Page playoff system

The Page playoff system is a playoff format used primarily in softball and curling at the championship level. Teams are seeded using a round-robin tournament and the top four play a mix of a single-elimination and double-elimination tournament to determine the winner. It is identical to a four-team McIntyre System playoff, first used by the Victorian Football League in Australia in 1931, originally called the Page-McIntyre system system, after the VFL delegate, the Richmond Football Club's Secretary, Percy "Pip" Page, who had advocated its use. [For a detailed history of the evolution and development of the finals system used by the Victorian Football League (VFL) and, later, by the Australian Football League (AFL) see Early VFL Final systems and McIntyre System.] It was played there until 1971.

History

The Page playoff system was used at the Australian Rugby League Championship 1954-1972.

The system is now used by the International Softball Federation in world championship since 1990 and the Olympic Games 1996-2008.International Softball Federation. [http://www.internationalsoftball.com/english/rules_standards/technical_venue_man.pdf Technical & Venue Manual] (PDF). Retrieved March 23, 2006]

It`s first use in curling was by the Canadian Curling Association in the 1995 Labatt BrierDalla Costa, Morris (March 3, 2006). [http://lfpress.ca/cgi-bin/publish.cgi?p=125675&x=articles&s=curling Page playoff system prompts much debate] . "London Free Press".] , the men's championship, and was adopted the next year at the 1996 Scott Tournament of Hearts, the women's championship.Soudog's Curling History Site. [http://soudogcurling.tripod.com/STOH/1996.html 1996 Scott Tournament of Hearts] . Retrieved March 23, 2006.] It gained acceptance and in 2005 the World Curling Championships started using it, but it has not yet been adopted in curling at the Olympic Games.

The format has also been used in some much lower-key, internet gaming events, such as chessFischer Random Chess Email Club. [http://frcec.chess960.info/FischerCup.htm FRCEC’s Annual Championship Tournament] . Retrieved March 23, 2006.] and backgammonNew Horizons Backgammon. [http://www.citlink.net/~stormygal/superleague.html New Horizon Ladder Super League] . Retrieved March 23, 2006.] .

Format

The system requires teams to be ranked in some way, as the top two teams have an advantage over the bottom two. This is usually accomplished through a round-robin tournament, which eliminates all but the top four teams.

Round-robin

A standard round-robin tournament is used, in which all teams play each other once. Because the number of total games increases quadratically with respect to the number of teams, scheduling too many teams will result in an unwieldy number of games, particularly when there are a limited number of playing surfaces (curling rinks usually only have four sheets). Therefore, the number of teams is usually capped at around a dozen; if this is not possible or desirable, teams may be separated into groups playing separate round-robins and either having the top teams combining for the Page playoff or playing separate ones in each group and having the winners play each other after.

Page playoff

The top four teams advance to the Page playoff. In what's sometimes called the quarter-finals, the first- and second-placed teams and the third- and fourth-placed teams play each other. The winner of the 1 vs. 2 game gets a bye to the final. The loser of the 1 vs. 2 game plays the winner of the 3 vs. 4 game in the semi-final. The winner of the semi-final plays the winner of the 1 vs. 2 game in the final, with the winner of that game winning the competition.

This has the effect of allowing the top two teams to lose a game and still win the tournament, producing a similar effect to a double-elimination tournament. This gives the top two teams a large advantage over the next two; for example, in 12 years at The Brier, 11 years at the Tournament of Hearts and one year at the Worlds, only twice, at the 2000 Scott Tournament of Hearts and at the 2008 Scotties Tournament of Hearts has the third- or fourth-placed team won the tournament.Canadian Curling Association. [http://www.curling.ca/fan_central/scores_and_statistics/html/index.asp Archived Statistical Summaries] . Retrieved March 24, 2006.] However, to ensure that the first-placed team does get some advantage for finishing at the top of the pack, that team is often given a home-ice advantage; since curling teams rarely play national or international tournaments at their home rink, the advantage in curling is that the first-placed team is given the hammer (last rock) in the first end, which is a reasonable advantage between comparably skilled teams.

In the 2008 World Women's Curling championship, a modified Page Playoff system was introduced which added another round. The loser of the 3-4 game (Switzerland) played against the loser of the "semifinal" game (Japan) for the bronze medal instead of the loser of the semifinal game (Japan) being awarded the bronze directly.

Example

Page playoff results from the 2006 Tim Hortons Brier:

PagePlayoffBracket | RD1=
RD2=Semifinal
RD3=Final

RD1-seed1=1
RD1-team1=flag|Ontario|size=30px
RD1-score1=9
RD1-seed2=2
RD1-team2=flag|Quebec|size=30px
RD1-score2=6

RD1-seed3=3
RD1-team3=flag|Alberta|size=30px
RD1-score3=5
RD1-seed4=4
RD1-team4=flag|Nova Scotia|size=30px
RD1-score4=6

RD2-seed1=2
RD2-team1=flag|Quebec|size=30px
RD2-score1=7
RD2-seed2=4
RD2-team2=flag|Nova Scotia|size=30px
RD2-score2=6

RD3-seed1=1
RD3-team1=flag|Ontario|size=30px
RD3-score1=7
RD3-seed2=2
RD3-team2=flag|Quebec|size=30px
RD3-score2=8

Reaction

Players and fans alike have had a mixed reaction to the system. Broadcasters also enjoy it as it produces one more game than the single elimination format. Considering the format is expanding to more curling events and more sports and games, it's reasonable to say its popularity and acceptance is increasing.

ee also

* Early VFL Final systems
* Page-McIntyre system

References