Today is the opening round for GNT-A and GNT-C flights. Last weekend we did GNT-Championship and GNT-B. Soon we enter the knock-out phase of the GNTs, where surviving teams schedule a match on their own time and report results to the Unit and District GNT Coordinators. By end of May, we will know which teams will be representing New York City and Long Island in the 2020 Montreal NABC.
Timing and Logistics?
But it’s not too soon to think about future years. While the experience is fresh in all our minds, let’s try to get an open discussion about things we could have done better. Was it fair? Is the 11am start time too awkward if it means a late lunch? Remember, some teams are travelling more than an hour to come to Midtown Manhattan, so there are some limits to the start time.
Overall Format?
How about the followup format with 4 or 8 surviving teams into a knockout? We are one of the few districts that have such a complex followup process in ALL four flights. Many districts decide the eventual NABC representatives after only 2 sessions (and in some cases, no one goes because there are no flight C teams that show up). It’s obviously painful to find a day that works for an entire group of 8 or 12 busy people.
However, having some knockout practice is extremely valuable. It feels very different from a swiss and round robin, it is more similar to the eventual GNT experience, and it should reduce the level of randomness. Would it be better to schedule specific dates for the followup semi finals and finals? Or is the “schedule youself” system the best?
Seeding? Anything Else?
The conditions of contest had some provisions for seeding, but in most cases seeding wouldn’t matter because not enough teams showed up to require it. Once 10 teams or more show up, however, seeding suddenly becomes an issue because the teams must be split into 2 groups. We did it this time primarily by defending champions, a seeding committee, and ultimately good ole masterpoint averages in the lower flights. Would it help to encourage say a 1-day advance pregistration in order to ensure favorable seeding (walk-ins still welcome)?