.  You can also just think really hard about either rock, paper or scissors, and identify with that throw.  Again, this need only take a second or two, though you can take longer if you're not in school.

-Keep your eyes open for coincidences.  If you see an office supply truck pass by with a big pair of scissors on the side of it, make a note in your RPS journal.

-Try to remember your dreams.  Sometimes you can get a clear signal once the conscious mind is quiet.  Again, if you have a dream involving rock, paper or scissors, make a note.  

There are a few other caveats.  There is no need to change diet or exercise habits, though a sound nutritional base and moderate exercise is helpful.  Also, should your studies suffer as a result of your involvement with RPS, then your pre-apprenticeship is hereby terminated, and you are on your own for the rest of the tournament (your responsibility to deliver the throws still stands.)  Like any other scholastic athlete, you have to maintain high academic standards.

That's about it.  Of course, we have to wait for Martin to "officially" approve this request, but since he was all about such a provision during the 2008 Masters of the Bull Board Tournament (tm), I can't imagine that he'd be against it...

...just saw that Martin approved the request.  Thanks, Martin.  Although I trust Franklint to deliver my (telepathically sent) throws even against himself, I will accept this provision.

[C. Urbanus]

It seems I forgot to sign up for this.

Is it too late Martin?