Explanation of Puffing Billy Competitions

Explanation of Competitions

Standard Play

As described throughout the Official Puffing Billy Handbook. Where a player participates in the Puffing Billy® Tournament and attempts to qualify in the necessary number of categories so as to compete in the overall tournament. The player may also participate in individual train game tournaments if they are offered. It is traditional, but not required, to allow three or more players to play a "pick-up" game in order to qualify for the Puffing Billy® tournament. "Pick-up" games do not qualify for individual tournaments or finals and the players must pay all applicable event fees.

Team Play

Teams that compete in the Puffing Billy® Tournament must consist of three to four players. No scores attained in any tournament before the team registers may apply toward the Puffing Billy® Team Score.

Scoring is based on each team qualifying in every category offered by the convention's Puffing Billy® Tournament. Each team will take its best score from each category and apply it towards its overall score. If no team member has qualified in a particular category then the team will receive a 0 in that category. No team member may substitute for another in any final. The highest Puffing Billy® Team Score at the end of the Puffing Billy® Tournament wins the competition.

Team members may not participate in the same pick-up game. They may not collude to elevate scores. If they do so, they may be disqualified from both the team and the individual tournaments. Every effort will be made to place team members at separate boards during tournament play.

18XX and Empire International Competitions

The 18xx and Empire Builder International games have proliferated. Some people choose only to play in one of these two areas so we have devised several competitions to suit their needs. Play in at least three different versions (you can play in more but only the best three scores will count). For example, play in Australian Rails, British Rails and Iron Dragon for the EB International competition or 1829, 1856 and 1870 for the 18xx competition, and the best accumulated Puffing Billy® score wins. Some conventions may choose to take the highest scoring 4-6 competitors and place them in an 18xx or EB International final. The PB Conductor chooses the game to be run for the final depending on number of players and playability for that time period. For example, the conductor may choose Eurorails as the final in the EB International final and 1835 for the 18xx final. The winners of the finals win their selected competitions.

Iron Man Competition

This newest addition to the Puffing Billy® tournament is a variation on Standard Play except that a player's scores from all the categories offered at the convention are added together to make a cumulative Iron Man score. All scores are calculated in the same manner as Standard Play except that if a player has not qualified in any category, he receives a zero for that category. The highest cumulative Puffing Billy score wins the competition. As in the 18xx and EB International competitions, a final may be offered to the top qualifying competitors.

TGA Points

TGA ranking points are awarded to TGA members who place first or highly in a Puffing Billy® tournament. Points are based on number of train gamers who played train games in the PBT; one point is awarded for every 20 participants rounded up (Divisional tournaments divide the number of participants by 15 and RailCon divides number of participants by 10). For instance, a PBT has 57 players. 57 divided by 20 results in a value of 2.85. Rounded up that gives the tournament 3 points to award to the first place winner. Second place would receive 2 points and third place would receive 1 point. If any are not TGA members by the end of that year, the points for that position are lost.

Home | The Manifest | All Aboard | Train Gamers Gazette
The Puffing Billy | RailCon | The Switchyard | Union Station

Questions or comments? Email tgatrains@aol.com.

The contents of this Web Site are copyright © 1998 by The Train Gamers Association, Inc. All rights reserved. Designed by Scott Lininger. Last modified Thursday, 11-Jun-1998 16:34:11 CDT .


		Explanation of Competitions Standard Play As described throughout the Official Puffing Billy Handbook. Where a player participates in the Puffing Billy® Tournament and attempts to qualify in the necessary number of categories so as to compete in the overall tournament. The player may also participate in individual train game tournaments if they are offered. It is traditional, but not required, to allow three or more players to play a "pick-up" game in order to qualify for the Puffing Billy® tournament. "Pick-up" games do not qualify for individual tournaments or finals and the players must pay all applicable event fees. Team Play Teams that compete in the Puffing Billy® Tournament must consist of three to four players. No scores attained in any tournament before the team registers may apply toward the Puffing Billy® Team Score. Scoring is based on each team qualifying in every category offered by the convention's Puffing Billy® Tournament. Each team will take its best score from each category and apply it towards its overall score. If no team member has qualified in a particular category then the team will receive a 0 in that category. No team member may substitute for another in any final. The highest Puffing Billy® Team Score at the end of the Puffing Billy® Tournament wins the competition. Team members may not participate in the same pick-up game. They may not collude to elevate scores. If they do so, they may be disqualified from both the team and the individual tournaments. Every effort will be made to place team members at separate boards during tournament play. 18XX and Empire International Competitions The 18xx and Empire Builder International games have proliferated. Some people choose only to play in one of these two areas so we have devised several competitions to suit their needs. Play in at least three different versions (you can play in more but only the best three scores will count). For example, play in Australian Rails, British Rails and Iron Dragon for the EB International competition or 1829, 1856 and 1870 for the 18xx competition, and the best accumulated Puffing Billy® score wins. Some conventions may choose to take the highest scoring 4-6 competitors and place them in an 18xx or EB International final. The PB Conductor chooses the game to be run for the final depending on number of players and playability for that time period. For example, the conductor may choose Eurorails as the final in the EB International final and 1835 for the 18xx final. The winners of the finals win their selected competitions. Iron Man Competition This newest addition to the Puffing Billy® tournament is a variation on Standard Play except that a player's scores from all the categories offered at the convention are added together to make a cumulative Iron Man score. All scores are calculated in the same manner as Standard Play except that if a player has not qualified in any category, he receives a zero for that category. The highest cumulative Puffing Billy score wins the competition. As in the 18xx and EB International competitions, a final may be offered to the top qualifying competitors. TGA Points TGA ranking points are awarded to TGA members who place first or highly in a Puffing Billy® tournament. Points are based on number of train gamers who played train games in the PBT; one point is awarded for every 20 participants rounded up (Divisional tournaments divide the number of participants by 15 and RailCon divides number of participants by 10). For instance, a PBT has 57 players. 57 divided by 20 results in a value of 2.85. Rounded up that gives the tournament 3 points to award to the first place winner. Second place would receive 2 points and third place would receive 1 point. If any are not TGA members by the end of that year, the points for that position are lost.

		Home \| The Manifest \| All Aboard \| Train Gamers Gazette The Puffing Billy \| RailCon \| The Switchyard \| Union Station Questions or comments? Email tgatrains@aol.com. The contents of this Web Site are copyright © 1998 by The Train Gamers Association, Inc. All rights reserved. Designed by Scott Lininger. Last modified Thursday, 11-Jun-1998 16:34:11 CDT .