The 2024 LOS ANGELES OPEN will have three divisions for its Main Invitational event (the ABT tournament): Open, Advanced & Intermediate. The Intermediate division is to service experienced beginners who are too experienced for Novice but not yet ready for Advanced (the level below Open).  However, this tournament takes a hard line on eligibility.  Simply put, PLAYING BELOW ONE'S LEVEL ("Sandbagging") WILL NOT BE ALLOWED. 

 

Below are guidelines for the three divisions.  Every registration below Open will be scrutinized.  Questionable registrations will be compared to the player’s club standings and certain USBGF rankings.  If necessary the registration will be sent to the tournament's Eligibility Committee for a final decision and the player notified.  If, after reading these descriptions, you are still unsure how to register, please call the Tournament Producer, Candace Mayeron, and she will be happy to help you make your decision.  310-422-1646.

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NOTE:  Eligibility standards are not as rigorous for the Jackpots, and many Open players are eligible to play in the Dingwell Amateur Jackpot.  Check with Candace.

 

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           GAMMON ASSOCIATES WEST TOURNAMENTS NO LONGER INCLUDE NOVICES.

 

INTERMEDIATES:  Typically, those players with a PR above 9 or 10.  Some tournaments call this Advanced Novices or Advanced Beginners.  Intermediates should have some experience playing tournaments, at least at the club level. They may, but not necessarily, have played in an ABT tournament, but their game and results remain on the low end.  They may have studied the game through books or coaches, but not to a large extent or for very long.  Intermediates know the Crawford Rule, use the cube when they play, even with mistakes or blunders; they certainly can set up the board and play in either direction. 

 

Winning or cashing in the Intermediate division within the prior three years, may disqualify a player from Intermediates at this tournament.  Winning or cashing in an Advanced division, even one time, within the prior five years will disqualify a player from Intermediates at this tournament; however simply playing in an Advanced division in the past five years will have no impact.  High standings at the club level or in on-line play is likely to disqualify a player from Intermediates. There is no Calcutta for this division so the prize money will be proportionally lower than the other two divisions.

 

ADVANCED:  Our middle level.  Advanced players have most likely played in ABT tournaments, studied the game, play some of the time on-line, in clubs or with friends and are accustomed to using the cube, but their game and results are less than championship level.  Winning or cashing in an Advanced division, within the prior five years may or may not disqualify a player from Advanced at this tournament.  Playing in an Open division in the past five years does not necessarily disqualify a player from Advanced, although cashing in an Open division in the past five years probably, but not necessarily, will.  High standings at the club level may disqualify the player from Advanced, depending on how high, what club and for how long.

 

OPEN or CHAMPIONSHIP:  Our third and highest level of player.  This field is open to everyone.  Field will be composed of competent players, up through grand masters. Many competent players who are eligible for Advanced chose to play up to the Open so as to experience being across the board from the best in the world.

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