Final Rules for WSOBP IVTM
Every year, we re-evaluate the official rules of The World Series of Beer PongTM, and make changes and clarifications as we feel necesary. These tweaks are based on countless amounts of time spent thinking about every aspect of the game of Beer Pong, as well as the opinions of the Beer Pong community at large. We have finalized the official rules for The World Series of Beer Pong IV (WSOBP IV), which can be found here, but would like to spend a minute discussing all of the changes and clarifications that have occurred since shooWSOBP III.
This list should not be relied upon for full interpretation of the rules. All participants are expected to read the rules in full before arriving in Las Vegas.
We can organize the changes to the written rules into three general categories:
1. Changes in Tournament Structure and Format
2. Clarifications of rules/procedures already in place
3. Rule Changes
Changes in Tournament Structure and Format
A. Unlike WSOBP III, there will be no 'divisions' at WSOBP IV. Each team will play 12 games during prelims against 12 random teams. Final ranking will be based solely on overall ranking
B. All forfeits will count for a cup differential of 3. It has been 2 in all previous years.
C. There will be overtime in all games played during WSOBP IV. All games have the potential to go on indefinitely. Please note that if a game is running long due to overtime play, we reserve the right to move that game to a table in a separate area at our discretion.
D. Any game that goes into overtime will be counted as a cup differential of +1 for the winner. The logic here is, you should not be penalized for making redemption. If you go into 5 overtimes, and then lose the 5th overtime by 3 cups, that's still a better performance than losing the game in regulation by one cup. Please note however that your scorecard will keep track of 1) how many overtimes your game has gone into and 2) how many cups were left at the end of the final overtime. The latter information will not affect ranking, except to the extent it may be used as an ultimate tiebreaker.
E. The final day has changed dramatically. You can view the final bracket here (pdf). In a nutshell, 128 teams will make it to day 3, and there will be a 64-team double elimination bracket at the end. The top 32 teams will get in automatically, the next 32 teams will have to win one game to get in, and the next 64 teams will have to win two games. Just look at the bracket.
2. Clarifications of rules/procedures already in place
A. The rules have been clarified to state that all objects on the table are part of game play. This means that if a ball hits a bottle on the side of the table and then goes in a live cup, that cup is counted as a hit.
B. We have added a conduct rule at the end. This is common sense: If you act like an asshole, we reserve the right to throw you out.
C. We added a clause that says something to the effect of "final interpretation of rules to be left up to the refs". Self-explanatory.
D. It appears that somewhere along the line this part got dropped from the written rules, but: There are always mid-turn re-racks. I.e. if the first player hits a shot which brings it down to six cups, reformation should happen before the next player shoots. Also, all cups are to be removed immediately after being hit. If you shoot and hit a cup that has already been hit, its your fault.
E. In general, if you knock over your own cup, it is counted as sunk. However, I think we always intended to make an exception for the times when you knock over your cup while re-racking. This has been added.
F. If you knock over your own cup, it is counted as sunk (sorry to have to repeat that). This cup should be removed immediately. If removal of the cup results in a re-rack, that re-rack should be performed immediately. However, the cup will not count as being hit for the purposes of rollbacks. In other words, if you knock over your own cup in the middle of the other teams turn, it will be treated like that cup was never there. The other team still has to 'make' two shots to get a rollback.
G. If you knock over your last cup...well...you're an idiot. Seriously, this is the World Series of Beer Pong...just don't do it. However, if you do happen to make this atrocious blunder, you will get redemption. If there are multiple cups on the other side, you will get 'Unlimited-1-ball redemption". If there is one cup on the other side, you get two chances to hit redemption, no matter where the balls are at the time of your stupidity. But seriously, don't do it.
3. Rule Changes
A. Important: In all overtime games, the first two shots will be taken by the 'Dominant' team. The Dominant team is the one who hit last cup first. This rule affects all prelim and finals games.
B. We have removed the 'two feet on the ground' rule. It is virtually impossible to enforce, and isn't really justifiable. You can shoot standing on your penis if it make you happy.
C. We have disallowed the act of moving of the cups out of your way to shoot. If you want to lean and tilt the cups, fine, but you cant move them away from the edge of the table first.
D. Our general redemption rules are the same, save one exception: In the case where a team needs to make redemption with three cups remaining on the other side, the team must alternate the first two shots, but may choose either player to take the third shot.
See you fuckers in Vegas....
