Do you want to go to Quizbowl Heaven?

Then enter teams at the Menlo Tibetan Quizbowl Nirvana.

BAAL invites all his devoted followers to participate in "The BAAL Menlo Tibetan Quizbowl Nirvana" at the Menlo School in Atherton on 28 March 2009 in observance of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Chinese Communist rule in Tibet. Lest you think this is some sort of anti-China propaganda, BAAL reminds you that dictatorship is swell. Some of BAAL's favorite worshipers have been dictatorial in their exercise of power (Dido, Hannibal, Belus, the list goes on).

To reflect the 1959 event, there will be two pools of teams - China and Tibet with the top contender of the Tiber pool labeled "the Dalai Lama" and the top contender of the China pool labeled "the Panchen Lama." If enough JV teams sign up we will also run a JV division (Nepal).

We have room for only 22 teams in all, so the first 22 respondents will be registered. Depending upon turnout, some cross-over matches may occur. We warmly encourage schools to send younger players to compete in a JV division so they can acquire experience. In the end, the top lamas will play-off for the glory and a spot in Nirvana.

Here are the important details:

- Please arrive at Menlo School at 11:30 am, having eaten lunch already.
- We will play six or seven straight RR matches to determine the top teams in each division.
- Preliminary matches run for 30 minutes each from noon to 3:30.
- Format is BAALT style with 24 TUs. Teams earn bonus questions for power TUs and two-TUs-in-a-row.
- We will try to keep statistics on players and award MVPs - We warmly encourage schools to send younger players so they can acquire experience in the JV division.

Campus directions are available at this link which also has a link to the campus map. We will use mostly the same rooms as at Hastings Bowl in October 07.

For those new to the campus, enter from Valparaiso Avenue and take the first right into the parking lot. We will play in Building A (numbered 14 on the campus map) in the wing next to that parking lot.

Entry fee is $75/team with many discounts. We strongly urge you to bring a volunteer to help us run on time and efficiently.

Discounts:
-$15 per experienced volunteer
-$10 new volunteer
-$10 per buzzer
-$5 per team for early payment
-$5 if your school paid its BAAL weeknight fees by 3/15
PLEASE prepay the FULL $75/team when you mail in checks.

You will pay the full entry fee upon arrival and receive the discounts back as cash at the end of the prelims. Please do not forfeit your discounts by walking off at the end without restoring the classroom to the condition in which it started. The picture on the board in each room shows what the room should look like so you can rearrange the desks.

As before, please make out checks to - Gaius Stern, BAAL PM - postmarked 24 March for the early discount to:
Gaius Stern
2640 Dwight Way #401
Berkeley, CA 94704

Teams that cancel at the last minute make things very difficult for BAAL. Please do not drop out at the last minute.
Keep handy my contact numbers:
Gaius home 510-644-1177
mobile/BAAL phone 510-703-BAAL

THANK YOU,

Gaius