The format for the Prismata Alpha World Championships (PAWC) has been announced! This also includes the format of Wildcard Weekend and the Prismata Alpha Blitz World Championship (PABWC).
You can find all the details below.
Wildcard Weekend
- Players ranked 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th in Championship Points will be seeded.
- Seeds 3/4 and 5/6 will be randomized prior to the start of the day for the purposes of the match schedule below.
- All games 45s time control and random side, all drawn games replayed.
- All matches best-of-5, “accordion” (as described below).
Match Schedule
M1: P3 v P6
M2: P4 v P5
M3: P2 v WM1
M4: P1 v WM2
M5: LM2 v LM3
M6: LM1 v LM4
M7: WM3 v WM4 -> Qualifies as 7th seed in PAWC
M8: WM5 v WM6
M9: LM7 v WM8 -> Qualifies as 8th seed in PAWC
- Matches 1+2, 3+4, and 5+6 will be played simultaneously.
PAWC Finals Overview
- The exact order of games in each phase will be communicated clearly before the tournament.
- All games 45s time control and random side, all drawn games replayed.
Day 1
Phase 1. All games are base+8.
- Round 1: P1 v P4, P2 v P3, P5 v P8, P6 v P7
- Round 2-5: All of (P1,P2,P3,P4) will play all of (P5,P6,P7,P8)
Phase 2. All games are base+9.
- Round 6-12: All players will play each other once.
Phase 3. All games are base+10.
- There will be a cut to top 6 following the tiebreaker procedures below.
- Round 13-17: All 6 remaining players will play each other once.
- If necessary, tiebreaker games for positions 1st, 2nd, and 3rd-4th will be played.
Day 2
- 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th seeds were determined by the play on Day 1.
- All matches are best-of-7, “accordion”.
- There will be a break between each match.
Quarterfinals. The 4th seed will play a match vs the 3rd seed.
Semifinals. The winner of the Quarterfinals will play a match vs the 2nd seed.
Finals. The winner of the Semifinals will play a match vs the 1st seed.
PABWC Overview
- All games 12s/turn.
- Players must have 5 CP to participate.
- Players seeded into 4 pods based on CP in the previous 6 Grand Prix events.
- Every pod will play a double round robin (base+9 games)
- Tiebreakers, if necessary, will follow the tiebreaker procedures below
- The top 2 in each pod will be randomly seeded into a single elimination bracket with the following conditions:
- Every quarterfinal match must have a #1 from a pod playing a #2 from a pod.
- The two players that advance from each pod must be seeded on opposite sides of the bracket.
- Each match in the single elimination bracket is a best-of-7 “accordion” match.
Tiebreaker Procedures
- The first tiebreaker is match points: the number of games won.
- Head to head tiebreaking will not be used.
- Tied players will be placed a bo1 base+10 bracket seeded by original seed at the beginning of the event.
- Players cannot win a tiebreaker without winning a tiebreaker game.
- The bracket must be so that every possible effective payoff is possible for each player.
- Examples:
- If 2 players tie, they will play a tiebreaker game.
- If 3 players tie for one position, seeds 2 and 3 will play and the winner will play seed 1.
- If 3 players tie for two equal positions, seeds 1 and 2 will play (the winner taking position 1), and the loser will play seed 3 (and the winner taking position 2).
- If 3 players tie for two different positions, seeds 2 and 3 will play, then the winner plays seed 1. The winner of that takes position 1, while the two losing players play again for positions 2 and 3.
- If 4 players tie, seeds 1 and 4 will play along with seeds 2 and 3. The winners and losers of those games will play (if necessary) to create a hierarchical ranking of 1st,2nd,3rd,4th.
- Other tied situations as they arise, will be at the discretion of the tournament organizer to create a bracket.
- Examples:
“Accordion” Match Format
Best-of-5:
In every match:
- First and second games are base+8.
- Third and fourth games are base+9.
- Fifth game is base+10.
Best-of-7:
In every match:
- First and second games are base+8.
- Third and fourth games are base+9.
- Fifth and sixth games are base+10.
- Seventh game is base+11.