USA Table Tennis
Tournament Guide

Wendell Dillon, Author · updated August, 2008

Many of the changes in this update are relatively minor, correcting editing errors and providing additional detail on material that wasn’t clear. Significant changes are:

Chapter 7 – Round Robin Competition. 10 player and 12 player groups are added to the charts for match sequence. It includes guidance on how to handle unrated players.
Chapter 10 – Computer Operations. The downloadable Excel spreadsheets include round robin draw sheets for 10 and 12 player groups.
Chapter 13 – Reports. Administrative changes were made to conform to current policies.
Appendix B – Entry Sample Blanks. All examples are current.

i	Foreword

1–1	Chapter 1–Introduction
1–1	1. General
1–1	2. References
1–1	3. Geographical Organization
1–2	4. Types of Tournaments
1–2	5. Planning Schedule (chart)
1–2	6. Sanction Procedures
1–2	7. Tournament Year
1–2	8. Events Limited by Age
1–3	9. Membership Requirements
1–3	10. Entry Fees
1–3	11. Refund Policy
1–3	12. Prize Money & Olympic Eligibility
1–3	13. Prize Money Distribution
1–4	Sample Policy: Prize Distribution

2–1	Chapter 2–Tournament Design
2–1	1. General
2–1	2. Match Length
2–1	3. Use of Time &Tables Available
2–1	4. Scheduling Considerations
2–2	5. Time Available
2–2	6. Scheduling Events
2–3	7. Tournament Format
2–4	8. Rating Doubles
2–5	9. Round Robin Formats (See Chapter 7)
2–5	10. Sample Team Formats (See Chapter 9)
2–5	11. Time Scheduling

3–1	Chapter 3–Tournament Sanction
3–1	1. General
3–1	2. Requirements for Sanction
3–1	3. Unsanctioned Tournaments
3–1	4. Sanctioning Officials
3–2	5. Star Ratings
3–2	6. Major Tournaments
3–2	7. Open Tournaments
3–2	8. Closed Tournaments
3–3	9. Invitational Tournaments
3–3	10. Organizations Who May Apply for Sanction
3–3	11. Rights & Responsibilities of the Sponsoring Organization
3–4	12. Sanctioning Procedure
3–5	13. Entry Blank
3–7	Form–Tournament Sanction Checklist
3–9	Entry Blank–Atlanta Tournament
3–11	Form–Tournament Sanction Request
3–13	Form – Waiver of Liability

4–1	Chapter 4–Duties of Officials & Playing Conditions
4–1	1. General
4–1	2. Umpires
4–1	3. Referees
4–1	4. Referee Requirements by Tournament
4–2	5. Referee Responsibilities
4–4	6. Chief Umpire
4–4	7. Guidance to Referees (Precedents)
4–6	8. Hard Bat Competition
4–6	9. Umpire Requirements
4–8	10. Point Penalty System (PPS)
4–9	11. Continuity of Play
4–11	12. Playing Conditions
4–11	12.e. Medical Emergencies

5–1	Chapter 5–Tournament Preparation
5–1	1. General
5–1	2. Tournament Committee
5–1	3. Type and Date of Tournament
5–1	4. Promotion
5–2	5. Commercial Sponsorship
5–2	6. Venue
5–3	7. Entry Blank
5–3	8. Awards
5–3	9. Equipment
5–3	10. Receipt of Entries
5–3	11. Draw
5–4	12. Setting Up
5–5	Form–Sample Equipment List

6–1	Chapter 6–Draw Procedures, Elimination Events
6–1	1. General
6–1	2. Preparation
6–1	3. Seeding
6–2	4. Draw Sheets
6–2	5. Draw for Single Elimination Events
6–3	6. Draw for Double Elimination Events
6–4	7. Draw for Round Robin Events (see Chapter 7)
6–4	8. Draw for Combined Events
6–4	9. Handicap Competition
6–4	10. Alterations to the Draw
6–5	11. Match Cards
6–6	Chart–Sample Rating List
6–6	12. New Players
6–7	Chart–Geographical Separation
6–7	13. Avoiding Multiple First Round Matches Between the Same Players
6–8	Chart–Handicaps for 21 & 31 Point Games
6–9	Chart–Handicaps for 41 Point Game
6–10	Chart–Handicaps for 51 Point Game
6–11	Chart–Seeds & Byes, 8 & 16 Player Single Elimination
6–12	Chart–Seeds & Byes, 32 Player Single Elimination
6–13	Chart–Seeds & Byes, 64 Player Single Elimination
6–14	Chart–Double Elimination 8 & 4 Player Format
6–15	Chart–Double Elimination 16 Player Format
6–16	Form–Sample Match Card x 4
6–17	Form–Sample Match Card–Full Sheet Best of 5
6–18	Form–Sample Match Card–Full Sheet Best of 7

7–1	Chapter 7–Round Robin Competition
7–1	1. General
7–1	2. Format
7–2	3. Event Scheduling
7–3	4. Group Size
7–4	5. Giant Round Robin
7–5	6. Alternate Round Robin Format
7–6	7. Extra Tables
7–6	8. Match Scheduling
7–7	9. Draw Procedures
7–9	10. Draw for Single Elimination Followed by Round Robin Play
7–10	11. Alterations to the Draw
7–10	12. Match Cards
7–10	13. Control of Play
7–11	14. Match Schedule for Players
7–11	15. Tie Breaking Procedures
7–12	Chart–Example 13 RR Tie Breaking Procedure
7–13	Chart–Example 14 RR Tie Breaking Procedure
7–13	Chart–Example 15 RR Tie Breaking Procedure
7–15	Chart–Round Robin Planning Factors
7–15	Chart–Round Robin Match Sequence

8–1	Chapter 8–Team Competition
8–1	1. General
8–1	2. Definitions
8–1	3. U.S.Open Team Championships (USOTC)
8–1	4. Team Size
8–2	5. Format
8–2	6. Sample Team Formats
8–3	7. Revisions to a Planned and Announced Format
8–3	8. Seeding
8–3	9. Draw
8–3	10. Teams Meeting More Than Once
8–4	11. Time and Tables Required
8–4	12. Schedule
8–4	13. Balls
8–4	14. Entry Blank
8–4	15. Method of Play, 2 Players (4 Singles,1 Doubles)
8–6	16. Method of Play, 3 Players (5 Singles Matches)
8–7	17. Method of Play, 3 Players (6 Singles,1 Doubles)
8–8	18. Method of Play, 3 Players (9 Singles Matches)
8–8	19. Matches and Ratings
8–9	20. Frequently Asked Questions
8–10	21. Recording Results
8–11	Form–Match Sheet, 2 Player Teams
8–12	Form–Match Sheet, 3 Player Teams (5 Matches)
8–13	Form–Match Sheet, 3 Player Teams (7 Matches)
8–14	Form–Match Sheet, 3 Player Teams (9 Matches)

9–1	Chapter 9–Time Scheduling
9–1	1. General
9–1	2. Concept of Scheduling
9–1	3. Procedures
9–2	4. Sample Time Schedule
9–3	Chart–Sample Time Schedule

10–1	Chapter 10–Computer Operations
10–1	1. General
10–1	2. Netedge
10–1	3. Other Computer Programs
10–1	4. Computer Files on Disk
10–1	5. USATT Forms
10–1	6. Elimination Drawsheets
10–1	7. Round Robin Drawsheets
10–2	8. Match Cards
10–2	9. Team Match Sheets
10–2	10. Liability Waiver
10–2	11. Report to Players

11–1	Chapter 11–Tournament Operations
11–1	1. General
11–1	2. Player Registration
11–2	3. Control Desk and Operations Crew
11–2	Diagram–Control Desk
11–2	Diagram–Control Sheet
11–2	4. Control Forms
11–3	5. Control of Play
11–4	6. Recording Results
11–5	7. Pitfalls to Avoid

12–1	Chapter 12–Major Tournaments
12–1	1. General
12–1	2. Tournament Calendar
12–1	3. Time Scheduling
12–1	4. Doubles Entries
12–1	5. Facilities and Equipment
12–1	6. U.S. Open Team Championships (USOTC)
12–3	7. U.S. Open Championships and U.S. National Championships (Closed)
12–6	8. U.S. Open Championships
12–7	9. U.S. National Championships (Closed)

13–1	Chapter 13–Tournament Reports
13–1	1. General
13–1	2. Report Format
13–1	3. Report Deadline
13–1	4. Ratings Report to the USATT Ratings Chairman
13–2	5. Membership Report to the USATT Membership Chairman
13–2	6. One-Time Tournament Pass
13–3	7. Tournament Report to USATT Headquarters
13–3	8. Ratings Report to North American Table Tennis
13–4	9. Report to the Sponsoring Club
13–4	10. Magazine Article to "The National Publication"
13–4	11. Report to the Players
13–5	Chart–Sample Rating List
13–6	Form – Waiver of Liability
13–7	Form–Tournament Report
13–8	Form–Completed Draw Sheet, Single Elimination
13–9	Form–Completed Draw Sheet, Double Elimination
13–10	Form–Completed Draw Sheet, RR 4x2/Elimination
13–11	Form–Completed Team Match Sheet, 5 Matches
13–12	Form–Completed Team Match Sheet, 9 Matches
13–13	Sample Report to the Players
13–14	Sample Report to the Players (draw sheet)

Appendix A	USATT Fee Schedule
Appendix B	Sample Entry Blanks
	SF Open entry form, page 1
	SF Open entry form, page 2
	Atlanta Giant RR Open entry form, page 1
	Atlanta Giant RR Open entry form, page 2
	Willoughby Hills Giant RR entry form, page 1
	Willoughby Hills Giant RR entry form, page 2