Competition Rules and Guidelines
1. A coin toss determines which team goes first.
2. There are 20 questions to a match.
3. Questions are all in the same format, ”In what book……..?”
4. Each question will be read twice and the stopwatch begun after the
second reading of the question.
5. The correct answer consists of the title of the book and the author’s first
and last name as given on the official book list.
6. The answering team will have 20 seconds to give the correct book title
and author. Team members may confer with each other, but only the
spokesperson may give an answer. One point will be subtracted from
the team’s score for each answer that does not come through the
spokesperson. That spokesperson has only one chance to answer
correctly, the first answer given is the one that counts. The timekeeper
will tell when the 10 second mark is reached.
7. The teams receive five points for each correct title and three points for
the correct full name of the author, for a total of 8 possible points.
8. About picking up points: If, at the end of their twenty seconds, the first
team is unable to answer the question, the other team gets 5 seconds to
give the correct answer. The question will not be read a third time, so
the second team should listen well when the question is issued, and may
also quietly confer while the first team is discussing their answer. ALSO,
if the first team is able to give the title of the book and scores 5 points,
but cannot name the author OR is able to give the author of the book
and scores 3 points but cannot give the title, the opposing team has a
chance to score the remaining points by giving the rest of the answer.
But if the first team has given enough of the answer away but not
enough to score the points, (like the authors first or last name only), the
rest of the points are dead.
9. In the event of a tie match, there will be a mini-match of 6 questions.
The same rules apply in a mini-match as in a regular match
(timekeeping, scoring and ability to pick up points) If there is a tie in a
mini-match, we’ll keep playing mini-matches until a team wins.
10. The pronunciation of the title and author shall be deemed acceptable if
understood by the Questioner. There may not be a challenge on
pronunciation.
11. Initial articles, like “A” and „The‟, in titles will be disregarded when
determining if a title is given correctly. All other words in the title must
be correct.
12. Only team members may challenge a question. If there is a challenge,
the judges will consult the page numbers referenced for the question.
Team members have until the next question is asked to challenge a
question. No challenges will be accepted after that time.
If a question is justly challenged, the question will be “dead” and
another question given.
13. If a team member is absent the remaining players may choose to either
play with the members available or forfeit the game. No additional
players may be added.
14. Teams waiting to compete in matches may not watch matches in
session, but if a team is eliminated, they may watch the rest of the
matches.
15. The audience may not coach or talk while the battle is going on.
Audience members breaking this rule will be asked to leave.
16. All team members must remain in their seats at all times.
17. Cell phones must be turned off or set to vibrate.