Difference between revisions of "Tossup-Bonus Format"
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| − | The '''tossup/bonus format'''<small>[[CBI|™]]</small> is the most common format used in both High School and Collegiate Quizbowl. | + | The '''tossup/bonus format'''<small>[[CBI|™]]</small> is the most common format used in both High School and Collegiate Quizbowl. In this format, the game consists of the reading of tossup questions, which either team can buzz in on, and corresponding team-specific bonus questions. |
| − | A '''tossup''' is a question that is read out loud to both teams. It typically contains several sentences describing the answer and ends with a "giveaway" clue about the answer. Players can buzz in anytime they think they know the answer. Tossups are written in a [[pyramidality|pyramidal style]] or, in [[bad quizbowl|some sets]], as simple questions. Points are awarded to the team of the person that answered the tossup correctly. Tossups are usually worth 10 points. | + | The tossup-bonus format can be played [[Clock|timed]], in which case the expiration of a clock determines how many tossup-bonus cycles are read in each half of the game. More commonly, games in the tossup-bonus format are untimed, and a set number of tossups are read with their corresponding bonuses before the game is ended and the team with more points is declared the winner. The standard used by [[ACF]], [[HSAPQ]], and [[PACE]] since 2010 is the reading of twenty tossup-bonus cycles, in which case the format is sometimes called the '''20/20''' format. |
| + | |||
| + | ==Tossups== | ||
| + | |||
| + | A '''tossup''' is a question that is read out loud to both teams. It typically contains several sentences describing the answer and ends with a "giveaway" clue about the answer. Players can buzz in anytime they think they know the answer. Tossups are written in a [[pyramidality|pyramidal style]] or, in [[bad quizbowl|some sets]], as simple questions. Points are awarded to the team of the person that answered the tossup correctly. Tossups are usually worth 10 points; minor variations on the tossup include [[negs]] and [[powers]]. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===Example tossup=== | ||
| + | |||
| + | From [[ACF Fall]] 2012, Buffalo packet | ||
| + | |||
| + | Nicolas Poussin painted this figure being helped by a faun onto a goat while looking at a putto attacking a young satyr. Four paintings also by Poussin depict this figure presenting weapons forged by Vulcan to her son. Jacques-Louis David's last painting shows this figure disarming Mars. Two paintings by Rubens depict this figure gazing into a mirror held by another son who has wings. Titian made a depiction of this goddess reclining on a couch in a painting commissioned by the Duke of Urbino. Botticelli painted the birth and arrival on a seashell of, for 10 points, what figure, the Roman goddess of love?<br> | ||
| + | ANSWER: '''<u>Venus</u>''' [do not accept “Aphrodite”] | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Bonuses== | ||
A '''bonus''' is a set of several questions that the whole team can work together to answer. Bonuses are given as a reward to the team that answered a tossup question immediately beforehand. Bonuses are typically worth 30 points each, and have been standardized as three-part questions, with each question being asked in succession for a value of 10 points each. Three-part bonuses are intended to have an "easy part" accessible to most teams, a "middle part" for many teams, and a "hard part" that the top teams at a given tournament should be able to answer, usually (though not necessarily) in that order. (The [[variable value bonus]] is an unfair bad quizbowl practice which has largely disappeared.) | A '''bonus''' is a set of several questions that the whole team can work together to answer. Bonuses are given as a reward to the team that answered a tossup question immediately beforehand. Bonuses are typically worth 30 points each, and have been standardized as three-part questions, with each question being asked in succession for a value of 10 points each. Three-part bonuses are intended to have an "easy part" accessible to most teams, a "middle part" for many teams, and a "hard part" that the top teams at a given tournament should be able to answer, usually (though not necessarily) in that order. (The [[variable value bonus]] is an unfair bad quizbowl practice which has largely disappeared.) | ||
| − | + | A substantial variation on the playing of bonuses is the addition of [[bouncebacks]]. | |
| + | |||
| + | ===Example bonus=== | ||
| + | |||
| + | From ACF Fall 2012, Buffalo packet | ||
| − | + | 7. A daughter of Phorcys and Ceto, this figure was killed by a man on a quest to obtain her head as a wedding gift to Polydectes. For 10 points each:<br> | |
| + | [10] Name this monster, a Gorgon who had snakes for hair, who was slain by Perseus.<br> | ||
| + | ANSWER: <u>'''Medusa'''</u><br> | ||
| + | [10] This creature was born, along with Chrysaor, when Perseus beheaded Medusa.<br> | ||
| + | ANSWER: <u>'''Pegasus'''</u><br> | ||
| + | [10] Name either of Medusa’s two sisters, Gorgons who, unlike her, were immortal.<br> | ||
| + | ANSWER: '''<u>Stheno</u>''' [or '''<u>Euryale</u>''']<br> | ||
==Defunct styles of bonuses== | ==Defunct styles of bonuses== | ||
| Line 14: | Line 37: | ||
Before the easy-middle-hard bonus format became completely standardized, bonus formats could vary from bonus to bonus within a tournament. Examples of such various formats included: | Before the easy-middle-hard bonus format became completely standardized, bonus formats could vary from bonus to bonus within a tournament. Examples of such various formats included: | ||
| − | |||
*four answer, 5 for one, 10 for two, 20 for three and 30 for getting all four answers correct | *four answer, 5 for one, 10 for two, 20 for three and 30 for getting all four answers correct | ||
*two answers, with two clues. 15 after the first clue for each answer, 5 after the second ("15-5") | *two answers, with two clues. 15 after the first clue for each answer, 5 after the second ("15-5") | ||
| Line 24: | Line 46: | ||
*three answers, each with two clues of variant difficulty. 10 points for the harder clue, 5 for the easier ("10-5") | *three answers, each with two clues of variant difficulty. 10 points for the harder clue, 5 for the easier ("10-5") | ||
| − | All | + | All of these forms are now strongly discouraged, if not forbidden outright, in standard high school and collegiate play for reasons of fairness. |
[[Category:Formats]][[Category:High school formats]][[Category:Quizbowl basics]] | [[Category:Formats]][[Category:High school formats]][[Category:Quizbowl basics]] | ||
[[Category:Original QBWiki Page]] | [[Category:Original QBWiki Page]] | ||
Revision as of 04:31, 11 July 2013
Tossup-Bonus Format
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The tossup/bonus format™ is the most common format used in both High School and Collegiate Quizbowl. In this format, the game consists of the reading of tossup questions, which either team can buzz in on, and corresponding team-specific bonus questions.
The tossup-bonus format can be played timed, in which case the expiration of a clock determines how many tossup-bonus cycles are read in each half of the game. More commonly, games in the tossup-bonus format are untimed, and a set number of tossups are read with their corresponding bonuses before the game is ended and the team with more points is declared the winner. The standard used by ACF, HSAPQ, and PACE since 2010 is the reading of twenty tossup-bonus cycles, in which case the format is sometimes called the 20/20 format.
Tossups
A tossup is a question that is read out loud to both teams. It typically contains several sentences describing the answer and ends with a "giveaway" clue about the answer. Players can buzz in anytime they think they know the answer. Tossups are written in a pyramidal style or, in some sets, as simple questions. Points are awarded to the team of the person that answered the tossup correctly. Tossups are usually worth 10 points; minor variations on the tossup include negs and powers.
Example tossup
From ACF Fall 2012, Buffalo packet
Nicolas Poussin painted this figure being helped by a faun onto a goat while looking at a putto attacking a young satyr. Four paintings also by Poussin depict this figure presenting weapons forged by Vulcan to her son. Jacques-Louis David's last painting shows this figure disarming Mars. Two paintings by Rubens depict this figure gazing into a mirror held by another son who has wings. Titian made a depiction of this goddess reclining on a couch in a painting commissioned by the Duke of Urbino. Botticelli painted the birth and arrival on a seashell of, for 10 points, what figure, the Roman goddess of love?
ANSWER: Venus [do not accept “Aphrodite”]
Bonuses
A bonus is a set of several questions that the whole team can work together to answer. Bonuses are given as a reward to the team that answered a tossup question immediately beforehand. Bonuses are typically worth 30 points each, and have been standardized as three-part questions, with each question being asked in succession for a value of 10 points each. Three-part bonuses are intended to have an "easy part" accessible to most teams, a "middle part" for many teams, and a "hard part" that the top teams at a given tournament should be able to answer, usually (though not necessarily) in that order. (The variable value bonus is an unfair bad quizbowl practice which has largely disappeared.)
A substantial variation on the playing of bonuses is the addition of bouncebacks.
Example bonus
From ACF Fall 2012, Buffalo packet
7. A daughter of Phorcys and Ceto, this figure was killed by a man on a quest to obtain her head as a wedding gift to Polydectes. For 10 points each:
[10] Name this monster, a Gorgon who had snakes for hair, who was slain by Perseus.
ANSWER: Medusa
[10] This creature was born, along with Chrysaor, when Perseus beheaded Medusa.
ANSWER: Pegasus
[10] Name either of Medusa’s two sisters, Gorgons who, unlike her, were immortal.
ANSWER: Stheno [or Euryale]
Defunct styles of bonuses
Before the easy-middle-hard bonus format became completely standardized, bonus formats could vary from bonus to bonus within a tournament. Examples of such various formats included:
- four answer, 5 for one, 10 for two, 20 for three and 30 for getting all four answers correct
- two answers, with two clues. 15 after the first clue for each answer, 5 after the second ("15-5")
- five answers, five points per answer with an additional five for all correct
- six answers, five points each (this and the above are used mainly for list bonuses)
- two difficult answers of 15 points each
- one answer, three clues of decreasing difficulty. 30 points after the first clue, 20 after the second, 10 after the third ("30-20-10")
- three answers of increasing difficulty. 5 points for the first, 10 for the second, 15 for the third ("5-10-15")
- three answers, each with two clues of variant difficulty. 10 points for the harder clue, 5 for the easier ("10-5")
All of these forms are now strongly discouraged, if not forbidden outright, in standard high school and collegiate play for reasons of fairness.