What do you want from a tournament?

[Erik]

Hey all,
I'm checking with a few people and I'd like to know your opinion.
What are the things that you look for in a tournament? Name examples.
Also what are the annoying things about tournaments? Describe the stuff that you maybe get irritated about or things that hold you from coming to certain competitions (distance, slow scrambling, not the events you'd like etc.)

 

[Swordsman Kirby]

I hate: bad location (it can't be outside during the summer, for example), noob spectators (don't you love it when EVERYONE has their cameras on you during something that requires high precision like multi?), noob scramblers (there's no reason to have only one person scrambling on some events!), few events (I'm not going to Taiwan Summer because it doesn't have enough events), and other minor minor stuff.

I like: smoothly-ran comps, fast competitors (I like seeing WRs ), winning )).

 

[CharlieCooper]

i do not like:

travelling too far, i don't mind getting a plane and the competition is there, but having to get more buses/trains after you've landed is kinda annoying.

HEAT! for some reason it has always been unbearable hot in the venues i've been to

i do like:

lots of different events, knowing that other people also enjoy cubing!, seeing a new city/country at the same time as the comp and just... cubing i suppose

 

[pcharles93]

I've only been to one competition so far and the venue was small and barely any room was there except for the theater seats. I'd prefer competitions to be in a high school gym because it's a big open space and there are almost always big double doors you can open to get fresh air. There are even bleachers if you want to lounge around and relax. It would help if a few cubers taught their parents or friends how to judge solves.

 

[Mike Hughey]

No offense to the other competitions I've been to - they've all been very well-run, I think - but my favorite of the ones I've been to so far is probably Chattahoochee (well, except for my BLD performance, but that's my problem). Things I loved about Chattahoochee:

1. Huge space - it's really helpful and nice for competitors to be able to spread out and take up lots of table space. It was done in a large high school cafeteria, so there were tons of tables and chairs for everyone. And it was very well lit. And the temperature was very comfortable.

2. Lots of stackmats - I can't remember exactly, but it seems like there were at least 10. The only drawback to this competition was that they were gen 1 stackmats, which cost me a DNF in 3x3x3 speed and several seconds on a 3x3x3 BLD. But gen 2 stackmats are required now, so that's no longer an issue.

3. Lots of judges - Andrew lined up almost too many judges, so there was never a shortage. The schedule was always under complete control with never any problems at all.

4. Safe location - I have kids, and it felt really safe being at a nice suburban high school during the daytime.

Seriously, the other competitions I've been to were nice as well, but Chattahoochee was just amazingly well-run, in my opinion.

I haven't had to do one outside before; I'm a little worried about the US Nationals and Open this year - I hope it's not too hot. I don't like cubing in heat. And Eastsheens lock up more in heat (at least mine do - maybe they wouldn't if I lubed them?).

Oh, and of course, I will always prefer a competition that has big cubes BLD. The more attempts the better.

 

[CharlieCooper]

..It would help if a few cubers taught their parents...

my mother would never ever be able to do that. she thinks scrambling consists of repeating L2 R2 several times getting parents to scramble/judge is a good idea though!

 

[Joël]

What I like is:

- Good competition circumstances. Good lighting, good airconditioning, not too warm, not too cold. WC'05 was a bit too hot for me. Sometimes the circumstances are a bit distracting.
- What I find VERY anoying is that on some competitions, competitors don't have a place to sit. I would prefer having tables at a normal height to sit at, as an option besides standing behind a big cube or other high table (sitting on a stool behind those big cubes is not ideal).
- A good location. A big city is usually ok, but if it's not in a city: It's important that there are nice restaurants and good hotels and other places to go. I think in Poland, the location was exelent.
- Good judges. They don't have to be female & underaged per se, but that is a plus (), but good judges who know the rules in most common cases would be nice. I hate it when there is a timer mall function, and they have to call the main judge because they don't know what to do, or if even the main judge barely knows what to do in that situation.
- Optional: A good t-shirt or other souvenir is always good. Like the t-shirts we had in Madrid Open and Polish Open, or the bags you get at WC's. Of course, I understand that every competition has a limited budget, so understandably, this can't always be the case.
- Tight schedule: I hate it when there are large groups. I like it when there is little time between each attempt. Preferably no BLD on sunday first thing in the morning. I also like it when there is some extra time in the evenings to visit some places in the city. In Madrid for example, I liked the fact that the competition ended pretty early in the afternoon, and there was still time to go downtown Madrid.
- I like it when Erik, Rama, Lars, Dennis and Arnoud are there.
- I dislike it when Kai is not there .
- I appreciate the absence of certain other cubers, whose names I will not mention.
- I like afterparty's with free wine.
- I like afterparty's with free beer.

 

[pcharles93]

This is optional as it might never happen. I don't ever want to have an intimidating judge. I wouldn't like to walk up to a solve table and see a 6'0," 300-pound man covered in tattoos with a full beard, leather jacket, and a biker's helmet with a big spike coming out of it. So, if any of your parents are like that, try not to bring them to any competitions in southwestern Ohio.

What about awards for new competitors? Medals or certificates for top 3 fastest first timers would be cool. That way it wouldn't be just extremely fast cubers showing up but also newer cubers competing for recognition.

 

[Swordsman Kirby]

- Good judges. They don't have to be female & underaged per se, but that is a plus ()

Certainly a plus!

 

[Bryan]

I juswant a chance to compete and have the results recorded in the WCA database. Yeah, if there's only 3 events, that's kind of disappointing, but I'd probably still go.

Good judges are nice, but as long as stuff is handled fine, even an inexperienced one isn't a problem. At the US Open, I did a OH solve and the judge recorded the time, picked up the cube, turned around and scrambled it, and then placed it in front of me for my next turn. I simply informed him that he had to go used the set of approved scrambles.

I don't expect to go to a tournament and pay a small entrance fee and expect to have breakfast and lunch provided, along with memorabilia, and to have a well processed machine. Honestly, I wouldn't mind paying a $50 registration fee if there was a bunch of entertainment, but I doubt there would be a tournament like that soon.

 

[Doudou]

I like going to a closed competition because I can laugh during hours just by seeing reactions on the forum...

More seriously,
I like competitions :
where it's not too complicated to go (big cities, ...).
with a well-chosen date
with a lot of rounds of 3x3
with my girlfriend
with prizes, posters and t-shirts
with Jean
which I won

 

[Lofty]

I would like a competition with a close location. I have been cubing for over a year and there has been one competition in my state and only one other in the state up being a 7 hour drive...

 

[Kian]

i'd say the worst things, from a strictly cubing stand point, are when a competition has bad lighting or is warm. it can be more difficult in those conditions.

i've been lucky enough to go to a number of great competitions, and i think the best is when there are enough judges and people willing to scramble. having parents help out is essential!

 

[ExoCorsair]

Likes:
- Nice lighting.
- Well-organized.
- Lots of events.
- Wi-fi at the venue.
- Free food.

Dislikes:
- People showing up without pre-registering (Princeton, anyone?).
- Traveling more than 3 hours to get to venue.
- Prizes for only first placers.
- Not having enough scramblers.
- Crappy scrambles.

 

[Stefan]

What are the things that you look for in a tournament? Name examples.

Friends
Mystery events

Also what are the annoying things about tournaments?

Smoke
Bulky trophies (unless they don't tell what they're for, so I feel ok selling them)

Honestly, I wouldn't mind paying a $50 registration fee if there was a bunch of entertainment, but I doubt there would be a tournament like that soon.

Youtube loves cubing, we should ask them to sponsor a "Week of Cubing" festival.

 

[Rama]

I don't like it when:
-the lighting is bad.
-it's too cold.
-the competition is in the middle of nowhere, unless it's a small one day competition.
-there is a scary/not so fast song is played while solving (Polish Open).

I like it when:
-it's warm, because lubed cubes get better when it's warm, the silicone gets more liquid and my hands stays warm. At the Benelux Open I cubed Ryan Patricio style... with my jacket on.
-the judges know what to do and do everything by the ''book''.
-I meet new people, I can immediatly say that I don't care that the EC is open.
-I at least share the hotel room with Erik, the Polish I felt so lonely.

Winning, losing, who cares, it's all about the good conditions during and around the competition.

 

[HelloiamChow]

I like it when...
...there are fast scramblers, at the competitions I've been to the scrambling for big cubes took far, far too long.
...food is available at the venue. I don't mind paying, but I wouldn't say no to free food!
...cubes and stickers are available at the venue.
...there is adequate lighting and a nice temperature. Unless it's really really nice outside, I prefer indoor competitions.
...the judges can actually discriminate between +2's and not +2's. It's annoying to have to call the main judge over everytime.
...there are attractive judges. Seriously. It lowers times.
...meeting new people. It was awesome meeting all the people I've met over the three competitions I've been to.
...there is a field nearby the venue for some relaxing and frisbee.(P.S. Who's up for some frisbee fun at nationals, I'll have a light up frisbee that we can play at night.)

Most importantly, I love being there with my friends and having fun.

I don't like it when...
...there aren't enough judges.
...there aren't enough stackmats.
...there isn't somewhere I can lay flat at. Thank god for those chairs at Stetson.

Yeah, I don't have too many complaints. And I'm totally serious about frisbee at nationals.

 

[icke]

i only went to the german open. i liked it. the common events where hold at one day. i cant complain about the scrambling time or the judges. foot was free and the competition run very smooth. i didnt like the location. i live in berlin and i would like to have one competition here as well.

edit: i wonted to buy a shirt but there was non available

 

[Erik]

Thx for the reactions so far guys, this will help in a way you'll see soon (hopefully).
keep em coming if you like!

 

[MistArts]

Likes:
- Free food.


Aw yes... the food.