Scoring and Power-Matching System

(This example assumes a sample size of 16 teams; no Bye Round; and 3 scoring ballots per round.)

Round 1 Pairings | Round 2 Power-Matching | Round 2 Pairings | Round 3 Power-Matching | Round 3 Pairings | Round 4 Power-Matching | Round 4 Pairings

ROUND 1 PAIRINGS:

Scoring example for AA v. AB:

In this scoring example, Judges #1 and #3 awarded higher total points (91 and 93), and therefore their ballots, to Team AA. Judge #2 awarded higher total points (88), and therefore his/her ballot, to Team AB. Team AA receives the win for this round with 2 out of 3 ballots and a total score of 91+84+93=268 points. Team AB receives a loss for this round with 1 ballot and a total score of 88+88+85=261 points.

ROUND 1 COMPETITION:

(Assume the following teams in bold won the first round):

ROUND 1 RESULTS / RANKING:

The first round rankings reflect two brackets: 1-0 (one win; no losses); and 0-1 (no wins; one loss). The 1-0 bracket is listed first, then the 0-1 bracket.

Within the brackets, teams are sorted based on higher number of ballots, then on higher total number of points. Teams AF, AP, AD and AK all received Round 1 wins with three ballots, so they are listed first in order based on highest number of total points. Teams AA, AM, AG and AJ all received Round 1 wins with two ballots, so they are listed next in order based on highest number of total points.

1-0 BRACKET:

Note: Teams AG and AJ were both 1-0 with 2 ballots and 248 points. To break this tie, the point spread over previous opponent(s) was used. The previous opponent for AG was AH; the point spread for AG over AH was 248-241=7 points. The previous opponent for AJ was AI; the point spread for AJ over AI was 248-245=3 points. The point difference was greater for AG (7 points) than for AJ (3 points), so the tie in placing is broken in favor of AG.

0-1 BRACKET:

Round2 Power Matching

POWER-MATCHING within the 1-0 bracket begins with attempting to place the top team (AF) against the bottom team (AJ):

ATTEMPT: AF v. AJ

But both were defendants in Round 1, so move up to the next team from the bottom of this bracket and try:

AF v. AG

OK, the teams have not met before and they can now play alternating sides of the case.

ATTEMPT: AP v. AJ

Trying to find a match for AJ again, but both were defendants in Round 1, so move up to the next team from the bottom of this bracket and try:

AP v. AM

OK, the teams have not met before and they can now play alternating sides of the case.

ATTEMPT: AD v. AJ

Trying to find a match for AJ again, but both were defendants in Round 1, so move up to the next team from the bottom of this bracket and try:

AD v. AA

OK, the teams have not met before and they can now play alternating sides of the case.

ATTEMPT: AK v. AJ

Trying to find a match for AJ again. OK, the teams have not met before and they can now play alternating sides of the case. The result is: AJ v. AK

Note: The 1-0 bracket has now been power-matched AGAINST ITSELF. The matching was ALSO successful, as a secondary consideration, in allowing all of the 1-0 teams to ALTERNATE and play the other side of the case in Round 2.

POWER-MATCHING within the 0-1 bracket begins with attempting to place the top team (AN) against the bottom team (AC):

ATTEMPT: AN v. AC

OK, the teams have not met before and they can now play alternating sides of the case.

ATTEMPT: AB v. AL

Both were defendants in Round 1, so move up to the next team from the bottom of this bracket and try:

AB v. AO

OK, the teams have not met before and they can now play alternating sides of the case.

ATTEMPT: AI v. AL

Trying to find a match for AL again. OK, the teams have not met before and they can now play alternating sides of the case. The result is: AL v. AI

ATTEMPT: AH v. AE

OK, the teams have not met before and they can now play alternating sides of the case.

Note: The 0-1 bracket has now been power-matched AGAINST ITSELF. The matching was ALSO successful, as a secondary consideration, in allowing all of the 0-1 teams to ALTERNATE and play the other side of the case in Round 2.

ROUND 2 PAIRINGS:

Note: When these pairings are announced they will be listed in random order so no team can interpret its current tournament standing from its placement in the next round pairings. The pairings will be the same, but the match between, for example, AL v. AI may be listed to take place in the courtroom at the top of the announcement sheet.

ROUND 2 COMPETITION:

(Assume the following teams in bold won the second round):

The second round rankings reflect three brackets: 2-0 (two wins; no losses); 1-1 (one win; one loss); and 0-2 (no wins; two losses). The 2-0 bracket is listed first, then the 1-1 bracket, then the 0-2 bracket.

2-0 Bracket

1-1 Bracket

0-2 Bracket

Round3: Power Matching

POWER-MATCHING within the 2-0 bracket begins with attempting to place the top team (AF) against the bottom team (AA):

ATTEMPT: AF v. AA

AF v. AA OK, the teams have not met before. AF has played Def then Plt; and AA has played Plt then Def. They can alternate sides again and play against each other. The result is: AA v. AF

ATTEMPT: AK v. AM

OK, the teams have not met before. However, AK has played Plt then Def; and AM has also played Plt then Def.

Note: Both teams were defendants in Round 2, but they are the only remaining teams needing to be paired within the 2-0 bracket. To maintain the 2-0 bracket integrity, one of the teams will need to play the Def again in Round 3. The higher ranking team in this case (AK) will alternate to play the Plt; Team AM will play the Def. The scoring coordinator will attempt to pair Team AM as a Plt in Round 4 so that it will have played both sides of the case twice. Even at this point, both teams have played both sides of the case at least once as they are guaranteed.

POWER-MATCHING within the 1-1 bracket begins with attempting to place the top team (AD) against the bottom team (AC):

ATTEMPT: AD v. AC

No, these teams have met before. They can't be paired against each other again, so try:

AD v. AE:

OK, the teams have not met before. AD has played Def then Plt; and AE has played Plt then Def. They can alternate sides again and play against each other. The result is: AE v. AD

ATTEMPT: AB v. AC

Trying to find a match for AC again. OK, the teams have not met before and they can now play alternating sides of the case. The result is: AC v. AB

ATTEMPT: AP v. AL

These teams have not competed before, but both were Def in Round 2. The 1-1 bracket isn't exhausted as the 2-0 bracket was in the case of pairing AK v. AM, so attempt another pairing within the 1-1 bracket:

AP v. AG:

OK, the teams have not met before. AP has played Def then Plt; and AG has played Plt then Def. They can alternate sides again and play against each other. The result is: AG v. AP

ATTEMPT: AJ v. AL

These teams have not competed before, but both were Plt in Round 2. The 1-1 bracket is exhausted. To maintain bracket integrity, one of the teams will need to play the Plt again in Round 3. The higher ranking team in this case (AJ) will alternate to play the Def; Team AL will play the Def. The scoring coordinator will attempt to pair Team AL as a Def in Round 4 so that it will have played both sides of the case twice. Even at this point, both teams have played both sides of the case at least once as they are guaranteed. The result is: AL v. AJ

POWER-MATCHING within the 0-2 bracket begins with attempting to place the top team (AI) against the bottom team (AO):

ATTEMPT: AI v. AO

These teams have not competed before, but both were Def in Round 2. The 0-2 bracket is not exhausted, so attempt another pairing within the 0-2 bracket:

AI v. AH:

OK, the teams have not met before. AI has played Plt then Def; and AH has played Def then Plt. They can alternate sides again and play against each other.

ATTEMPT: AN v. AO

OK, the teams have not met before. AN has played Def then Plt; and AO has played Plt then Def. They can alternate sides again and play against each other. The result is: AO v. AN

ROUND 3 PAIRINGS:

Note: When these pairings are announced they will be listed in random order so no team can interpret its current tournament standing from its placement in the next round pairings. The pairings will be the same, but the match between, for example, AC v. AB may be listed to take place in the courtroom at the top of the announcement sheet.

ROUND 3 COMPETITION:

(Assume the following teams in bold won the third round):

The third round rankings reflect four brackets: 3-0 (three wins; no losses); 2-1 (two wins; one loss); 1-2 (one win; two losses) and 0-3 (no wins; three losses). The 3-0 bracket is listed first, then the 2-1 bracket, then the 1-2 bracket, then the 0-3 bracket.

3-0 Bracket

2-1 Bracket

1-2 Bracket

0-3 Bracket

Round 4: Power Matching

POWER-MATCHING within the 3-0 bracket begins with attempting to place the top team (AM) against the bottom team (AA).

Note: Each team has already played the Plt side once and the Def side twice. To maintain the 3-0 bracket integrity, one of the teams will need to play the Def again in Round 4. The higher ranking team in this case (AM) will alternate to play the Plt; Team AA will play the Def. The result is: AM v. AA

POWER-MATCHING within the 2-1 bracket begins with attempting to place the top team (AF) against the bottom team (AE):

ATTEMPT: AF v. AE

No, these teams met in Round 1. They can't be paired against each other again, so try:

AF v. AC :

The teams have not met before. AF has played Def once and Plt twice; and AC has also played Def once and Plt twice. The 2-1 bracket isn't exhausted, so try:

AF v. AJ

OK, the teams have not met before. AF can play Def, and AJ can play Plt. Both teams will then have played both sides of the case twice. The result is: AJ v. AF

ATTEMPT: AP v. AE

OK, the teams have not met before. AP can play Plt, and AE can play Def. Both teams will then have played both sides of the case twice.

ATTEMPT: AK v. AC

OK, the teams have not met before. AK has played Def once and Plt twice; and AC has also played Def once and Plt twice.

In order to allow both teams to play both sides of the case twice, both would need to play Def in Round 4. They are the only remaining teams needing to be paired within the 2-1 bracket. To maintain the 2-1 bracket integrity, one of the teams will need to play the Plt again in Round 4. The higher ranking team in this case (AK) will alternate to play the Def; Team AC will play the Plt. This matching is an example where bracket integrity takes precedence over alternating sides. The result is: AC v. AK

POWER-MATCHING within the 1-2 bracket begins with attempting to place the top team (AD) against the bottom team (AO):

ATTEMPT: AD v. AO

OK, the teams have not met before. AD can play Plt, and AO can play Def. Both teams will then have played both sides of the case twice. The result is: AO v. AD

ATTEMPT: AB v. AL

OK, the teams have not met before. AB can play Plt, and AL can play Def. Both teams will then have played both sides of the case twice.

ATTEMPT: AI v. AG

OK, the teams have not met before. AI has played Def once and Plt twice; and AG has also played Def once and Plt twice.

In order to allow both teams to play both sides of the case twice, both would need to play Def in Round 4. They are the only remaining teams needing to be paired within the 1-2 bracket. To maintain the 1-2 bracket integrity, one of the teams will need to play the Plt again in Round 4. The higher ranking team in this case (AI) will alternate to play the Def; Team AG will play the Plt. This matching is an example where bracket integrity takes precedence over alternating sides. The result is: AG v. AI

POWER-MATCHING within the 0-3 bracket consists of attempting to place the top team (AH) against the bottom team (AN):

ATTEMPT: AH v. AN

OK, the teams have not met before. However, both teams have played the Def twice and the Plt once.

In order to allow both teams to play both sides of the case twice, both would need to play Plt in Round 4. They are the only remaining teams left to be paired, so one of the teams will need to play the Def again in Round 4. The higher ranking team in this case (AH) will alternate to play the Plt; Team AN will play the Def. The result is: AH v. AN

ROUND 4 PAIRINGS: