How to Host a Tournament

Think about how many people might come to your tournament. If you're hosting for the first time, you may want to start small: planning for 10 to 15 players at most and organizing things from there. As you become more adept at hosting tournaments, you can expand your ambitions to include more participants.

Contact any local gaming organization to see if they will sanction a tournament in your area. Leagues and other groups often have a great deal of experience with tournament organization, and can provide resources such as advertising (as well as giving you tips on keeping everything together). In exchange, you may need to follow a certain format for your tournament which matches their established guidelines.

Find a location to hold your tournament. It should have enough space to hold everyone comfortably, as well as fitting all of the equipment and play tables you need. For board games, look a well-stocked game store in your area. Local churches and community centers work well too. For more elaborate events (such as bowling), talk to owners of the appropriate venues or see about renting space in a convention center .

Determine a format for your tournament. Assuming you have a set number of players, you'll need to set up a schedule whereby they play against each other and eventually crown a champion. The exact schedule depends on the number of players, and the time it takes to play each game.

Prepare a set of strict rules to follow in your tournament. While many games have set rules, you want to make sure there are no variants or "house rules" muddling things up.

Find a pair of objective people to act as referees for your tournament, or be ready to act as a referee yourself if necessary. They should know the rules backwards and forwards and be firm enough to enforce their edicts when necessary.

Purchase supplies needed for your tournament. This should include sets of the game you intend to use, tables and chairs to seat everyone, and snacks or soft drinks if appropriate . A trophy or some other reward for the winner might be nice too. You can offset the costs by establishing a modest entry fee for your tournament.

Advertise your tournament in local stores, fan magazines, Internet sites and similar locales. Include the cost of signing up, the time and location of the tournament, and any supplies players will need to bring. Make sure you start advertising well in advance of the event, so participants have a chance to mark it on their calendars.

Show up at the tournament venue well in advance of the event and make sure you have everything you need. Bring a sign-up sheet for all the participants to register, a copy of the schedule, and a means to mark down the winners and losers of each match.

Run the tournament and crown your champion at the end.

Clean up the venue afterward and take down any tables and chairs which you used. You want to be invited back when you host another one.