Actually, there is a strong bias against much competition play in most K-A clubs.

How can we bring a large gathering of players of very varying abilities from two or more clubs together and guarantee they will enjoy playing with others near their own level  right through a 2-3 hour session, meet lots of other players and have a great time?  We have trialled what looks like very good way to go. 

“Ping Pong Pairs” is an adaptation of the Swiss System tournament model. It was devised to sort out players by their ability very quickly and is used a lot in large chess, bridge and squash tourneys where abilities vary widely. 

 

For a complete article on the intricacies just Google http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swiss_system_tournament

 

 For a working outline of our adaptation read on....

 We give players this info sheet as they arrive for the day - easy to understand and participate. You can opy n paste the text for print out.

 Welcome to a great morning of table tennis.

 How it works:

 You have chosen your partner and will have your own team number for the session.

 There will be 4 rounds (Swiss tournament - similar to a round robin)

 You will have your own numbered team sheet.

 Please keep your team sheet handy and update your scores after each round.

 Each round is a best of 5 games set. 

 Cuppa-n-chat for everyone after the second round

 

Scoring:

Record 2 points for a winning the set or 0 for a loss. 

Enter games for and against (3-0 3-1 3-2)

Then swap partners at your table and play a non-scoring game or two for fun while other players finish.

 

Round to Round:

We will collect your scores and update the master sheet.

This will give the next round match up.

We will alert you for the start of the next round. 

 

Round 2 will match winning teams v winning teams: Losing teams likewise. 

Round 3 will match teams according to ladder standings from round 2 and so on.

 

Outcomes:

Everyone will play against 4 different pairs (for points) - 4 sets, average 15 games

Everyone will have swapped with 4 other partners (not for points) - for further games.

You will probably play 15-20 games today

After Round 1 you will play against teams closer to your own playing level.

Leading men’s, ladies or mixed teams can be indicated by the results.

A fun time for everyone is guaranteed.

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ORGANISATION

 

You need a team sheet like this for each pair.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the master sheet. 

  

 This shows the result after 4 rounds at a Bairnsdale /Lakes Entrance day. 21 pairs (42 players) sorted by results. As you can see, a strong grading had occurred. Players met people mostly at their level and enjoyed it. No one got knocked out. 4 rounds and coffee took the morning, 9.15 -11.45 am.

The Team numbers began in numerical sequence with most pairs matched with a pair from the other club.

Running the session

A couple of people at the club table record - sort scores and announce pairs matching for each round. 

• Each team keeps its own sheet - reporting at the table when it finishes its competition set.
• Match like with like (Games Difference) as far as possible. ie pairs winning 3-0 in the first round are matched with others who did likewise down to those which lost 0-3.
• By progressively grading, the rounds match pairs very well.
• As much as possible from round 2 onwards, match pairs on game difference - trying to match a pair at a similar level with a pair from the other club. (more fun) 
  

The example includes BYES which distort the results a little - but not too much. A BYE yields 1 match point and no games. A perfect result would require 20 rounds (like a round robin) but no matter how many players, 4 rounds gives a very good result.

 

If you really must have winners and 2 teams are identical on both points and games difference and played each other during the session - the winner is the team which won that encounter. If not - the two teams could play off for a winner.

• If two clubs or more clubs are involved you can get each club to list their pairs beforehand and match pairs from the clubs alternatively in the first round.
• This is a good intro for getting to know lots of people.
• Each player has chosen a friend whose company they like for the session, so they are in for a good time anyway - and will meet up with happy strangers first up.
• There will always be a few who just turn up. They get paired off and join the fun. 
• This not an inter-club contest with one club beating the other.
• We think Keen-Agers should avoid this if at all possible.
• On the other hand we can all congratulate individual winners from whichever club. 
  

At the end of the session - if you wish - you can announce the Men’s, Ladies, and Mixed leading pairs as “winners”. Trophies aren’t needed. In the example given no one had left by 11:45am. There was a lot of energy and they would have happily played another round. 

 

A word of endorsement from Keen-Agers President Lindsay Hanrahan

I have played in two tournaments conducted in this way and they have both run like clockwork. On Monday 23^rd June 08 Bairnsdale Keen-Agers played Lakes Entrance Keen-Agers using this style and there were no complaints and no one leaving early. We had 21 teams of doubles playing and we got through 4 rounds in the morning with morning tea in the middle. I would commend this system for keen ager events so that you can involve most people all the time and it does not mean serious competition.

 

Lindsay Hanrahan  

President Keen-Agers Inc.  and Ex Competition Player