Referendum: Grand Prix round robin

[The Statman]

Well the Grand Prix has always carried more points, because it has always started with a true last 64. Most other tournaments have started with a last 48, the round preceding the first round at the Crucible.

In any case there will be 1½ points available, between the 2- and 1-point tariffs, for all World Championship (and UK) matches.

I am reluctant to omit any round in which the top-16 is seeded to play.

I will give it a little more thought. A 120-match round will be quite an undertaking, particularly as I will be driving up to Aberdeen at the time, but I am still minded to go with the status quo for now.

Hmm.

[Snookerlovejoy]

In this format, The Grand Prix becomes an overrated tournament on the predictions event!

[RaNeN]

Will the Grand Prix have prediction contest for the Round Robin Group Stage 1 too? Or will it start from Round obin Group Stage 2?

[The Statman]

Will the Grand Prix have prediction contest for the Round Robin Group Stage 1 too? Or will it start from Round obin Group Stage 2?

Not stage 1, as these are considered qualifying rounds. Just stage 2.

[RaNeN]

Nice! It would be difficult to predict the Stage 1 winners!

[The Statman]

Well it doesn't look like there's any pressing desire for a change.

True, it does arguably 'overrate' the Grand Prix, but not a lot can be done about that.

We will leave it the same, with 2 points for correct winner and scoreline, and 1 point for correct winner, for each match.

A bonus point will be on offer for the winner of each group.

I am thinking of the besst way of presenting the thread for such a large number of matches. I may run two threads, each containing four of the groups.

[The Statman]

Sudden change of heart

Hmmm. I think, on reflection, that it does make it a bit of a mammoth round, 240 points being available in this one round.

So I think I will reduce the tariffs slightly as follows; this will apply to any best-of-7-or-less match so no further discussion/adjustment will be necessary should this situation arise again.

Correct winner with correct scoreline: 1½ points
Correct winner, wrong scoreline: 1 point

There will still be a bonus point for the overall highest break, and one for each of the group winners.

I have now amended the main Rules to accommodate this.

[RaNeN]

There will still be a bonus point for the overall highest break, and one for each of the group winners.

Are we also supposed to predict the group winners?

[The Statman]

Are we also supposed to predict the group winners?

I thought this would be a good 'extra' since there will be eight group winners, as well as the winners of the matches themselves.

The thread for the Round Robin predictions will be posted on or around 1 October, and all will be made clear.

[snookersfun]

good call Statman!

Hmmm. I think, on reflection, that it does make it a bit of a mammoth round, 240 points being available in this one round.

So I think I will reduce the tariffs slightly as follows; this will apply to any best-of-7-or-less match so no further discussion/adjustment will be necessary should this situation arise again.

Correct winner with correct scoreline: 1½ points
Correct winner, wrong scoreline: 1 point

There will still be a bonus point for the overall highest break, and one for each of the group winners.

I have now amended the main Rules to accommodate this.

[RaNeN]

Very nice! This is gonna be one great prediction!

[PaulTheSoave]

I am happy you saw my point of view and that of snookerlovejoy. Though, I still think the points to be gained in the Grand Prix should not exceed either UK open or World championship. I would like to hear your verdict on this one.

Hmmm. I think, on reflection, that it does make it a bit of a mammoth round, 240 points being available in this one round.

So I think I will reduce the tariffs slightly as follows; this will apply to any best-of-7-or-less match so no further discussion/adjustment will be necessary should this situation arise again.

Correct winner with correct scoreline: 1½ points
Correct winner, wrong scoreline: 1 point

There will still be a bonus point for the overall highest break, and one for each of the group winners.

I have now amended the main Rules to accommodate this.

[Alex0paul]

Also if someone misses the round robin predictoin round then they probably wont have much of a chance to catch up in the overall prediction contest because of the huge amount of points on offer for this tournament

[PaulTheSoave]

Exactly! The points, possibly, to be scored in The Grand Prix is farcical!

Also if someone misses the round robin predictoin round then they probably wont have much of a chance to catch up in the overall prediction contest because of the huge amount of points on offer for this tournament

[The Statman]

Well we know from last season that the majority of serious contenders for the title were present all the way through.

And the Handicap competition does accommodate those who are latecomers/occasional participants.

It brings me to another point: With only 1½ points available per match rather than 2, the Handicaps will be affected, so I am considering weighting this particular round.

180 points will be available, so I am thinking that the score for the Handicap should be done as if there were 90 matches available rather than 120, meaning it will be an equivalent of 2 points per match.

I am happy to run a Seasonlong championship that both includes and excludes this rather large round, but since the matches exist I don't see any reason to ignore it completely.

It is clear that this issue is not yet resoved. But I am still minded to do what I said in my last post on this thread.