ANNOUNCEMENT: Northeast FIST Mirror (11/7/09)

Mechanical Beasts · Post by **Mechanical Beasts** » Mon Aug 10, 2009 8:33 pm

Harvard College Bowl will be hosting the Fall Invitational Submission Tournament's northeast mirror (tentatively subtitled "The Silent Cry") on November 7, 2009. FIST will be a Nationals-level packet-submission tournament edited by myself, Andy Watkins, and Ryan Westbrook.

LOCATION: As with almost all Harvard tournaments, FIST: The Silent Cry will take place in Sever Hall, which is in Harvard's Old Yard. You get there by finding yourself on Mass Ave and facing north (towards what looks like a campus, not shops and stuff) and walking north. Buildings define two different enclosures; if you are on the one to the left (west) you should go east. Sever is on the east side of the east enclosure (Old Yard, to be technical, as contrasted with Harvard Yard) and looks like this.

PACKETS: Should be sent to Ryan Westbrook ([email protected]); should adhere to the ACF Formatting Guidelines, and should be roughly Nationals difficulty.

Taken from Ryan's preliminary announcement, the distribution for submitted packets:

5/5 Literature (vary by genre and time, including American/Euro/World)
5/5 History (at least 1/1 American, 1/1 European, 1/1 world)
5/5 Science (at least 1/1 bio, 1/1 chem, 1/1 physics, 1/1 other sci)
3/3 Fine Arts (at least 1/1 art, 1/1 classical music)
3/3 RMP (at least 1/1 myth, 1/1 philosophy)
2/2 Social Science (no more than 1/1 from any area of soc sci)
2/2 Geography or Trash or "Your Choice" (no more than 1/1 of any of those things, and "Your Choice" refers to any academic subject)

$80 for packet submitted by 9/30
$120 for packet submitted by 10/10
$160 for packet submitted by 10/24
Packet after that: $180 and I get angry at you, or at least pretend to.
(Note: I price people individually rather than by team, when you're not being funded by a university - so if you only have a two-man team and your normal fee would be 120 - you'll still only pay $30 each)

-$5 for every buzzer used in event
-$10 for every moderator provided

FIELD:

1 Brown
1 Columbia (1 buzzer)
1 Hunter-CUNY
1 Rutgers
1 NYU
1 MIT
1 Harvard
1 Yale

OTHER NOTES: If you are interested in hosting another mirror of this tournament, please email me ([email protected]), as I've been put in charge of such things. Pairing it with IO/TIT (which should be taking place the weekend of 11/14) looks to be a fine option, and we can aim to have the set ready for the weekend of 11/7 if a mirror that weekend works a bunch better for your site.

Post by **theMoMA** » Mon Aug 10, 2009 9:47 pm

Crazy Andy Watkins wrote:tournament edited by myself, Andy Watkins, and Ryan Westbrook.

I see.

Mechanical Beasts · Post by **Mechanical Beasts** » Mon Aug 10, 2009 9:53 pm

theMoMA wrote:
Crazy Andy Watkins wrote:tournament edited by myself, Andy Watkins, and Ryan Westbrook.
I see.

I'm writing the finals packets. Andy Watkins is handling everything else.

Magister Ludi · Post by **Magister Ludi** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 10:36 am

I dont know if you care, but this is the date of the Harvard-Yale game. I for one would love to play this tournament but probably won't be able to if it is held on this date.

Mechanical Beasts · Post by **Mechanical Beasts** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 12:47 pm

Magister Ludi wrote:I dont know if you care, but this is the date of the Harvard-Yale game. I for one would love to play this tournament but probably won't be able to if it is held on this date.

Yeah; this is one of the irritating things about trying to find Fall dates up here. I'll reserve the right to change the date to 11/7 if it looks like the set is getting done by then. After all, it's not like people will be traveling to this one from far away, in all likelihood, so plane tickets won't be getting purchased.

grapesmoker · Post by **grapesmoker** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 1:44 pm

Brown will surely send some number of teams to this thing.

No Rules Westbrook · Post by **No Rules Westbrook** » Thu Aug 13, 2009 2:18 pm

Oh hey, I didn't even know this announcement existed until I wandered into the announcements forum now. This is good.

So, what do people think in terms of a midwest mirror? I've floated the idea around of making FIST a Sunday event at Illinois Open (assuming Illinois would be okay with that) - how many people would come to Urbana for an IO/FIST combination, or would a lot of people be turned off by having a tournament like that on Sunday? Would it be better to do an 11/21 mirror in the midwest, and is there someplace that would want to host that? Just curious what general opinion is among people who might be interested.

setht · Post by **setht** » Thu Aug 13, 2009 2:51 pm

No Rules Westbrook wrote:what do people think in terms of a midwest mirror? I've floated the idea around of making FIST a Sunday event at Illinois Open (assuming Illinois would be okay with that) - how many people would come to Urbana for an IO/FIST combination, or would a lot of people be turned off by having a tournament like that on Sunday? Would it be better to do an 11/21 mirror in the midwest, and is there someplace that would want to host that? Just curious what general opinion is among people who might be interested.

I'd almost certainly show up to an IO/FIST combination or an 11/21 mirror at UChicago. Anything else is more iffy.

Is IO weekend also going to feature RMPfest II? I thought I saw that somewhere, but now I can't find an announcement. If so, and if IO weekend also has Walden Three, then there may not be time to add in a mirror of FIST. I'd be happy to go for all four in one weekend, but I'm also willing to show up to play something Friday evening and/or stay late on Sunday; I'm not sure enough of the field can do that, so it might work better to stick with three events for the weekend. Here's hoping a bunch of people post and say they want to go for all four tournaments that weekend.

-Seth

marnold · Post by **marnold** » Thu Aug 13, 2009 3:32 pm

setht wrote:Here's hoping a bunch of people post and say they want to go for all four tournaments that weekend.

Consider it posted!

Magister Ludi · Post by **Magister Ludi** » Thu Aug 13, 2009 3:37 pm

Is IO definitely happening on the weekend of November 14th? If it were moved to the weekend of 11/21, I (and presumably and other Harvrd people) would be willing to skip the Harvard-Yale game and fly out to play four tournaments in one weekend.

No Rules Westbrook · Post by **No Rules Westbrook** » Thu Aug 13, 2009 3:49 pm

Ted, I think the 14th is the date, with reasonable certainty.

I was aware of Walden Three but not RMPFest II. Like Seth, and like most free-ranging veterans probably, I'm all about the one-weekend extravaganza - but also like him, I'm not sure how attractive it is for others. I could see moving FIST along and getting it done around 6 in the evening, but I know that's still kinda late for a Sunday.

Cheynem · Post by **Cheynem** » Thu Aug 13, 2009 3:54 pm

I love big weekend extravaganzas in the summer, but I admit I turn into a wuss about this stuff during the school year (I can't speak for the rest of Minnesota). With teaching responsibilities looming next year, giant weekends with every waking hour blocked off for quizbowl and traveling is not particularly appealing...but that's just me.

grapesmoker · Post by **grapesmoker** » Thu Aug 13, 2009 4:13 pm

IO is usually mirrored on the East Coast; this year I understand that it's supposed to be a combination with Maryland's TIT, which probably means a trip down south for us New Englanders, unless there is a mirror in Boston. Because of CIRCUMSTANCES I can't do the weekend of the 21st, so if something happens on the 14th that would be great for me personally.

Mechanical Beasts · Post by **Mechanical Beasts** » Thu Aug 13, 2009 4:25 pm

grapesmoker wrote:IO is usually mirrored on the East Coast; this year I understand that it's supposed to be a combination with Maryland's TIT, which probably means a trip down south for us New Englanders, unless there is a mirror in Boston. Because of CIRCUMSTANCES I can't do the weekend of the 21st, so if something happens on the 14th that would be great for me personally.

We are probably going to run IO/TIT on the 15th, following HFT--a good attraction for high school teams, plus whatever college teams decide to stay in town (we pretty much know we won't be stopping top-shelf teams like Brown from traveling down to Maryland where the good teams are, but maybe if you can't afford to take both your A and your B team... etc.).

Not That Kind of Christian!! · Thu Aug 13, 2009 4:47 pm

Yeah, I'd love to see a mirror, since I doubt the Brandeis team will be able to afford to go anywhere for IO/TIT (and, on a personal note, since I have to be on campus every Sunday this year). Also, as Mike points out, a weekend extravaganza is totally untenable for many (most?) people during the school year because of... well... school.

fleurdelivre · Post by **fleurdelivre** » Thu Aug 13, 2009 4:52 pm

While we're spoil-sporting on the date, the 21st is SPLASH weekend, and while I suppose I don't mind corrupting (I mean teaching) high school students on my birthday, I'd rather be able to schedule classes for Saturday and host a party on Sunday instead...

Mike Bentley · Post by **Mike Bentley** » Thu Aug 13, 2009 7:54 pm

It's possible I'd be interested in a West Coast mirror of this, especially if it's paired with another tournament. Any California schools planning on mirroring this?

Mechanical Beasts · Post by **Mechanical Beasts** » Thu Aug 13, 2009 8:01 pm

Bentley Like Beckham wrote:It's possible I'd be interested in a West Coast mirror of this, especially if it's paired with another tournament. Any California schools planning on mirroring this?

Yeah, I should mention that this set is open to mirrors much of anywhere.

Sen. Estes Kefauver (D-TN) · Fri Aug 14, 2009 8:22 am

I personally will vote for Illinois Open not running this on Sunday. Call me old fashioned, but I think one big weekend of quizbowl such as Minnesota Open is enough per semester, and would rather see IO run 1 or 2 smaller side events and then come back to play this the next weekend. I think a lot of us who would like to play this will be forced not to because of travel needs, teammates, and schoolwork if the dates combine.

Mechanical Beasts · Post by **Mechanical Beasts** » Fri Aug 14, 2009 10:47 am

If it detaches from IO, then we might as well just complete the set by 11/7, adjusting the packet deadlines accordingly, and have it hosted then.

No Rules Westbrook · Post by **No Rules Westbrook** » Fri Aug 14, 2009 12:58 pm

we might as well just complete the set by 11/7

Easy for you to say. Yeah, I'm fine with this - if we go this route, I'd only set the packet deadlines back by one week cause they're already creeping up pretty fast and that still allows enough time.

grapesmoker · Post by **grapesmoker** » Fri Aug 14, 2009 3:07 pm

Obviously I can't dictate the terms of your tournament completion schedule, but I think November 7 would be a great date for Brown.

thedodgerswin · Post by **thedodgerswin** » Fri Aug 14, 2009 5:41 pm

I would also like to see a West Coast mirror of this tournament.

It is an open tournament, right?

Mechanical Beasts · Post by **Mechanical Beasts** » Fri Aug 14, 2009 6:29 pm

grapesmoker wrote:Obviously I can't dictate the terms of your tournament completion schedule, but I think November 7 would be a great date for Brown.

But the two of us can, and we can do this. Consider it changed!

thedodgerswin wrote:I would also like to see a West Coast mirror of this tournament.

It is an open tournament, right?

Sure is, and we love money, so we would too!

No Rules Westbrook · Post by **No Rules Westbrook** » Fri Aug 14, 2009 8:10 pm

The packet submission deadlines should be updated to match those in my FIST Midwest post.

While you're at it, change the first line from "November 21" to "November 7"

Skepticism and Animal Feed · Sun Aug 16, 2009 3:39 pm

RMPFest II does in fact exist (or rather will exist). I plan to have RMPFest II done by IO weekend. I also have an agreement with Trygve under which RMPFest II will have one of the side event slots to Illinois Open. Obviously I would also be happy to let other IO sites mirror RMPFest II.

Are teams viewing FIST as an open event where we play with whoever, or as an event where we play on our school teams?

No Rules Westbrook · Post by **No Rules Westbrook** » Sun Aug 16, 2009 4:40 pm

Are teams viewing FIST as an open event where we play with whoever, or as an event where we play on our school teams?

I can't speak to how teams are viewing it, but obviously you're equally welcome to do either of these things.

Mechanical Beasts · Post by **Mechanical Beasts** » Wed Sep 16, 2009 1:59 pm

Bump because there are two weeks left before the first packet deadline. Even earlier packets earn goodwill, people!

Skepticism and Animal Feed · Sun Sep 20, 2009 10:12 pm

Harvard College Bowl is proud to announce our first-ever "Andy Watkins For a Day" promotion. One lucky winner will get to experience a day in the life of Harvard's inimitable science player. We will provide you with a chemistry problem set that you can start working on at 3 AM the morning before FIST, which you'll hopefully finish in time to down two vials of 7 Hour Energy and hop on the train to Cambridge, where you'll get to play on Harvard A alongside such notable players as Ted, Bruce, and even Dallas.

You do not have to be a Harvard student to win, you just need to be able to get points on science and attend NE FIST. You will be required to write 5/5 Science for the Harvard A packet.

Please contact me if you are interested.

Sima Guang Hater · Post by **Sima Guang Hater** » Mon Sep 21, 2009 9:09 am

Whig's Boson wrote:Harvard College Bowl is proud to announce our first-ever "Andy Watkins For a Day" promotion. One lucky winner will get to experience a day in the life of Harvard's inimitable science player. We will provide you with a chemistry problem set that you can start working on at 3 AM the morning before FIST, which you'll hopefully finish in time to down two vials of 7 Hour Energy and hop on the train to Cambridge, where you'll get to play on Harvard A alongside such notable players as Ted, Bruce, and even Dallas.

You do not have to be a Harvard student to win, you just need to be able to get points on science and attend NE FIST. You will be required to write 5/5 Science for the Harvard A packet.

Please contact me if you are interested.

This is really, really tempting...

Mechanical Beasts · Post by **Mechanical Beasts** » Mon Sep 21, 2009 9:49 am

The Quest for the Historical Mukherjesus wrote: This is really, really tempting...

I'm concerned; rumor has it that once you go Dark Eric, you never go back.

Not That Kind of Christian!! · Mon Sep 21, 2009 1:04 pm

Norman the Lunatic wrote:
The Quest for the Historical Mukherjesus wrote: This is really, really tempting...
I'm concerned; rumor has it that once you go Dark Eric, you never go back.

Thank you, HSQB, for providing me with my daily dose of slightly disturbing Internet content.

Skepticism and Animal Feed · Thu Oct 01, 2009 5:24 am

Whig's Boson wrote:Harvard College Bowl is proud to announce our first-ever "Andy Watkins For a Day" promotion. One lucky winner will get to experience a day in the life of Harvard's inimitable science player. We will provide you with a chemistry problem set that you can start working on at 3 AM the morning before FIST, which you'll hopefully finish in time to down two vials of 7 Hour Energy and hop on the train to Cambridge, where you'll get to play on Harvard A alongside such notable players as Ted, Bruce, and even Dallas.

You do not have to be a Harvard student to win, you just need to be able to get points on science and attend NE FIST. You will be required to write 5/5 Science for the Harvard A packet.

Please contact me if you are interested.

This spot is still open...

Mechanical Beasts · Post by **Mechanical Beasts** » Sat Oct 10, 2009 8:26 pm

Columbia is coming! Someone needs to be me for a day! Other teams need to register and send us packets!

Also,if Mike Bentley and Stephen from Chicago are so intent on there being a west coast mirror of this tournament, I think they should do some organizing for that very thing so that one can happen. Or they should write us freelance packets. Delicious, delicious freelance packets.

Mike Bentley · Post by **Mike Bentley** » Sat Oct 10, 2009 9:17 pm

Norman the Lunatic wrote:Columbia is coming! Someone needs to be me for a day! Other teams need to register and send us packets!

Also,if Mike Bentley and Stephen from Chicago are so intent on there being a west coast mirror of this tournament, I think they should do some organizing for that very thing so that one can happen. Or they should write us freelance packets. Delicious, delicious freelance packets.

There's no way that we're going to attract any type of audience in Seattle hosting an ACF Nationals-level tournament. As mentioned earlier, I'd be mildly interested in attending a mirror held in California (preferably the Bay Area), as that would be able to attract more teams.

I could probably contribute a half-packet if needed.

Mechanical Beasts · Post by **Mechanical Beasts** » Sat Oct 10, 2009 9:28 pm

Bentley Like Beckham wrote:There's no way that we're going to attract any type of audience in Seattle hosting an ACF Nationals-level tournament. As mentioned earlier, I'd be mildly interested in attending a mirror held in California (preferably the Bay Area), as that would be able to attract more teams.

I could probably contribute a half-packet if needed.

Yeah, that sounds like the way it'd have to go. Also, yay!

Mechanical Beasts · Post by **Mechanical Beasts** » Sun Oct 18, 2009 12:06 pm

I am mostly amused by the fact that the first two packets we received were from Columbia and Rutgers-NB, and that Yetman and NYU have promised packets by the coming weekend, and yet the only "usual suspect" to have registered convincingly is Brown. MIT, Dartmouth, where are you guys?

grapesmoker · Post by **grapesmoker** » Fri Oct 23, 2009 4:13 pm

I suspect Brown will only have one team. We're working on writing a packet, but given that I'm likely to be writing 75% of the whole thing myself, I hope you guys don't get too angry at me. Before the end of the next weekend, I swear.

Mechanical Beasts · Post by **Mechanical Beasts** » Fri Oct 23, 2009 4:15 pm

grapesmoker wrote:I suspect Brown will only have one team. We're working on writing a packet, but given that I'm likely to be writing 75% of the whole thing myself, I hope you guys don't get too angry at me. Before the end of the next weekend, I swear.

my rage will know no bounds

Mike Bentley · Post by **Mike Bentley** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 7:14 pm

Bentley Like Beckham wrote:
Norman the Lunatic wrote:Columbia is coming! Someone needs to be me for a day! Other teams need to register and send us packets!

Also,if Mike Bentley and Stephen from Chicago are so intent on there being a west coast mirror of this tournament, I think they should do some organizing for that very thing so that one can happen. Or they should write us freelance packets. Delicious, delicious freelance packets.
There's no way that we're going to attract any type of audience in Seattle hosting an ACF Nationals-level tournament. As mentioned earlier, I'd be mildly interested in attending a mirror held in California (preferably the Bay Area), as that would be able to attract more teams.

I could probably contribute a half-packet if needed.

Sorry, it doesn't look like I'll have time to write this half-packet. I have a few literature tossups I can contribute if it helps.

No Rules Westbrook · Post by **No Rules Westbrook** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 8:22 pm

I'll gladly take your lit tossups if you're handing them out, M. Bentley.

No Rules Westbrook · Post by **No Rules Westbrook** » Sun Nov 01, 2009 11:46 pm

Hey, I didn't post explicitly in this thread to say this - but you don't need to write a packet anymore if you wanna come play FIST. Just let me know, you can play at a discount rate too if necessary.

Maximus · Post by **Maximus** » Mon Nov 02, 2009 12:49 pm

if we don't have to write a packet, then we'll probably be able to round up a few people to send a team.

Mechanical Beasts · Post by **Mechanical Beasts** » Wed Nov 04, 2009 11:47 pm

Maximus wrote:if we don't have to write a packet, then we'll probably be able to round up a few people to send a team.

That's great news; I like people participating.

That said, that brings this packet-submission tournament to eight teams total, and as a consequence I think i'll make MIT and Yetman play together (or whatever combination appeals to people most, the morning of--we'll figure something out. We'll play a round-robin out of seven teams, with six rounds left over (assuming the Weiner/Yetman packet materializes, as I've heard no word about it); we can play some combination of finals/ more games from a probably redrafted field to finish off the day.

dyetman89 · Post by **dyetman89** » Thu Nov 05, 2009 12:11 am

Crazy Andy Watkins wrote: (assuming the Weiner/Yetman packet materializes, as I've heard no word about it)

The wheels are in motion - we're planning to get this to you by tomorrow.

Mechanical Beasts · Post by **Mechanical Beasts** » Thu Nov 05, 2009 12:42 am

dyetman89 wrote:
Crazy Andy Watkins wrote: (assuming the Weiner/Yetman packet materializes, as I've heard no word about it)
The wheels are in motion - we're planning to get this to you by tomorrow.

Fantastic. Science for it is written and may I say it is a piece of work

ak47 · Post by **ak47** » Thu Nov 05, 2009 11:39 pm

MIT now has a full team for this tournament.

Mechanical Beasts · Post by **Mechanical Beasts** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 2:59 pm

HEY UPDATE

We currently have eight teams. It looks like for blind plackets, we have three editors packets, Chicago, Illinois, Minnesota, plus finals. This isn't enough for eight teams. So we will probably be working with Weiner/Yetman, NYU, Columbia, Rutgers-NB, Harvard, Brown as nonblind packets in the morning, having collapsed to seven teams for a round robin. (this will draw another blind packet for the final packet of the RR, plus finals if people are interested). Seven teams means three rooms, which we have staff for without needing staff on bye. in the afternoon, if people are interested, the five remaining blind packets could be played in a six-team redrafted round robin (without available finals, I guess) in the afternoon. That would also take only three rooms, which is great.

Eight teams isn't feasible at all. A nine team round robin I suppose is possible, but I am pretty sure that a lot of the teams here are shorthanded and would be even less interested in splitting up than usual.

If anyone has other format suggestions, I will gladly entertain them! Example: eight team power-pairing on three blind packets, followed by a shootout on the 600 remaining bonus parts. I will say no, but you'll have asked!

ak47 · Post by **ak47** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 10:19 pm

What time should teams be there, and exactly what room in Sever Hall should we meet?

Mechanical Beasts · Post by **Mechanical Beasts** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 10:33 pm

ak47 wrote:What time should teams be there, and exactly what room in Sever Hall should we meet?

Details, you say? Details I've got! I want teams to arrive at nine or before. Meet in the hallway of Sever just inside the entrance; from there, I will figure out what room will be our general assembly room. I will be there before you will be; don't worry. Play will start at around nine-thirty, unless there's a bunch of confusion about how we are going to play this tournament with a schedule that works. (I don't anticipate that kind of confusion, but you know.)

We will start lunch sometime between one-thirty and two-thirty.