WGPO Directors FAQ

I want to run a WGPO tournament.  What do I have to do?

Running a WGPO tournament is easy!  Just put together a flier (more on this below), and send the flier via email to Dave Wood (davidbwood@shaw.ca), the Tournament Committee chair for the WGPO.

Dave will look over your tournament flier and if he has all the info he needs, will then let you know that it has been approved and is posted on the WGPO Tournaments Calendar.

What information do I need to put in my flier?

Upcoming Tournament Fliers should include:

  • When the tournament is being held & how many games will be played
  • The start time for the first game
  • Where the tournament is being held
  • How many days, are there any Early or Late birds?
  • What dictionary and lookup program will be used
  • Who is directing, and or, organizing with contact information (preferably email as well as phone)
  • What type of pairing method(s) will be used (it is okay to have a general idea and state that the number of players will determine specific pairing methods)
  • How much the entry fee will be; and how and to whom to send entry fees
  • The hotel room rate as well as hotel contact info (if applicable), as well as how long the room block will be held
  • How the tournament will be structured (divisional, open, etc)
  • Whether there is limited space (for example, you can only host 30 players, so first- come, first-served).
  • How players will be seeded in the division(s) (for example, most current WGPO rating or NASPA rating if the player has not played in a WGPO tournament yet, by a certain date, whether playing up a division will be allowed)
  • Suggested, but not required; prize payout structure
  • A deadline for receiving entry fees

    • Can I send my flier to the Tournament Committee chair as a Word document?

    We prefer fliers to be formatted as PDF, but if you are unable to do this, send the Word Document and we can convert it for you.

    Who can direct a WGPO Tournament?

    Currently any NSA or NASPA certified director is eligible to direct a WGPO tournament.  If you are interested in directing WGPO tournaments but have not been certified by the NSA or NASPA you can contact Janice Kaye (janicekaye@hotmail.com) and take the WGPO Director’s test.

    How much notice do I have to give in order to get my tournament sanctioned and on the WGPO calendar?

    It is best for directors to get their tournaments on the WGPO calendar as soon as they have all the details arranged, but we know that some smaller one-day events are often arranged a short time out from their start date.  We do need to have your tournament on the calendar before it happens in order to rate it though, so there is a two-week notice required to the Tournament Committee; exceptions, for cause, can be granted with a 3-day notice being the least amount of notice the TC should receive, and all exceptions are granted at the discretion of the Tournament Committee chair.

    Why can’t I post my tournament on cross-tables?

    Cross-tables will not post any WGPO tournaments at its website.  All WGPO tournaments must be posted on the WGPO website, which can be found at:

    http://wordgameplayers.org/tournaments/

    The WGPO upcoming tournaments page will soon work very much like the cross-tables page, but while it is under construction, directors can still post fliers and updated lists of attendees by contacting Dave Wood (davidbwood@shaw.ca) or Stephanie Steele (flamingjune45@gmail.com)

    In the meantime, please send out emails advertising your tournament to the listservs and always include a link to the WGPO website, as many players are still getting used to checking a different website for tournament postings.

    Do players in my WGPO tournament have to join the WGPO in order to participate?

    The WGPO does not require membership to play in any WGPO tournament; we do encourage new players to become members though.  Also if players would like to receive a WGPO rating, they must become members of the WGPO.

    Membership in the WGPO is FREE, and players can easily join by going to the website.  Directors can also print out membership forms at the website and take them to their tournament.  New members can fill out the membership forms and the director can either email or snail mail them to Stephanie Steele (flamingjune45@gmail.com) and we will create their membership for them.

    Are there any participation fees or rating fees I need to send back to the WGPO after my tournament?

    There are no fees whatsoever when you direct a WGPO tournament.  All entry fees are used at the director’s discretion.

    Whom do I submit my tournament results to when the tournament is over?

    Tournament results should be submitted to our Ratings Committee Chair, Brian Galebach (ratings@wordgameplayers.org).

    If I have any questions about how to organize my tournament who can I contact for help?

    The EC and Committee members of the WGPO are here to make sure directors are supported in every way in order to ensure a successful and fun tournament experience for directors and players alike.  You are always encouraged to contact any member of the EC as well as the Tournament Committee chair if you have questions regarding your upcoming tournament.

    How do I manage entrants of my tournament?

    • Click on FORUM (in black bar at top of the main page of the website)
    • Log in to the forum (top right corner- if you are already logged in it will give you the option to log out)
    • You will see the list of upcoming tournaments, just click on the entrants column and this will take you to the page where you can add and deleted entrants for your tournament.
    • If you are having problems accessing your tournament page, please contact Stephanie Steele.