Grand Prix

GP points will be awarded for each round won. They are based (loosely) upon the Mind Sports Olympiad, Pentamind formula, and have been adapted for use within the Grand Prix. The GP points will not be the sum of all GP points within the event but the highest attained.

Recognizing the fact that consecutive wins from Round 1 in the Swiss are equal to consecutive wins in Knockout formats, I have made adjustments (see below).

Because the GP points are relative to the number of rounds won there will be occasions when the winner of the Consolation (normally 7-pointer) can gain more points than the winner of the Main (normally 11-pointer). This will happen when the Consolation winner, starting from Round One wins nine rounds. If anyone doesn't agree with this they are perfectly welcome to lose in Round One of the Main and go directly into the Consolation!

Swiss Format + Consolation
It is quite simply two competitions in one. There is the Main which everyone starts in, and then there is the Consolation for those players that cannot win enough rounds to come 1st or 2nd in the Main. On the Sunday morning players with the fewest wins will go into the Consolation; normally this will be those with one or zero wins.

The tournament, except for the above differences, will remain unchanged. The tie-break for 1st & 2nd (and possibly 3rd) will first be head-to-head encounters should there be any; then failing that, the average ranking score of your opponents (which will also be used to calculate all remaining positions). This is easily done using a relational file from the main database. If one of your opponents fails to play all six matches your average won't be affected by their dropping out! Those that do drop out will have their position decided by dividing their opponents' ranking scores by six instead of the actual number of matches played. This might seem a bit harsh but dropping out of a tournament causes problems for the TD and it is hoped this measure my deter some players from doing so.

The prize pools will be based upon all six matches thus giving all players an incentive to continue playing in order to try to win their pool.

Irrespective of what section a player is in, the allocation of Grand Prix points will be unaffected, based upon total wins within the weekend's competition(s). Similarly, the 1000-To-1 will be based upon both sections.

Ranking points remain as usual, based upon wins and losses within both sections.

Championship Payouts

In the past only the top three in each championship got a prize; this now extended to the top ten in each championship and will be divided thus (based upon a projected prize fund of £2500):