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2024 Tournament Rules

General Rules

  1. The Texas Super Slam (TXSS) is a mixed handicap competition, open to men and women of at least 18 years of age, by invitation only.

  2. Bowlers may enter each event only once.

  3. Men and women compete on an equal basis.

  4. TXSS is a USBC-certified tournament. All entrants must be adult members of USBC and provide a certification number. Proof of membership in the 2023/2024 season (certification card and/or renewal receipt) must be available during tournament registration if requested. Non-USBC members shall pay a Participation Fee of $5.00 (USBC Rule 300c).

  5. TXSS is a IGBO-member tournament.  Participants must be an IGBO member via IGBO league membership or associate membership application.  Associate membership costs $25/year.

  6. The number of games for singles, doubles, and team events will be three (3) for each event.

  7. Teams shall consist of four (4) members of any mix of men or women. Partial team entries are acceptable.  Tournament management will make every effort to fill vacancies.

  8. All monetary awards for singles, doubles, team, and individual all-events are based on total pins plus handicap and will be paid to the highest scores in each event on a minimum 1:10 payout ratio. All prize fees are returned at least 100%.

  9. Check-in begins 60 minutes prior to each event. All team members must be present at the time of bowling. Late bowlers will bowl when ready and receive a score of 0 for each frame missed.

  10. Substitutes are permitted provided they meet certification and average requirements.

  11. Bowlers shall have ten (10) minutes of practice on the assigned lanes prior to each event.

  12. The time limit for correction or protest of scores is 24 hours. All protests must be in writing and submitted to the tournament director(s) before tournament prize payments are distributed. The protesting bowler and TXSS tournament director(s) will settle any disputes in accordance with the rules of TXSS and the appropriate USBC tournament rules, as applicable. The tournament director's decision is final unless an appeal is made in accordance with USBC Rule 329.

  13. Prizes will be distributed via check payable in USD within thirty (30) days of the completion of the tournament, barring any protests. A tie in any position will result in the prize monies being aggregated for the tied positions and divided equally by the number of ties for that placement.

  14. Maximum tournament capacity for TXSS 2024 is 152 bowlers. No additional entries may be accepted once this capacity has been reached. (Tournament management will consider implementing shifts if entries significantly exceed single-shift capacity.)

  15. Any rule not covered herein (or in below sections) will be covered by the relevant USBC tournament rule(s).

  16. Submission of an entry to TXSS 2024 indicates the bowler has read, understands, and agrees to the rules set forth herein. Once tournament entries are received, no refunds are allowed unless the bowler withdraws under the provisions of Average Rule 3.

Average Rules

  1. Entering Averages

  1. Bowlers with both a USBC sanctioned 2023-24 Standard Composite book average (minimum 21 games) and a current one year rolling IGBO Tournament Database (TAD) average (minimum 9 games) will enter with a composite of these two averages. For example, USBC Standard Composite Average is 185 with 99 games, TAD average is 180 with 36 games, the composite average is calculated as follows: [(185x99)+(180x36)] / [99+36] = 183. Resulting average is truncated.

  2. All other bowlers must submit the following averages if available. The highest of these will be used.

  3. IGBO TAD average (minimum 21 games for current one year rolling period).

  4. USBC sanctioned 2022-23 Standard Composite book average (minimum of 21 games).

  5. USBC sanctioned 2021-22 Standard Composite book average (minimum of 21 games).

  6. If none of these averages are available, a USBC sanctioned summer 2024 league average will be considered; number of games must be submitted. Bowlers with an average from a non-sanctioned league must submit a complete average list from all leagues bowled, including number of games, and a secretary signed letter or league sheet from the league with the bowler’s highest average. In addition, all tournament scores (IGBO and non-IGBO) may be requested for bowlers using average rule 3.B.

   ​2.  Handicap for the Tournament shall be based on 90% of the difference between the bowler’s scratch average and 230.                       Negative handicap will not apply.

   3. Tournament management has the authority to adjust the entering average or continued participation of any bowler. Average             adjustments will be applied as set forth under USBC rules. A bowler unwilling to accept an average adjustment is entitled to a           full refund. Requests for refunds must be in writing before the start of competition.

   4. USBC rules regarding the bowlers' responsibility to verify the accuracy of his/her entering average (whether submitted by the           bowler, the team captain, or other) apply. Failure to use proper average shall disqualify scores if the submitted average is lower         than the actual average, thereby resulting in a lower classification or more handicap. Final event standings shall be based on             the higher average if it is higher than the entering average.

   5. USBC rule 319a(2) is waived as the current 2024/2025 season is starting at the time of TXSS 2024 and the requisite number             of games required to apply rule 319a(2) will not be possible to achieve.

   6. Averages will be verified based on league data available from USBC at www.bowl.com on or after September 8, 2024.

Optional Scratch Rules (Optional)

  1. The Optional Scratch event is available to all participants for an additional entry fee of $30.00. Optional Scratch entry fees may be paid at the time of tournament entry or during registration (before the first ball is rolled in competition).

  2. The Optional Scratch qualifying scores will consist of the total scratch scores for the nine (9) games in the Singles, Doubles and Team events. Optional Scratch divisions are as follows:

        •    Division A: Averages from 205-300
        •    Division B: Averages from 190-204
        •    Division C: Averages from 175-189
        •    Division D: Averages from 160-174
        •    Division E: Averages from 000-159

   3.  Prizes will be awarded in each division for the high scratch game, series and all-events bowled by participants who have paid            the Optional Scratch entry fee. The award ratio for the Optional Scratch will be at least 1:10 per division with 100% of monies              collected paid to winners for each division. Ties for any event will be aggregated for the tied positions and divided equally by            the number of ties for that placement.

Scratch Masters Rules (Optional)

  1. The Scratch Masters competition, in conjunction with the TXSS Tournament, is available to all participants for an additional entry fee. Scratch Masters entry fees may be paid at the time of tournament entry or during registration (before the first ball rolled in competition). 100% of the entry fee will be returned to the prize fund for each division. All scores will be scratch.

  2. Scratch Masters Divisions and corresponding entry fees will be as follows:

        •    Division A: Averages from 205-300
        •    Division B: Averages from 190-204
        •    Division C: Averages from 175-189
        •    Division D: Averages from 160-174
        •    Division E: Averages from 000-159

   3.  The nine (9) game scratch totals from the handicap tournament (Singles, Doubles and Team) are used to determine the six (6)            qualifiers and the one (1) alternate per division for competition. If a TIE exists for any of the six (6) qualifying spots, the bowler            with the highest three (3) game scratch series will qualify. Qualifying scores do not carryover.

   4.  Lane assignments for preliminary matches will depend on qualifying position, as follows:

                           Lane # 1-2     Lane # 3 - 4     Lane # 5 - 6

        Game 1          1 vs. 6     vs     3 vs. 4     vs     5 vs. 2

        Game 2         5 vs. 3    vs      1 vs. 2     vs     4 vs. 6

        Game 3         4 vs. 1     vs     5 vs. 6     vs     2 vs. 3

        During match play, the bowlers on lanes 2, 3, 4, and 5 will also be competing against the bowler on the adjacent lane. For                  example, in Game 1, the bowler positioned on lane 2 will be matched against the bowlers on lanes 1 and 3, while the bowler              on lane 4 will be matched against the bowlers on lanes 3 and 5. When positioned on lane 1 and 6, bowlers will be matched                only against the other bowler on the same pair of lanes.

        A.    Each match won will be worth 30 bonus points. In the event of a tie, 15 bonus points will be awarded to each bowler.                         Bonus points will be added to the bowler’s scratch scores bowled during the roll-off. The top three (3) bowlers will                               advance to a “pro-style” stair-step final round of two (2) games. The bowlers in positions 2 and 3 will compete first. The                       winner will advance to bowl a single game against the bowler in position 1 to determine the champion.
        B.    The scheduled competition will begin approximately one hour following the completion of the team competition on                             Sunday, September 22, 2024.
        C.    Scratch Masters check-in will be from 12:30pm – 1:00 pm. If a bowler has not checked in by 1:00 pm or is unavailable to                      bowl at the scheduled time, the alternate in that division will bowl. The unavailable bowler is disqualified. The alternate                      assumes the 6th place seed and the other seeds are advanced accordingly.
        D.    During preliminary rounds, bowlers will have 10 minutes of practice on any or all of the 6 lanes assigned to his/her                               division; no other practice balls are allowed on subsequent lanes and/or matches. During the semi-final round, bowlers                       will be allowed two (2) practice balls per lane. During the final round, the bowler in position 1 will be allowed two (2)                             practice balls per lane. During the semi-final round, two lanes will be available for the top seeds in each division to                               practice.
        E.    Any claims of error in the competition must be submitted in writing to the Scratch Master¹s Committee prior to the start of                   the next match. In the case of an error in the final match, within thirty (30) minutes after the end of the final match.

Registration

  1. Online registration and entry fee payment is available online at www.txsuperslam.com. A small service charge will apply to online payments. Paper applications will not be accepted.

  2. If a bowler is unable to register online, he/she may contact the tournament directly to take the registration via phone or make other arrangements.

  3. TXSS entry fee is $125 for all registrations. 

  4. Entries close Sunday, September 8, 2024 at 11:59pm. Entries may be accepted after the deadline based on availability.

  5. ENTRY FEE BREAKDOWN

       Prize Fund:              $  57.50   
       Lineage:                   $  51.75   
       Awards/Banquet:    $   15.00    
       IGBO Donation:       $    0.75    
       Total Entry Fee:       $125.00    (USD)

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