Challenge+Tournaments

=Challenge Tournaments (sometimes called ladder tournaments) = 

These tournaments work well for competitions that have no set schedule, that run over a lengthy period; and that involve any number of players. Challenge tournaments are best suited to individual and partner activities (i.e. tennis, darts, chess). The competition ends on a predetermined date, the winner being the person or team at the top on that date. A prize is usually awarded to the winner. The ladder is the most common challenge tournament but other formats include the target, spider web and pyramid.

Setting up the draw
Gail Mary Sue Linda Julie Pat Jayne Rosie

Contestants’ names are placed on cards. All names are drawn out of a hat and placed in the order they are drawn from top to bottom on the ladder. Seeding is not usually used in challenge tournaments. Once the ladder is set up, the following rules govern the play: - set criteria for a win : i.e. one game, best two out of 3 games - players advance by challenging and defeating a competitor or by default if the challenge is not accepted - a competitor can challenge players only one or two places above himself/herself (from our example Julie can only challenge Linda or Sue) <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">- if a challenger wins, he or she trades card position with the defeated contestant <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">- challenges must be played in the order they are made <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">- after 2 contestants have played they can’t play each other again until each has played another contestant <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">- once challenged a defender must play within 3 days (or whatever amount of time is set on by the organizer) or default <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">- the player at the top of the ladder at the end of a specified time period is the winner

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Advantages to Challenge Tournaments
<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">- competition can be carried out independently by the players without the presence of tournament officials <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">- provides competition between contestants of near-equal ability <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">- no one is eliminated, so play is continuous for all contestants

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Disadvantages
<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">- over a period of time, players often end up competing against the same people <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">- over a period of time it becomes less exciting