Buzzing Strategy

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AlphaQuizBowler
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Buzzing Strategy

Post by AlphaQuizBowler »

At tournaments I have noticed that some teams (including Dorman) buzz by somehow sliding their finger across the buzzer, depressing it and releasing it. This creates an audible popping noise whenever the player buzzes. Is this strategy actually faster than simply pushing the buzzer with a finger?
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dyetman89
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Post by dyetman89 »

I'm not so sure it's significantly faster, but I do the slide out of habit myself.
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Post by the return of AHAN »

Sliding? I don't get how that's faster, nor how a popping sound is produced. I've heard of priming the buzzer, but not sliding it.
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Post by mlaird »

I think they're talking about handheld boxes, rather than buzzer sticks like our novell buzzers.
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Post by AlphaQuizBowler »

The popping sound is created because the buzzer is released so quickly that the button pops into place. It should work with the stick buzzers because they have buttons as well.
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Post by cdcarter »

It works fine with handheld stick buzzers. Our buzzer system is kind of broken, so the best way to clear it is using this method. It's not much (if at all) faster, but once you start doing it, it becomes a habit.
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Post by rchschem »

Even if it is faster, I can't imagine that it's significantly fast enough that it would make that much of a difference except to the truly elite players. This reminds me of a story about Eddie Van Halen I heard once and how he couldn't play a replica of his famous red and white Kramer someone made him until they went over the neck with a micrometer and found out how he'd worn the thing down. Once they replicated that, it was fine.

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Re: Buzzing Strategy

Post by TheCzarMan »

May I ask what exactly entails priming a buzzer? I don't think I've seen this done and have never tried myself.
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Re: Buzzing Strategy

Post by ieppler »

Holding the button partially down so that you can react more quickly. Usually, you have to test the buzzer before the game begins so that you can figure out how far it can be primed. I find that it helps a little bit in speed formats.
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Re: Buzzing Strategy

Post by Stat Boy »

As does consuming an energy drink beforehand.
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Re: Buzzing Strategy

Post by The Atom Strikes! »

Stat Boy wrote:As does consuming an energy drink beforehand.
You have to limit yourself with these, though. I distinctly remember an incident last year where a teammate of mine drank 3 in the space of twenty minutes, and crashed about half an hour afterward.
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Re: Buzzing Strategy

Post by the return of AHAN »

Chase the Ace wrote:Holding the button partially down so that you can react more quickly. Usually, you have to test the buzzer before the game begins so that you can figure out how far it can be primed. I find that it helps a little bit in speed formats.
Don't know how useful it is, but I DO know that a team of mine worked on priming the buzzer, our OWN buzzer system, over the course of several practices leading up to an important match we were hosting. When the opponents arrived to find my kids practicing questions with the system, They innocently asked if they could sit down too and play around. Of course, my kids obliged and it was all I could do to not freak out when I returned to the room and saw them effectively letting their rivals get used to the buzzers, too! :mad:
(sigh)
And yes, we got taken to the woodshed. Probably would've happened anyway, but I had to make my kids believe they had some sort of edge, real or imagined.
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Re: Buzzing Strategy

Post by Warbourne »

I've never heard of this sliding thing. I just slam the buzzer as hard and quick as I can to answer, so I really can't discern whether that actually makes a difference. But as for our team's buzzing strategy, it's just what most of you have already said, which is just getting used to our own system. But seeing as our San Diego county rules provide for the same buzzer system for every school, I'm assuming it doesn't really matter.
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Re: Buzzing Strategy

Post by Blackboard Monitor Vimes »

Our new buzzer set is the same one as Dorman's, and the popping noise is created by a slide, but we've yet to determine whether that's faster. I personally don't see why it would be...but then I fail at science.
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Re: Buzzing Strategy

Post by Sen. Estes Kefauver (D-TN) »

I have a buzzing strategy recommendation. I push the button when I think I know an answer.
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Re: Buzzing Strategy

Post by Blackboard Monitor Vimes »

Athena Starwoman wrote:I have a buzzing strategy recommendation. I push the button when I think I know an answer.
That helps.
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Re: Buzzing Strategy

Post by The Atom Strikes! »

Athena Starwoman wrote:I have a buzzing strategy recommendation. I push the button when I think I know an answer.
This reminds me of a classic pep talk that Austin Zheng gave when I was a freshman: "If you know the answer, buzz in. If you don't know the answer, don't buzz in."
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Re: Buzzing Strategy

Post by Khalil Khayyam »

The pop noise is generally used to intimidate... I think. It happens when you prime it then slide quickly off (on the stick type).
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Re: Buzzing Strategy

Post by negatron »

SwissBoy wrote:
Athena Starwoman wrote:I have a buzzing strategy recommendation. I push the button when I think I know an answer.
This reminds me of a classic pep talk that Austin Zheng gave when I was a freshman: "If you know the answer, buzz in. If you don't know the answer, don't buzz in."
My version: "If you think you know the answer, buzz in."
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Re: Buzzing Strategy

Post by Ondes Martenot »

Sadly Watson, your strategy is more like buzz when you vaguely have some kind of clue about the tossup. :grin: :shock: :grin:

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Re: Buzzing Strategy

Post by wowitsquinthaha »

well, I hold my arm straight up in the air, make strained facial expressions, gesticulate violently, stand up on the table, wave my other hand around, bite it, then give a loud "BYAAAAAAAAAW" when I buzz. No I seriously do that last one.
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Re: Buzzing Strategy

Post by Blackboard Monitor Vimes »

wowitsquinthaha wrote:well, I hold my arm straight up in the air, make strained facial expressions, gesticulate violently, stand up on the table, wave my other hand around, bite it, then give a loud "BYAAAAAAAAAW" when I buzz. No I seriously do that last one.
I have seen Quint do almost all of these things (no biting). I do not recommend any of them.
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