GENERAL RULES, REGULATIONS, AND INFORMATION

1. This is an individual event open to all Greater Buffalo USBC Association members who have a current season (2022-23) average for 21 or more games as of May 11, 2023, or who bowled 21 or more games in a 2022 summer league. Said league must have been certified by the Greater Buffalo USBC Association.

2. Entry fee is $144 –  Prize Fund $90, Bowling Fees $32, Other Expenses $18, Service Charge $4 for online entry

3. Qualifying rounds will be held to determine the final field of 32 bowlers who will compete in Match Play Competition. Each contestant in the qualifying rounds will bowl 8 games, each on a different pair. Reversal of arrows when moving after each game during qualifying is not necessary unless requested by a bowler on the pair.

                Qualifying schedule:               4 games on Tuesday, May 16, 2023                4 games on Wednesday, May 17, 2023

There will be 10 minutes of practice allotted for qualifying rounds. Total pins will determine who will qualify for match play. If the champion fails to be in the top 32 qualifying scores, they will be seeded in the 32nd position and will be paid the prize listed for their final standings position less the prize for 32nd place. The 32nd qualifying prize will be paid to the bowler who finished with the 32nd highest qualifying score and that person will serve as the first alternate for match play.

4. Match Play Competition will be held: Thursday, May 18, at 6:30 PM and 8:00 PM; Friday, May 19, and Saturday, May 20, at 6:30 PM, 7:45 PM and 9:00 PM. The Semi-Finals and Finals will be Sunday, May 21, at 1:00 PM, 2:00 PM and 3:00 PM. The second and third squad times for each day are approximate. If a bowler is unable to appear for the first round of match play, an alternate will be allowed to assume their seed in the schedule. Such alternate(s) will be the next high bowler or bowlers from the qualifying round. In case of tie, procedures in Rule 6 will prevail. Failure to appear 15 minutes before the starting time may eliminate the bowler(s), and the alternate(s) may be given the position. After the first round of match play, no substitutes will be permitted. Non-appearance regardless of cause will constitute forfeiture of the match, and the player present will bowl their games without opposition to advance to the next round. If the forfeiture occurs in the Winners Bracket, the absent player automatically goes into the proper position in the Elimination Bracket.

5. Holding up play during either qualifying rounds or match play may subject games to forfeiture.

6. If the final qualifying position in the qualifying round needed to complete the field of 32 should result in a tie between bowlers on the 9 PM squad, a one-game roll-off shall immediately be bowled (if feasible). In any other case, the roll-off of the tie will be scheduled the following evening one hour before match play competition begins. The order of bowling shall be determined, per match game procedures in Rule 7, by the bowler with the high four-game block. Should a tie exist, the high single qualifying game will be used. If necessary, the second-high qualifying game will be used and so on down the line until the tie is resolved. If more than 2 contestants, all bowlers will start on the same lane. Contestants will be allowed 5 minutes of practice before the roll-off. If a tie still exists after the one-game roll-off, a 9th and 10th frame roll-off shall be used to break the tie. In the event of a tie for any other position, the player with the high four-game block will be placed in the higher position. Should a tie still exist, the high single qualifying game will be used. If necessary, the second-high qualifying game will be used and so on down the line until the tie is resolved.

7. Each match will consist of three games; total pins will determine the winner. In case of a tie, a two-frame roll-off (9th-10th) will be bowled on the same pair. No practice will be allowed. The roll-off will begin with Bowler A starting on the left lane, followed by Bowler B who will first bowl on the right lane, then finish on the left lane. Bowler A will then finish on the right lane. Except for the finals, the higher-seeded bowler will select their preferred option. If additional two-frame roll-offs are necessary, the same procedure will be followed until the tie is broken. The higher-seeded bowler remains in control of lane options. In the Championship Match, the bowler beginning the finals in the Winner’s Bracket controls the lane options.

8. The double-elimination method of competition requires a participant to lose twice before being eliminated. All players start in the Winners Bracket. After losing one match, the bowler enters the Elimination Bracket. In the finals, the undefeated survivor of the Winners Bracket will be matched against the winner of the Elimination Bracket, whose record will show one loss. If the bowler from the Winners Bracket wins the first match, they will become the champion. A victory for the bowler from the Elimination Bracket would tie the two finalists at one loss each and require a second match for the championship. If televised, an altered format may be arranged for the final day of the tournament.

9. Schedule Arrangements: Pairings for the initial round of 16 matches will be based on the finish of contestants in the qualifying rounds as follows:  Number 16 against Number 17, 1 vs. 32, 8 vs. 25, 9 vs. 24, 4 vs. 29, 13 vs. 20, 5 vs. 28, 12 vs. 21, 2 vs. 31, 15 vs. 18, 7 vs. 26, 10 vs. 23, 3 vs. 30, 14 vs. 19, 6 vs. 27, 11 vs. 22.

10. There will be 5 minutes of practice before each round of match play. There will also be a 20-minute warm-up session on neutral lanes with the tournament shot excluding Thursday.

11. Only one player will be assigned to a lane during match play. The order of bowling will be according to match game procedures with the higher-seeded bowler deciding who starts the match on the odd-numbered lane. Reversal of arrows may be necessary. Succeeding games will be started on the lane where the 10^th frame of the preceding game was bowled. (EXAMPLE: Bowler starting on lane 9 will finish on lane 10, where they will start the next game.)

12. Players MUST complete all games. FAILURE to do so may cause refusal of entry into future tournaments.

13. Players should wear a bowling shirt, preferably with their name affixed thereon, during participation in this tournament. No shorts, jeans, T-shirts, hats or headphones (earbuds) are permitted. Failure to wear appropriate clothing shall give the tournament manager the right to remove the participant from the tournament.

14. THERE SHALL BE 2 RE-RACKS ALLOWED PER SERIES. All re-racks will be recorded on the score sheet and initialed by all participants on that pair of lanes.

PROJECTED PRIZE DISTRIBUTION
BASED ON 144 ENTRIES

Highest Qualifying Score receives
Peter B. Parisi Memorial Plaque + $50
1st place $2,000 *
2nd place $1,200
3rd place $1,000
4th place $ 800
5th/6th place $ 635
7th/8th place $ 500
9th thru 12th place $ 400
13th thru 16th place $ 350
17th thru 24th place $ 300
25th thru 32nd place $ 280

The 2023 George A. Obenauer Masters Champion will be eligible
to join the top 31 qualifiers of the 2024 tournament in
double-elimination match play. See Rule 3.

* The 2023 Masters Champion also receives a championship plaque,
paid entry to 2024 USBC Masters Tournament, plus up to $500
toward travel and hotel. Masters’ runner-up will receive a plaque.