Emerging Players Tournament

To encourage new and lower ranked players, the Emerging Players Tournament was sponsored by the International Trax Association. The purpose of this tournament was to give lower ranked players an opportunity to play others of similar ability. To help them improve their play, commentaries were provided by top players for all games played once completed. The commentaries contained suggestions on what is good and what is bad about each move, with possible better moves given with reasons. The tournament started on May 19, 1998.

Eligibility:

The tournament was open to all new players, provisional players (those who had played less than 20 games on Richard's PBMServer) or established players (those who had played more than 20 games) with a rating below 1750.

A total of 29 players signed up for the tournament, made up as follows:

Format:

All games were played by e-mail on Richard's PBMServer, with a 5 day per move time limit. Offline analysis of the game was permitted.

Round 1: Players were randomly divided into four pools where they played each other player in that pool (as a round robin). The top half of each pool progressed to round 2. The bottom half progressed to a consolation round (round 2C).

Round 2: Players were divided into two pools where they again played a round robin. The top three plus ties from each pool progressed to round 3.

Round 3: All qualifying players were grouped in a single pool. The top two players participate in a final match. Any ties were separated on countback, considering the result of games between the tied players.

Final: The top two players from round 3 played two further games against each other. These two games combined with the round 3 game between the finalists to make a best of three match for the final.

Round 2C: In the consolation round, players were also divided into two pools, where they played each other in a round robin. The top three players (plus ties) from each pool progressed to round 3C.

Round 3C: The players progressing from round 2C were placed a single round robin pool. The top player was the consolation winner, with ties separated on countback, using the result of games between the tied players to determine the order.

Prizes:

1. The two players who make it to the final match each receive a Trax set.
2. The overall winner, and the winner of the consolation round (3C) both receive a copy of "Trax Strategy for Beginners".
3. The new or provisional player who won the most games in the first 2 rounds received Doby III

Results