POOL SIZES

[ledgerto]

As I am heading to my first tourney, what is the average pool size?
My coach said there may be 30 in the Indiana Cup for foil. Does that sound like a lot?

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Old dogs CAN learn new tricks!

[Purple Fencer]

Originally posted by ledgerto:
As I am heading to my first tourney, what is the average pool size?
My coach said there may be 30 in the Indiana Cup for foil. Does that sound like a lot?

If 30 people show up, the most likely pool size (and easiest for seeding purposes) is probably 5 pools of 6.

It really depends on the overall size of the event. I've been in pools of 4 and pools of 7.

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Sam Signorelli -- Boldly going forward...'cause I can't find reverse!

[Peach]

Pools are usually 5 to 7 people. You can have different amounts but an 8-person pool takes forever and a 4-person pool creates some unusual seeding results. You will probably have 5 pools of 6; if you have more people you'll have a couple 7-person pools, if fewer there may be a 5-person pool or two. 30 is a nice number, not enormous but big enough to provide some good fencing.

My first tournament was fun. Like you, I asked an on-line group for advice and they gave me all kinds of suggestions, most of which I couldn't take. Now, I think the point of it was just to have a tournament under my belt. I still remember some of the funny things that happened to me. You're going to have some great stories.

Oh, yeah, and stay and watch afterwards.

[space_cadet]

There are a lot of different pool sizes. Most are rectangular. Some are L-shaped and some are kidney bean shaped.

Depends on how many strips are set up and how many people actually show up.

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Cadet à Space

[arcon]

[ 10-23-2001: Message edited by: arcon ]

[sabreur]

People doing the seeding should always remember the math associated with pools. The number of bouts for a pool of x number of fencers is {x(x-1)}/2.

For 4 fencers, it is 4x3/2 = 6 bouts.
For 5 fencers, it is 5x4/2 = 10 bouts.
For 6 fencers, it is 6x5/2 = 15 bouts.
For 7 fencers, it is 7x6/2 = 21 bouts.
For 8 fencers, it is 8x7/2 = 28 bouts.

Pools of eight are hell in sabre--I can't imagine what they'd be like in epee--a bring the family, whole day affair.

Regards, Mark Ray


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Why sabre? Because you don't take heads with the point.

[scarlet_woman156k]

I'll be at the Indiana Cup...should be a good turn out and a great first-time experience for you.

[ledgerto]

Scarlet, I will look for you...what weapon?
I'm foil. Will we compete together?

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Old dogs CAN learn new tricks!

[Purple Fencer]

Originally posted by sabreur:
Pools of eight are hell in sabre--I can't imagine what they'd be like in epee--a bring the family, whole day affair.

Regards, Mark Ray

Why are they hell, Mark? sabre's usually so quick, no one bothers to bring out the clock except for DE. The thing that slows it down more than anything is people hooking up. I've been in foil pool bouts that (real time) lasted longer that three sabre DEs.

Of course, if you can actually PARRY in sabre it lengthens it out. If you fence like me, it's over before you can breathe twice.


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Sam Signorelli -- Boldly going forward...'cause I can't find reverse!

[oiuyt]

People bring out clocks for sabre DEs where you fence?

I remember fencing collegiately that clocks were sometimes used (how else would people know their personal record win time was 9.73 seconds for a bout). In the past three years the only times I've seen clocks used were at the Peabody World Cup (they were NOT used there this year when I was fencing, but last year when I acted as a scorer/timekeeper they were), and in a DE bout I directed earlier this year...

Of the two fencers, one was a decent, although inexperienced, high school fencer who had never heard of bouts being timed and didn't realize the significance, the other a 60+ year old fencer who had recently taken some months off, and was in his first week back and had been worn down chasing high school sabre fencers up and down the strip all day. The first touch he threw up a PIL. When 20ish seconds later he finally removed it (the high schooler apparently hadn't seen much PIL and never really figured out what to do when confronted with one) and attacked I picked up a clock and announced that I'd be timing the rest of the bout. The bout continued like that with the veteran fencer throwing up a PIL for 20ish seconds at a time whenever he needed a breather. Final score after 9 minutes 12-10 in favor of the vet. fencer.

Age and treachery (or experience, depending on your view point) over youth and vigor.

-B

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"Oh but you can't expect to wield supreme executive power just because some watery tart threw a sword at you!"

All your music are belongs to us- RIAA

[sabreur]

Sam,

Pools of eight are hell because there are a LOT of bouts. Even though touches go quickly in sabre, if you have a lot of simultaneous attacks (ie., bad directors or beginning fencers), a sabre bout can go on for a while. And unless you are running the pool on several strips, a pool of eight can easily take over two hours--even in sabre.

Regards, MR

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Why sabre? Because you don't take heads with the point.

[Purple Fencer]

Well...I kinda like large pools....more fencing for me.

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Sam Signorelli -- Boldly going forward...'cause I can't find reverse!

[edew]

With multiple strips, it's possible to run a pool of nine for epee (women's epee, even), in a short span of time. That's a consideration when you get nine fencers show up. It's a ***** to split them into pools of 5 and 4.

[Purple Fencer]

I just looked at the Div III men's foil results from Summer Nats last year. GAD! 214 fencers? Eric, were you directing that day? How many pools were there? 30? That must've taken forever just to finish pools, let alone the DE tree from Hell!

Looks like I'm in for a long day if I fence well in July

Operative word, "if", 'course.

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Sam Signorelli -- Boldly going forward...'cause I can't find reverse!