I think that you and Dr. Chuck both make very
valid points for Chip Beall's popularity, but I know
for a fact that certain of the known high school
"powerhouses" continue to go to his tournaments because he has
them in places like New Orleans and Malibu. Some of
the high school coaches take their teams because they
want to take their kids to a variety of places around
the country. I don't think his format or questions
hold much sway with the coaches anymore. I think that
some of the new teams that are competitive at Beall
tourneys don't fare so well at other places. Last year my
high school team beat the team that won the New
Orleans phase of his National Championship decisively at
NAQT. I just don't think his tournaments are as
academic as some of the alternatives. I remember something
about a Beall question (I'm paraphrasing) "If a painter
trades his services in exchange for dental work, who
gets the bad deal?" Answer: The IRS. I hope that was
just a joke, but judging from some of the questions I
heard it isn't very far off.