TD GUIDE

 

 


TD GUIDE. 1

WELCOME. 4

TOURNAMENT STAFF STRUCTURE – CASE’S LADDERS, INC. 4

Tournament Directors. 4

Head TD’s. 4

TD Managers. 5

TD ADMINISTRATION CENTER – http://tourneys.igl.net/tk/ 5

Administer Tournaments. 5

Change T.D. Email 5

Change T.D. Name. 5

Change T.D. Password. 6

Create Tournament 6

Email Head TD’s. 6

Requesting Vacation Status. 6

Forum. 6

Remove Tournament 6

Tourney Calendar 7

TD Help Center 7

CREATING TOURNAMENTS. 7

Single Elimination. 7

Name of Tournament 8

Location. 8

Number of Rounds. 8

Minutes between Round Start Times. 8

Number of Players per Team. 8

Teams Competing per Match. 8

Membership Requirement 8

Multiple Day Tournament 8

Invitation Only Tournament 8

Ladder Stats Tournament 9

Use your default rules page if one exists. 9

Display dedicated java IRC chat room on main tournament page. 9

Ladderbux Settings. 9

Customize Tournament Rules. 10

Customize Tournament Layout (Optional) 10

BEFORE YOUR TOURNAMENT. 11

Advertising. 11

Creativity. 11

Getting Bigger Turn-outs. 11

The Good Host! 12

ADMINISTERING YOUR TOURNAMENT. 12

Time Line. 12

Administer Tournament 13

LINKS. 13

INFO. 13

ACTIONS. 13

PROBLEMS/DISPUTES. 16

A Disputed Winner 17

Boot Timers. 17

Accusations of Cheating. 17

Rules. 18

Reporting a Problem. 18

PUBLIC RELATIONS. 18

Your Relationship with your Fellow TD’s. 18

What We Expect of YOU in terms of Behavior 19

Your Relationship with your LadderOps. 19

Message Forums. 20

YOUR REWARD. 20

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS. 20

Can I play in my own Tournament?. 20

Can I play other games while I am hosting a tournament or during Check-In?. 21

Can I change the entry fee of a tourney once it has been created?. 21

Can I change a tourney to Ladder Stats or back once has been created?. 21

Can I change rules of tourney once has been created?. 21

Should I remove finished tournaments?. 21

Can I expand the tourney once has been created?. 21

Is there a way I can get a hard copy of my brackets and pairings?. 21

How do I make my rules look nice?. 21

DEDICATION. 21

STAYING CURRENT. 22

SUMMARY. 22

SUPPLEMENT 1 – DOUBLE ELIMINATION TOURNAMENTS. 23

Administration of Double Elimination. 23

Report Match. 23

Adjust Match. 23

The Final Match. 23

SUPPLEMENT 2 – SWISS SYSTEM TOURNAMENTS. 24

Regular Swiss System. 24

True Swiss System. 24

Administration of Swiss System. 24

Adjust Match. 24

 


WELCOME

Congratulations and welcome to your new position as a Case's Ladder Tournament Director.  We would like to thank you for volunteering your time to make Case’s a fun place to compete.

 

We have developed this Guide to help you in your journey towards becoming a successful Tournament Director and to help ensure fun and fairness for all who participate in Case’s Ladder Tournaments.  For the most part, the success or failure of the Tournament program relies on you and how you perform in this position.  Please make sure you read through this manual and become very familiar with all it entails.  Use it as your training tool (and Bible!) in your quest to become an expert TD.

 

Being a Tournament Director requires that you understand the automated system that has been provided by Case's Ladder.  Although it was created to make things as easy as possible for you, it still requires some familiarization and can be a bit overwhelming at first glance.  Hopefully the information in this Guide combined with our wonderful TD Team will help make the transition from newbie to veteran a painless one for you.  There are many experienced TD’s, Head TD’s, and TD Managers available to help you in this journey, so please take advantage of them and the knowledge they have to offer you!

 

As an authorized Case's Ladder Tournament Director it is very important that you always portray yourself in a professional and friendly manner.  Remember that whatever you do will reflect on the Ladder and take that responsibility very seriously.  Your fellow Ladder members will look to you as an example, so always keep that in mind when you are in chat—whether or not you are currently administering a tournament.  Remember that being a TD is a privilege, not a right.  Abusing this privilege or going off on a power trip based on your new status will be grounds for instant termination of your TD position, so please take this responsibility very seriously.

 

 

TOURNAMENT STAFF STRUCTURE – CASE’S LADDERS, INC.

 

Tournament Directors

It is the TD’s responsibility to create, advertise and administer their tournaments from beginning to end.  TD's need to be available to answer any questions players may have and pass on any problem, concern or idea they can not handle to their Head TD’s.  It is very important that a Tournament Director ALWAYS portray themselves in a friendly and professional manner in all forms of communication, including chat, E-mail, the Ladder forums, etc.  Failure to do so will result in removal from the program.

 

Head TD’s

A Head TD is responsible for keeping the TD’s on a specific Ladder organized and the tournament structure on that Ladder operating smoothly.  They are an active TD on that Ladder and therefore, familiar with the other TD’s and players who participate there.  They are responsible for the training of new TD’s who are added to their Ladder and have input on the addition of new TD’s to their team as well.  They help solve disputes between TD’s and can also be called upon to help when a TD has a problem with a participant in one of his/her tourneys.  They have the ability to take over administration of any tournament held on their Ladder when the TD isn’t able to meet their obligation.  Head TD’s are responsible for communicating any problems or situations that they cannot deal with personally to their TD Manager and following up to make sure that a resolution is eventually found. 

 

TD Managers

TD Managers are at the top of our chain of command within the tournament structure.  A TD Manager has all of the abilities of a Head TD in terms of tools and utilities (and more!), plus considerably more responsibility piled on top.  While the Head TD is responsible for keeping things running smoothly on their Ladder, the TD Manager is responsible for making sure the entire tournament system operates smoothly.  They are responsible for answering E-mail involving tournaments that is submitted through the support link.  The TD Managers will be responsible for assisting all TD’s and Head TD’s in any way they are needed.  They are also closely involved with how the tournament program is structured and managed on a day-to-day basis.  If you have any suggestions for improvements or changes you think would help the tourney program your TD Manager is the person to which this information should be relayed.

 

 

TD ADMINISTRATION CENTERhttp://tourneys.igl.net/tk/

Also known as the TD’s bag of tricks!  Become as familiar with these tools as possible.  If you have any questions, problems or concerns with the tools do not ever hesitate to ask for help.  To enter the Tournament Administration Center you will need to input your TD Name and TD password.  Once you have input this information, your ladder’s path will be available for selection.   Following is a brief overview of your menu.

 

Administer Tournaments

This will take you to your personalized Tournament Login Center.  This shows all of the tournaments you have created, organized by date.  When you are ready to administer your tournament, click the applicable number.  We’ll cover the specifics of this in a later section.

 

Change T.D. Email

This tool will show you the current email address we have on file for you.  Simply enter a new one, if applicable.   You MUST keep your TD Email address current at all times.  If we cannot contact you via this address, it is very likely you will be removed from the program.   NOTE:  Changing your player email address does not affect your TD email address; make sure you change it in both places.

 

Change T.D. Name

If you have changed your player name via the User Editor, you will need to use this tool to change your TD name to match.   Unless there is a site specific hosting name, your TD name should match your ladder name at all times.

 

Change T.D. Password

This utility will allow you to change your TD password.   Initially, your password will match that of your laddername, but you may change your TD password here.   NOTE:  This does not affect your player password and changing your player password will not affect your TD password.

 

Create Tournament

This is the tool that you use to create your tournaments.  We’ll cover this in detail in a later section.

 

Email Head TD’s

Use this tool to send a message to the Head TD’s on your ladder.  Just enter the subject and type your message.  After you have completed your message, click on the Email Head TD’s link at the bottom of the page.  (Please do not use HTML).

 

Requesting Vacation Status

If you need to request vacation status, you should use this utility.  Vacation status should ONLY be requested in cases where you will be unable to host a tournament for 21 days or more and should NEVER be used just to avoid being purged for inactivity. The following information must be included in any vacation request:  Your TD name, brief reason for the request, and your expected date of return.  If you do not contact your Head TD’s prior to this expected return date, you will automatically be placed back onto active status.  Please note that you may not participate in any Case’s Ladder tournaments while on vacation status. 

 

Forum

Click here to go to the Tournament Director Message Forum.  This is a forum available only to Case’s Ladder TDs, HTDs and TD Managers.

 

Remove Tournament

This tool directs you to your Tournament Removal Center, allowing you to remove any currently scheduled tournaments.  On the left is a list of all of your tournaments by date.  On the right, select the tournament from the drop-down list and, in the text box, provide the reason you are canceling your tournament.   Whatever you type in the box will be E-mailed to all registered participants, so explain the circumstances as professionally and politely as possible.  Click on the ‘remove tournament button’ to finalize the process. 

 

NOTE:  Never remove a tournament that has already been completed.

 

NOTE:  If your tournament is listed on your ladder’s main page, please check with a Head TD on your ladder to see if he/she may be available to provide coverage for you if you cannot be available to host it.  If a number of teams have registered, it would be most convenient for the players to not have to re-register in a new or replacement tournament; however, you should consult with a Head TD on your ladder to see how it is handled on your specific Ladder.

 

Tourney Calendar

You can access the tournament calendar for your ladder using this link.  This is helpful in scheduling new tournaments by allowing you to see the other types of tournaments and entry fees scheduled for a given day.

 

There are various view options available – play with different combinations to decide which you prefer.

 

TD Help Center

Visit the TD Help Center designed by NIKE1 to learn all sorts of helpful tips and to download useful utilities.

 

 

CREATING TOURNAMENTS

There are multiple tournament formats to choose from, but for simplicity, we’ll begin with a basic Single-Elimination Tournament.  When you initially become a TD, this is the only format that will be available to you; the others you will gain access to and learn after you’ve gained some experience.  Double-Elimination and Swiss System Tournaments will be covered at the end of this document in order to avoid overwhelming you with too much information at once.

 

Single Elimination

To begin creating a tournament, click on the link in your TD Administration Center that says “Create Tournament”.

 

You will now be given a choice between three different brackets:

·        Bracket Style (Single-Elim)

·        Bracket Style (Double-Elim)

·        Swiss System

Choose “Bracket Style (Single-Elim)” and click Submit.

 

Now you will see a calendar of the current month.  Each of the yellow numbers represents the number of tournaments scheduled for that day.  To select a day, click the yellow number within the day you would like to host.  To view future months, scroll to the bottom and select the month and year you would like to view. 

 

The next page is a list of times for that day.  Next to the times that are already scheduled, you will see the TD that is hosting in that timeslot, the number of rounds, the number of players per match, and the location where it is being held.  Click on the time you would like to host your tournament.

 

NOTE:  Each ladder or league has different policies about scheduling, so make sure to double check with your trainer and/or Head TD for your own ladder’s policies.

 

Now you will set the final parameters of your tournament.  For Single Elimination, they are as follows:

 

Name of Tournament

This is where the title of your tournament goes.

Example: “Thursday Night Singles” or “Nike1’s Weekly Swiss”

 

Location

This is the lobby or room where you plan on hosting the tournament.  Make sure you are clear on the location so that everyone (including brand new players) knows where to be for the tournament. 

 

NOTE:  On some ladders this is also where you would enter the game type.

 

Number of Rounds

This denotes the number of rounds that will be in the tournament.  You can choose from 2 (4 players/teams) up to 8 rounds (256 players/teams). If you end up having fewer players than what is needed for the number of rounds, the brackets will automatically shrink to fit the number of players that you have.  However, the rounds will not expand if you have more players than you need for the number of rounds – extra players will be dropped when you close check-in.

 

Minutes between Round Start Times

This is an estimate of how long a match will take.  It creates the time table that is shown on your tournament page.

 

Number of Players per Team

This represents the number of players that will be on a team.  If you set it as 1, one player will make up the team.  If you set it as 2 or more, that many players will be needed to make a team.

 

Teams Competing per Match

This represents the number of teams that will be competing against each other in one match.

 

Membership Requirement

If you leave this at none, all players can register in your tournament.  By selecting Gold and Platinum or Platinum, you can limit the registration to only those that have the specified membership.

 

Multiple Day Tournament

Check this box if your tournament will take more than one day to complete.

 

Invitation Only Tournament

This is to make a tournament invitation only.  You must have hosted at least 20 tournaments to be eligible for Invitation Only.  If this is checked, you must register all players for the tournament by entering their ladder name and your TD password on the registration page.  Once you open check-in for the tournament, you may not enter any more players into the tournament.  Ladder Stats are not available for invitation-only tournaments.

 

Ladder Stats Tournament

When this box is checked, all results of the tournament are reported to the ladder.  All matches will be reported, no matter if the players have played already that day.  If not checked, adjustments will be made to their tournament stats only and no matches will be reported.  On some Ladders the Game Specific Rules must be followed (as much as possible) in Stats tourneys, so check with your LadderOp team and/or Head TD to find out if this is the case on your Ladder before scheduling any Ladderstats events.

 

Use your default rules page if one exists

If you have a default rules page saved, you can have it automatically inserted into your rules page by checking this box.

 

Display dedicated java IRC chat room on main tournament page

If this is checked, there will be a link posted on your tournament page for a dedicated java IRC chat room.  This can be handy if you are having problems with the lobby or room where you host, or if there is no lobby or room.

 

Ladderbux Settings

You have three choices:

 

No Entry Fee; No Prize or Ladderbux Rewards

This means that no ladderbux will be charged for an entry fee, and no bux will be awarded to the players.

 

No Entry Fee; Ladderbux to Top Finishers

No ladderbux will be charged for an entry fee, however for every player registered; the system will put one bux into the total pot.  (This option becomes available after you have hosted 5 tournaments.)

 

Ladderbux Entry Fee; Ladderbux to Top Finishers

A ladderbux entry fee will be charged for each player that registers, you can choose that entry fee by selecting from the drop-down box.  (This option becomes available after you have hosted 10 tournaments.)

 

After completing all of the above, double-check that all of your settings are correct, then click the create tournament button.  The system will do a few things, and then say, tournament created, and voila, you have a tournament!   But, you aren’t done yet!

 

Click the “Return to Administer Tourney #” link so that you can now set your rules.  Once you are on the Tourney Administration page, look for the following link:

 

Customize Tournament Rules

Click this link and the next page will show text boxes for individual rounds of the tournament as well as a large Custom Rules area.   Use these fields as needed.  Keep in mind that the players must check a box that says they’ve read the rules so make sure you give them something to read!  Your rules are your greatest protection against disputes and should be as specific as possible.  They should be concise, but detailed enough so that the newer players can understand what you’re saying.  You should try and stay away from abbreviation slang in your tournament pages for this reason.  Keep in mind that someone entering a tournament for the first time may not know your ladder’s shorthand!   Case’s Ladder Rules state that each Tournament’s rules are determined by the TD and posted on the tournament so it is vital that you do so.   There are some default rules that are on every rules page so take the time to become familiar with those as well.

 

You are responsible for setting the rules for your tourney.  You are given a lot of leeway here, but for the most part we ask that you not use any rules that directly contradict the basic Ladder rules.  Occasionally exceptions are made, for instance, Halloween Tourneys in which the players are allowed to play ‘in costume’ (under a name different than their regular Ladder name), etc.  If you have something you would like to do that is in contradiction to the basic Ladder rules please talk it over with your HTDs or TD Manager and get approval first. 

 

HTML can be used when customizing your rules, but it is not necessary or required. 

 

Each Ladder has policies in place regarding the tournament rules; your Head TD/Trainer can go over specifics for your Ladder.  Your HTDs will help you out with your rules should you need it.  If you choose to get creative with your rules, using different formats, themes, other promotions such as trivia or scavenger hunts, run it by your HTDs first so they are aware of what you are planning and will be able to assist you in making sure everything runs without a hitch.

 

You may save your rules as your “Default” tournament rules.  If you choose this option, they will be used whenever you tell the system to use your default rules so make sure they are generic enough.

 

Once you are all set with your rules, click the Submit button.  You will get a message that they’ve been updated successfully and then several links.  If you’re ready to move on to Customizing your Tourney Layout, then click “Return to Administer #”.  If you prefer not to do any customization at this time, or aren’t quite ready for that, then you can click “Return to the TD Menu” to continue with the process.   

 

Now you have should have a fully created tourney and be ready to advertise and administer that tournament!

 

Customize Tournament Layout (Optional)

This page deals with all the aspects that “customize” your tournament and give it the special colors, pictures, and fonts that you’ve seen.  You can do things as simple as just changing the text colors and backgrounds, or as complex as inserting special HTML to create mouse-trails and other fun effects.   Check the TD Help Center for more specific information and links to helpful tools and speak with other TD’s on how to do some great pages!

 

 

BEFORE YOUR TOURNAMENT

What can you do to insure a successful tournament?

 

Advertising

One of the most important things to guarantee a good turnout is advertisement.  Without advertising, people will not know you’re hosting a tournament.  There are many different ways to advertise.  Instant messaging programs, such as ICQ, Yahoo Messenger, AIM, MSN, and others work well.  Most ladders usually focus on one messaging program, so figure out what that one is, and advertise on it.  You can also post your instant messaging names and numbers on your tournament pages so people can add you themselves, this will increase the number of people you can reach in the future.  The message forum, located on every ladder’s main page on the left hand side, is also a great way to advertise tournaments.  Make sure, however, that you don’t overdo your advertising, also known as spamming.  This will leave people with a bitter feeling about you and your tournaments. 

 

Note:  Make sure any advertising that you do is within the Terms of Service of the site at which you are hosting; we cannot help you if a gaming site bans you for failure to comply with their Code of Conduct. 

 

Creativity

There are many ways to make your tournaments more creative.  Many TDs host themed tournaments.  They set a theme for the tournament, such as sweethearts or popular movies, and have the teams named after the theme of the tournament, or have the tourney page decorated according to the theme.  TDs also host tournaments of a different variation of their regular ladder match like lowball tournaments for cribbage where the first one to 121 loses instead of wins, or Gin-only tournaments in Gin where you’re not allowed to knock, you must go gin.  Some TDs also do trivia contests and online scavenger hunts, and one TD at ipcrib runs a Weakest Link tournament where they act like the TV show’s host and design their tournament page and sounds accordingly.  There are no boundaries to your creativity, and your players will thank you for spending time to go the extra distance.  As always, make sure you go over your new rules with your HTDs so everything is okay rule-wise.

 

Getting Bigger Turn-outs

There are a few things that you can do to increase the number of players in your tournaments.  If you host in a regular timeslot, such as 8 pm every Thursday night, people will get into the habit of you hosting in that timeslot and make a point of making it to your tournament.  Also, if you have a creative touch and add some variety to your tournaments, whether it is a spectacular looking tournament page or a format different from your norm, players will come to see what you’re up to this time.  We suggest finding a balance between regular tournaments and variations.  There are people out there who love the regular matches just as there are those who love the clever variations.  By keeping them both appeased, you will increase your turnouts and likely become a very popular TD!

 

The most important thing to having large turnouts, by far, is to have a good relationship with the players.  This does not mean only in your role as a TD.  Your role as a member of the Ladder is just as (if not more!) important to maintain.  If you are well-liked by people, host fun tournaments and are nice, more people will show up at your tournaments than if you are pushy, ignore the players in your tournament, and are rude.  You are a representative of the Ladder first and foremost in your TD position.  By being pleasant around people you will not only gain the respect and support of current members, you will gain the respect and support of new ones as well.

 

The Good Host!

Consider a tournament like a party at your home, and you, as the TD, are the host.  Be friendly with your players, give them a good time, and they will likely visit another of your tourneys.  Always congratulate the winners and thank the non-winners for coming.  It seems like a small thing, but it makes the players feel included and they’ll be more likely to come back.  Keep a happy medium between being the tournament director and making sure things run smoothly, and making sure you and your players are having fun!

 

 

ADMINISTERING YOUR TOURNAMENT

 

Time Line

Promptness to your tournament room is extremely important.  Most ladders require you to be in your tournament room and have check-in open 30 minutes before your tournament is scheduled to begin.  (Check with your trainer, because rules do vary from ladder to ladder and some may require you to be there earlier).  Make sure to welcome everyone to your tournament, and be helpful to new players; you are one of the first people that they will meet at your ladder, so set a good example. 

 

Always try to stick to your schedule and start on time.  Never close check-in early because people depend on the schedule posted being adhered to.  Likewise, always start on time.  If you have the minimum required to get the tourney going and it has reached the posted start time, start the tournament.  Occasionally you will have someone show up late and want you to make an exception and allow them entry.    In situations such as this it is best to just point out to the individual that the main page of the Ladder (or the tourney calendar) shows what events are coming up and to please sign up early.  Most people will be understanding about this, but don’t let those who are not, bother you.   It is much more important to respect those who were there on time by starting at the scheduled time than to hold them up for one or two latecomers.   If you stick to your schedule, the players will respect the schedule and you.

 

Close out your tourney immediately after the last round is complete.  After the tournament is officially completed you should announce the winners in chat.  It is also recommended that you post something brief in your Ladder’s forum announcing the outcome of your tourney as well.  When announcing winners in chat, one or two times are sufficient.  Any more than that and you are likely to be accused of flooding.  As always, respect the other players when making these announcements.

 

Administer Tournament

Clicking this will take you to your TD Login Center.  This shows all of the tournaments you have created, organized by date.  Select the corresponding number to the tournament you are preparing to host.  This takes you to the Tourney Administration page from which you will administer or host your tournament.

 

On the left hand side is Links/Info and on the right hand side is Actions.  Following is a brief overview of what all these things mean.

 

LINKS

 

Tournament Main Page

This opens a new browser window and takes you to the Main Page for your tournament.  You should be familiar with all the things found there, but if you have questions, your HTDs will be glad to assist.

 

Return to TD Center

This will return you to your main TD Administration page.

 

INFO

Here you will find all the information pertaining to your tournament.  Check it over carefully prior to opening check-in to be sure that you are hosting the correct tournament and that the settings are what you want them to be.

 

ACTIONS

The first thing listed is the big blue box with the actions you should take.  When you initially login, it should be sitting at “Open Check-In”.  As your tournament progresses, this will change.  Let’s review the other links available first.

 

Remove Team

This utility gives you the ability to remove a team or player from your tournament.  Occasionally you will get requests to remove someone in cases where they checked-in for the tourney but then have to leave for some reason.  Just choose the appropriate player/team from the drop-down list.  There is no undo button after you have removed a team, but they may re-register at any time until check-in closes.

 

Edit Tournament Info

This tool will allow you to edit the details of your tournament (Date, Location, Number and Times of Rounds and Rules).   Follow the instructions carefully. 

 

NOTE:  If you add additional rounds to your tournament, you MUST also add the time(s) for those rounds.

 

TD Bux Donation

After you have completed your 5th tournament, you can set a TD Bux Donation to be given to the winner of the tournament.  These ladderbux are taken from YOUR player account and will be given directly to the first place winner when you Award the Ladderbux at the close of the tournament.  If there are two players per team, the bux will be split and half will go to each of the team members.  TD Bux donations are not subject to premium member multiplying, so it is important to realize if you donate 100 Bux to the first place winner and they happen to be a Platinum member they will receive 100 Bux, and NOT 4x the Bux because they are Platinum.

 

After you have edited the information, check the INFO section on the left to be sure that things have updated.  If it hasn’t changed, go back and Edit again.

 

Seed Players By:

The default setting for your tournament is to seed the players by Rating.  You may change this to Registration Order, Rank, or Random seeding.  Make your choice and then click the “Change Seeding” button.   This information will be listed on your tournament page, so it’s a good idea not to change it once you Open Check-In.

 

Customize Tournament Layout

Please see the section under “Create Tournament” for more information regarding this tool.

 

Post Tournament Message

This handy little tool allows you to post a message on your tournament’s main page that will also email all the registered participants.  Simply click the link, type your message and click the button.  Your message will be time/date stamped on your tournament.  This can be very useful should you suddenly have to change the location of your tournament, or if the gaming site should go down during your tournament.

 

Delete Tournament

Clicking this link will take you to your Tournament Removal center where you can type a reason for removing/canceling the tournament and then click the “Remove Tournament” button.  Your reason will be emailed to all registered participants, your HTDs and your TD Manager, so please remember to be professional and courteous, always.

 

Open Check-In

This link will open Check-In for your tournament, where players will be able to indicate they are present and ready to play. 

 

NOTE:  Once Check-In is open, any other players that register for your tournament will AUTOMATICALLY be checked-in.  It is for this reason that you should only open Check-In 30 MINUTES PRIOR to the scheduled start time for your tournament.  Once Check-In has been opened, it cannot be reversed.

 

UnCheckin Team

The drop-down box will give you a list of those players that are “checked-in” for your tournament.  If someone does not wish to be checked-in yet, but wants to remain “registered”, simply choose their name from the list and click the button.

 

Close Check-In

This link will close Check-In for your tournament and post the pairings. If you wish to allow all players that have registered to play, ensure that the “Max Players” is equal to or greater than the number of players checked-in.

 

NOTE:  When you close check-in, if any participants are dropped, the confirmation page will tell you who was dropped and why.  Take a minute to review this page prior to Returning to your Administration page so as not to miss important information.

 

Tourney in Progress…

While your tournament is in progress, this will remain in the Blue box.  You will now see “Adjust Round Results” with any Rounds in progress listed as links.  These links are where you can adjust the matches if something is reported incorrectly.  You can use these to report the matches, but it’s a better idea to have your players report their own to avoid errors. 

 

Round 1 – Just click on the round for which you want to report/adjust a match.  The names shown in Red are the players who have won and will advance to the next round.  The names shown as a Yellow link are those who have lost their match.  If a match needs to be changed, click the Yellow link.  You can then return to “Adjust Round 1 Results” to double-check.  Once all matches have been reported, click “Return to Administer” to get back to the main administration page.

 

Note:  Each new round will appear as soon as there are matches scheduled for that round.  So for instance, if several players have a “bye” in the first round, Round 2 will be available immediately.

 

As soon as your tournament is fully reported and complete, the Blue Box (Next Step Action!) will change to Update TD Stats File, the first of the Closing tasks.  Before going through these steps it’s very important to scroll down and view the final standings of your tournament to be sure they are correct.  Once you begin to close, these results can no longer be adjusted.   Here is a brief description of each of the closing tasks and what they do:

 

Update TD Stats File

You won’t see anything happen, but this will change the number of Tourneys you have run and changes the overall status of this particular tournament.

 

Update Player Tournament Records

This will show the overall win/loss record for each participant.  “Byes” count as a win on tournaments statistics.  This is an excellent time to once again double-check that the correct winner was reported.  If for some reason it is not correct, stop and notify your HTDs or TD Manager that there is a correction to be made.  DO NOT try to go back and change it yourself as you will corrupt your tournament.

 

Process Entry Fees

You will see the entry fee deducted from each participant.  If you are running a free tournament, you will only see the statements “Subtracting entry fee from players…” and “Initializing log file…”

 

Award Ladderbux

This page will show you how many ladderbux each player received.  It is nice to copy/paste this to your tournament lobby for all to seeJ.  You will also be shown the total number of tournaments you have completed to date, and how many ladderbux you are receiving for hosting the tournament.  (You will not receive ladderbux for hosting until your 6th tournament.) 

 

Note:  If you do not receive the ladderbux, it is most likely a result of an incorrect player number associated to your TD account.  Please check your Tournament Ladderbux Log and if you do not see any ladderbux awarded, notify your HTDs.

 

Report Matches to Ladder

This will confirm each report as it is sent through to the ladder’s daily results.  If any error messages appear, stop and notify your HTDs.  You will receive a confirmation that “Matches Have Been Reported to Ladder” when the process is complete.

 

Close Out Tournament

Click this link to finalize the closing process.  Congratulations!  Your tournament is completeJ.

 

 

PROBLEMS/DISPUTES

Your job as a tournament director, besides running the tournament functions, is to keep things under control within the lobby.  This does not mean to be a dictator, but it means make sure everyone is having fun and people are not having shouting matches with one another.

 

If you do run into a situation where people are getting into an argument, get them out of the lobby.  If the gaming service you use has access to private lobbies or private chat, get the two arguing players into that room and try to control things that way.  If you do not have private lobbies or chat, get them to a table, or to an IM room, but try to keep the argument out of the lobby.  Do not get involved in the argument or choose sides, and try to keep others out of the argument as well; your role is to be a mediator in this situation.

 

Determining exactly what steps to follow in attempting to deal with a problem of this nature is dependent on the actual circumstances of the event.  Over time you will get better at diffusing these situations, but always remember that help is not far away and don’t hesitate to ask for it. 

 

There is a fine line that you have to walk as the Tournament Director.  On the one hand you want to get this problem solved with the best possible outcome for all involved, but on the other hand your first responsibility is to your tournament as a whole.  Do not sacrifice the other participants for two or three individuals who are acting inappropriately.  Hand them off to a Head TD or TD Manager (or a LadderOp if the other two are unavailable) if things don’t get straightened out pretty quickly and return your focus to your tournament.  In the worst-case scenario they can be disqualified, and that knowledge alone is usually enough to quiet people down when they are bickering over petty issues.

 

Name-calling and any kind of improper or offensive language are disrespectful, rude and illegal at Case’s Ladder events.  If this should occur, give the player or team involved one warning.   If they don’t stop the behavior immediately disqualify them. 

 

Some common problems and ways to handle them are as follows: (these are just a few; your trainer will help you out with others)

 

A Disputed Winner

If two players are arguing on who won the match, and you have no source of proof for exactly who won, the best idea is to get them to a private area and have them talk it out.  If talking does not help and both players insist that they won the match, the best plan of attack is to have them replay the match.

 

Boot Timers

If a player disconnects, keep track of how long they are disconnected and/or how many times they have booted.  Your trainer will help you with deciding how long/how many boots to allow in your tourneys.  Your rules page must have the length of time or how many boots they are allowed to have before they are disqualified.  Stick to what is listed on your tournament page.  If you say 10 minutes, you cannot wait 11 minutes for someone, no matter if they are new, a friend, or are having problems with the game server.

 

Accusations of Cheating

If one player accuses another player of cheating, get the parties into a private room or private message.  Ask them for the reasons why they believe that the other party is cheating.  If you believe their reasons are well-founded and that the other player was cheating, call in your HTD immediately.

 

It is extremely difficult to irrefutably “prove” cheating.  Most of the time we will note the player’s file and watch for a pattern of behavior, so don’t be discouraged if someone doesn’t get disqualified for a first incident.  Some people are just naturally suspicious, and they will see cheating in anything that could even remotely be taken the wrong way.  It is important to keep that in mind.

 

Remember, your HTDs are your greatest assets to you in situations of trouble.  If you are having problems, do not hesitate to call them in; it is much better to have them help you than to try and fix things yourself and end up making a bigger problem than anyone can handle.  If you cannot find a HTD, look for your TD Manager, as they will know what to do as well to help out. 

 

Rules

All tournaments must have rules so that the players know what they’ll be playing, and so they know what to do when certain things happen, such as boots.  The rules should be on your tournament page so that the players and you can reference them at any time.  Stick to your posted rules at all times; making exceptions to the rules will only lead to troubles.

 

It is your responsibility to make sure that your players understand your rules.  If a disagreement comes up on the interpretation of a particular rule or setting, please handle it privately and rule as fairly as possible.  Always keep an open mind because it is possible that the player has observed a problem or something that you didn’t think of.  As always, Head TD’s and TD Managers are available to mediate if necessary.

 

Reporting a Problem

If you should experience problems, take screenshots or copy the chat log whenever possible.  Immediately following your tournament, use the Email HTDs link to briefly explain what occurred, what actions you took, and the final outcome.  Let the HTDs know if you have a screenshot or chat log to share with them.  Your HTDs will review the information, and may issue warnings, penalty box time, etc., if it is deemed necessary.

 

 

PUBLIC RELATIONS

 

Your Relationship with your Fellow TD’s

The number one rule in your relationship with your fellow TD’s is to ALWAYS show the utmost of respect to one another.  If you do have a problem with a fellow TD please try to work it out privately.  If you cannot come to a resolution yourselves go to your Head TD and have them mediate for you.  NEVER take your argument public!

 

Whenever possible you should be willing to help out your fellow TD’s with pairing tables, assisting first time tournament players, advertising, or lending a hand as requested by them.  We are a team and should always support each other.  When doing this though, remember it is the other director’s tournament, NOT yours­ - make sure they need the help, and DO NOT step on their toes.

 

What We Expect of YOU in terms of Behavior

Above all else you should try to stay polite and professional at all times.  Always remember that you are representing Case’s Ladder and act accordingly.  The other users will look to you as an example and role model.  If you always maintain your cool and don’t let yourself get pulled into mud-slinging arguments, etc. you will earn your players’ respect over time.  That respect will be the only tool you need to gain their cooperation and support 99% of the time.

 

We know you are only human and have a personal history and experiences on your Ladder.  It is highly likely that you will end up with people in your tournaments at one time or another with whom you may have had an earlier disagreement or personality conflict.  In your role as a TD it is very important that you do not allow those personal feelings to get in the way of the fair and professional administration of your tournament.  Always do your best to not let bias taint any decisions you make as a Tournament Director.

 

You will find your Head TD’s and TD Managers will back you up 99.9% of the time when you run into problems that require their intervention.  Always remember though that they too have a job to perform, and there might come a time when in meeting their duties they have to disagree with you or overrule a decision you have made.  When this happens it is very important that you remember to keep your issues with them private.  Nothing should be aired in the public lobby, the forums, or in front of your players.  After the tournament you can discuss your issues with them privately.  In the public eye it is VERY important that you always show the utmost respect and support for your Head TD’s and the TD Managers.  Failure to do so could result in your removal from the program.

 

Your Relationship with your LadderOps

As you know, the Ladder competition is totally separate from Tournament competition.  The LadderOps will not get involved in issues stemming from a tournament unless you, The Tournament Director, specifically ask for their assistance.  At the same time, as Tournament Directors we should not get involved in disputes that LadderOps are working on.  Players will sometimes get confused and come to you with issues they should be going to an Op about (or vice versa) because they know you have a position of authority within your tournaments.  When that happens you need to clarify to them that you are not an Op and refer them to a LadderOp or the ‘Contact Us’ link on the support menu.  If a player wants to complain about an Op refer them to mail opcomplaint@igl.net.  If a player wants to complain about a TD refer them to mail tdcomplaint@igl.net.  If a player wants to praise a TD or an Op, refer them to praise@igl.net.

 

The same rules apply for public behavior and disagreements between Ops and TD’s as they do between TD’s.  If you have a problem with a LadderOp work through your Head TD, TD Manager, the Op team on that Ladder or the LeadOp to get it resolved.  NEVER air your feelings publicly though — either in chat, via ICQ, E-mail or in the forum.  Doing so can result in your removal from the program.  The Ops and TD’s are both here for the same reason.  We are all part of the same team. Remember we are all volunteering our time and want the same thing in the end.  Please treat all of Case’s Ladder Staff with utmost respect and you will get the same in return.  Let’s work together towards one goal – The happiness of the players and the success of Case’s Ladders.

 

Message Forums

If you are not an active participant of the forums hosted by Case’s Ladder it is highly recommended that you become one.  This is a great way to stay informed and active in the community.  Players are encouraged to ask questions and make comments about tournaments, and it is a great place to advertise your events. You may even gather feedback on new ideas.  You should check the Tournament Forum, your ladder’s Forum and if possible the Gold, Platinum and Diamond Forums.  Your players will be posting in all of them.   Remember as always that you are representing Case’s Ladder.  Always portray yourself in a professional and polite manner.  Do not get pulled into an argument in the forums whenever possible.  If things escalate to that level take it private and pull your Head TD or a TD Manager into the conversation if necessary.

 

There is also a private Tournament Director’s Forum, which is not visible to the general public.  Any TD, Head TD or TD Manager will have access to this forum.  It will be a great place for TD’s to ask for help, alert other TD’s to problems and just vent out tournament problems without having to post them publicly.  The address to the TD Forum is not public and only accessible to tournament staff.  It is linked on the TD menu.

 

 

YOUR REWARD

Once you have completed your 5th tournament you are eligible to receive Ladderbux for hosting.  TD’s receive 1 Bux per player that participates in a single-elimination style tournament and 2 Bux per player in a double-elimination or Swiss style tournament.   The perks of Gold, Platinum and Diamond membership do apply here so your Ladderbux received will be multiplied by your applicable membership.

 

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

 

Can I play in my own Tournament?

No, while hosting your tournament and taking care of your players you will be too busy to play in the tournament.

 

Can I play other games while I am hosting a tournament or during Check-In?

No, again while hosting your tournament and taking care of your players you will be too busy to play games. 

 

Can I change the entry fee of a tourney once it has been created?

No, once the tournament has been created if you wish to change fees or winnings, you must remove the tournament and create a new tournament with the new settings.

 

Can I change a tourney to Ladder Stats or back once has been created?

No, once the tournament has been created if you wish to change to Ladder Stats or back, you must remove the tournament and create a new tournament with the new settings.

 

Can I change rules of a tourney once it has been created?

Yes, you may change the tourney rules at any given time up until you open your check-in process.  Once you open the check-in process you may not change the rules.

 

Should I remove finished tournaments?

No, you should not remove any completed tournaments.  The system will purge these after a period of time to make room for others.

 

Can I expand the tourney once has been created?

Yes, you may expand your tournament up until the time you close the check-in process.

 

Is there a way I can get a hard copy of my brackets and pairings?

Yes, print them out. Print off the brackets immediately after creation.  That way the players have an opportunity to find their own way to their Round 1 opponent while you print.  It only takes a minute or so and can make your life so much easier if you have problems later.

 

In a tournament with more then one player per team it is also helpful to print off Check-In.  That way you have both the player’s names and the team names at your fingertips.

 

How do I make my rules look nice?

For help with HTML please visit the TD Help Center (linked on your TD menu), or consult your Head TD’s, TD Manager or fellow TD’s for assistance.

 

 

DEDICATION

Consider the position as a Tournament Director to be a duty.  There is no reason you can't have fun fulfilling your position, but you must keep in mind that there are lots of people waiting for their turn to be a T.D.  Therefore, you must stay active and dedicated, holding approximately one tournament per week.  If at any time, you feel you cannot handle the load of holding tournaments, please inform the Head T.D. of your situation, so that we can make the spot available to someone else. 

 

NOTE:  Any TD that is inactive for 21 days will be automatically purged from the system.

 

No shows, or late shows, are looked down upon, and give Case's Ladder a bad name.  A rare no-show due to an unforeseen emergency is always understandable, but please try to inform the Head T.D. of the emergency so that he/she can inform the players.  View the tournaments you create as a commitment or an important meeting.  It should go without saying that repeated failures to show up for your tourneys will very likely result in your removal from the TD position.

 

STAYING CURRENT

Please be sure to read all your mail carefully, as tournament system updates are frequently sent to all T.D.'s informing you of the changes.   Your HTD’s and TD Manager will use Email to communicate things to the entire TD Team so you should be checking your mail on a daily basis.

 

You should check the Tourney System Announcements found in your TD Admin Center each time you login.  Just click the link to read the latest information or news. 

 

It is important to remain active as a player on your ladder.  If you withdraw your player account from the ladder, or are purged for inactivity, you will also be automatically removing your TD account.  There is no going back if you do this, and no getting your stats restored if you change your mind!

 

SUMMARY

In closing we would just like to express again how grateful we are for all of the time and energy you dedicate to helping improve the Case’s Ladder experience for your fellow Ladder members.  Please remember that we are always here if you need us.

 

Thanks!!  J

 

 

 

 

 

 


SUPPLEMENT 1 – DOUBLE ELIMINATION TOURNAMENTS

After you have completed a minimum of 20 single-elimination style tournaments, the system will allow you to create double-elimination tournaments.  Much of it is the same, but there are a few key differences that we’ll outline here. 

 

All of the initial creating steps for Double-Elimination are identical to Single-Elimination except for the actual bracket type.  Once you choose Bracket Style (Double-Elim), the only limitation imposed is that the number of “teams per match” is limited to 2 Teams.

 

Administration of Double Elimination

The biggest difference between Single-Elimination tournaments and Double-Elimination tournaments is in how they are reported.   You will find two links in regards to matches when administering a dbuble-elim. 

 

In addition to the links below, instead of the standings page being on the TD Administration page as the default view, there is a link to open the Standings Page in a new window.  You will probably have several windows open when you administer a double-elimination tournament as different information is on different pages.

 

Report Match

When you click on this link you will see any matches that are currently in progress, and only those matches.  It doesn’t matter if the matches are in the upper bracket or lower bracket of the standings.  As soon as the brackets show that 2 teams should currently be competing, the match will be listed here until such time that it is reported.  In order to report a match on behalf of the losing player, simply click the radio button next to the winner’s name and click the Report Loss button.  Once you have successfully reported the match, you can use the link to Return to the Administration page.

 

Adjust Match

If you need to fix a match that was previously reported incorrectly, you’ll need to use this link.  When you click on Adjust Match, you’ll be taken to a modified standings page.  A name with a radio button (circle) in front of it indicates that currently that name is listed as the loser of the match.  If you need to change it so that that person advances, click the radio button and then scroll down ad click on Adjust Match.  The winner will then be switched from the original report to the corrected report.

 

The Final Match

In a double-elimination tournament, the final match(s) can get a bit tricky.  The key thing to remember is that in order to be eliminated from the tournament, the player must lose 2 times!  So if the top bracket player is playing the finals, and the player in the bottom bracket wins the game, then they have to play one more game as each will now have only 1 loss and neither is yet eliminated!


SUPPLEMENT 2 – SWISS SYSTEM TOURNAMENTS

 

When you are comfortable with the basic Single-Elimination format and have met the requirements set forth on your Ladder, you may request training on Swiss tourneys.

 

In this type of tournament, every player plays in every round regardless of their match results. (A player may withdraw from the tournament after any round if they no longer wish to compete.)  Each win counts as one (1) point, and each loss counts as zero (0) points.

 

Regular Swiss System

The tournament is finished as soon as there is only one player remaining who is undefeated. (The number of rounds is set before the tournament in order to specify a maximum number of players. If the tournament is set for six (6) rounds, this does not guarantee that there will be six rounds of play since players withdrawing from the tournament may shorten the rounds required to reach an undefeated player. If for some reason after the given number of rounds has been played and there is still more than one undefeated player, the tournament will be extended in order to determine a winner.)

 

True Swiss System

In True Swiss System format, the number of rounds is preset by the TD before the tournament starts and regardless of the number of registrations, the number of rounds does not change once the tournament begins. (The TD can manually change the number of rounds prior to the tournament starting.)  After all the rounds are complete, the player with the most points wins.  If there is no conclusive point leader, there is no winner of the tournament.  However, as an example of a true swiss system, suppose there is only one undefeated player after 5 rounds of play, and the tournament is set for 8 rounds of play.  The tournament does not stop, giving those players who have already a lost a chance to win the tournament.

 

Administration of Swiss System

 

Adjust Match

This is identical to the Adjust Match found in administration of single-elimination tournaments.  The biggest difference is that the rounds will not advance themselves; this must be done manually by the TD as follows:

 

After all the matches for a particular round have been reported, the link to advance to the next round will appear.  Before you advance, verify the following:

1.     All match reports are correct – there is no going back

2.     Any player that wants to withdraw has removed their name or that you have removed it for them.

Once the two items above have been verified, click the link to Advance.

 

On the right of your screen, you’ll see a table listing each player/team’s Past Matches.  On the left you’ll see the Possible Pairings for the next round.  If you don’t see any pairings highlighted with a bright blue background, simply scroll down to the bottom of the page and click ACCEPT CURRENT PAIRINGS.  You will then see a confirmation message that the pairings for the next round are up.

 

If however, any of the pairings are highlighted with a blue background, you must swap those players using the following rules:

 

·        NEVER change the top 2 teams (players) - Undefeated players need to play other undefeated players so that the tournament eventually comes to an end.

·        Players should be swapped with other players having the same number of points (indicated in parenthesis next to each player’s name).

·        Players should never play the same person twice (this may be unavoidable in True Swiss depending on the number of rounds.)

·        The lowest number of points/lowest skill rating will get the bye.  Players should only receive one bye.  Therefore, if a player is about to receive his/her second bye, this player should be swapped.   The next player in line to receive the bye should be the player with the lowest number of points and the lowest rating (in that order).

·        Pairings should NEVER be decided by players asking to play certain other players or by players asking for a “bye”.   Manipulating the pairings and not following the above rules is ground for removal of your Swiss System approval.

 

Whenever a player is forced to play another person who has a different number of points than them, that player is said to have been "floated".  For example, assume player A has 1 point and player B has 0 points.  If they play each other, then it is said that player A was floated downward and player B was floated upwards.  This should be taken into consideration whenever possible. A player floating upwards has had more difficult pairings, and therefore should not be floated upwards again if at all possible. The player being floated downwards is considered to have had an easier pairing and should not be floated downward again if at all possible.

 

Once you determine who will be swapped, choose each of their names in the pull-down lists and click “swap players”.  Review the Possible Pairings again.  Repeat this step until you have no BLUE, then scroll to the bottom of the page and click Accept Current Pairings.

 

The remainder of the administration steps are identical to administering a Single Elimination tournament.

 

 

 


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