| 1. | The International Gay Bowling Organization (IGBO) Annual tournament is a USBC certified tournament through a Moral Support Certification. This Moral Support tournament is a mixed handicap competition open to men and women who are affiliated with IGBO or by invitation. |
| 2. | IGBO requires all participants to be a member of IGBO. If a participant is not a member, in any of its classes, they must become an IGBO Associate Member and pay the appropriate membership fee. The participant shall have the opportunity to apply for Associate Membership at the time of registration. IGBO’s General Membership must approve associate Membership applications prior to participation. |
| 3. | USBC and CTF members in good standing may participate in a moral support tournament with award recognition automatically extended to their national organizations; however, you must be a member of USBC to be eligible to receive USBC honor score awards. Eligible nonmembers may qualify for USBC award recognition by paying USBC associate membership dues before participation. You can join USBC as an associate member at tournament registration by filling out the appropriate form and paying the membership fee. All participants are subject to USBC rules and jurisdiction for the event. |
| 1. | The tournament events shall be handicap events and are as follows: Singles, Doubles and Team. Optional Individual Scratch Divisions will also be offered. |
| 2. | Each participant shall bowl three (3) games per event and must enter all three events. Teams will consist of four (4) members comprising any combination of gender identity. All bowlers will compete on an equal basis. Doubles partners must come from the same team. |
| 3. | Each participant may only bowl once in each event. |
| 4. | A professional bowler that is not a current IGBO league member or current organizational member, with a minimum of 21 games, may not bowl in the Annual Tournament. Only one (1) professional bowler per team will be allowed. A professional bowler is defined as any person who has been a “card-carrying” member of a professional bowling organization within the past twelve months preceding the IGBO Annual Tournament. |
| 5. | Employees of bowling centers being used by the Host City who are not IGBO league members shall not be permitted to participate in the IGBO Annual Tournament. |
| 1. | The tournament will offer two optional scratch events for bowlers who choose to participate in them. The Scratch Event Divisions will be the same for both events: |
| Division A: | Averages 210 and above |
| Division B: | Averages 209 to 190 |
| Division C: | Averages 189 to 170 |
| Division D: | Averages 169 to 150 |
| Division E: | Averages 149 and under |
| a) | The Optional Scratch event shall use the scratch scores (without handicap) from the handicap portion of the tournament to determine winners. The optional scratch shall be divided into three separate categories within each division: Highest Single Scratch Game (from any of the events); Highest Scratch Series (from any of the events, three games required); and Highest Scratch All Events (from the nine-game total of all three events). |
| b) | Scratch Masters will be an eliminator-style “shoot-out.” The nine (9) game scratch total from the tournament (Singles, Doubles, and Team) are used to determine the six (6) qualifiers per division. If a tie exists for the sixth position, the bowler with the highest three (3) game scratch series will be the 6th seeded bowler. |
| i. | In Round 1, all 6 bowlers bowl three games. Players will switch lanes after each game. No bonus pins are awarded. The three-game series will be calculated and the top 4 bowlers in each division will advance. |
| ii. | Round 2, the remaining four (4) bowlers bowl two games. Players will switch lanes after each game. No bonus pins are awarded. Scores do not carry over from Round 1. The two-game series will be calculated and the top 3 bowlers in each division will advance. |
| iii. | Round 3, will be a single-game elimination. No bonus pins are awarded. After the game has been bowled, the top 2 bowlers will advance. Scores do not carry over from earlier rounds. |
| iv. | In the final round (Round 4), the remaining 2 bowlers will bowl one game to determine the winner of the division and second place. No bonus pins are awarded. Scores do not carry over from earlier rounds. |
| v. | In the case of a tie, a ninth and tenth frame roll-off will take place will take place to determine the winner of each match. |
| 2. | Scores used for the Optional Scratch Divisions shall be those Scratch games (without handicap) as bowled in the Handicap Division of the tournament. |
| 1. | All cash awards shall be based on the Total Pins PLUS assigned handicap for each event (with exception of the Optional Scratch Divisions). |
| 2. | Awards will be given, in the Handicap Division, for the best Singles, Doubles, Team, Individual All Events and Team All Events. Individual All Events is defined as the nine game total plus handicap of an individual bowler. Team All Events is defined as the nine game total plus handicap of the four (4) members of the same team who actually bowled the team event. In the event that any member of the team does not bowl the nine games, that team will be ineligible for the Team All Events recognition. |
| 3. | The award ratio for the Handicap Division shall be at a minimum of at least 1:10. Individual All Events and Team All Events shall be at a minimum of at least 1:20. |
| 4. | Awards in the Optional Scratch Divisions shall be given for the Best Single Game (from any of the events), Best Three (3) Game Series (from any of the events) and Best All Events (nine game total). |
| 5. | The award ratio for the Optional Scratch Divisions shall be at a minimum of at least 1:20 per division. |
| 6. | Prizes will be distributed via check payable in US currency within thirty (30) days of the completion of the tournament, barring any protests. A tie in any position will result in the sum of the prizes being aggregated for the tied positions and divided equally by the number of ties for that placing. Prize funds will be based on 100% participation. |
| 7. | 100% of the entry fee from each division in the Optional Scratch Divisions shall be returned to that division and 100% of the entry fee less lineage and trophy expense shall be returned for Scratch Masters. |
| 8. | Individual Achievement Awards will be awarded by Division, inclusive of all genders. For each Division, we will award the individual who has: |
| Division A: | Averages 210 and above |
| Division B: | Averages 209 to 190 |
| Division C: | Averages 189 to 170 |
| Division D: | Averages 169 to 150 |
| Division E: | Averages 149 and under |
| 1. | Any bowler entering the IGBO Annual Tournament must use a ten-pin average acceptable to USBC. The following rules shall be used to determine the entering average: |
| a) | The league average as of December 31 of 2022 with a minimum of 21 games. If competing in more than one league, the bowler MUST submit the COMPOSITE AVERAGE of all leagues bowled, even if a league has less than 21 games bowled. |
| b) | If “a” is not available, use the 2021/2022 book average (minimum 21 games). If competed in more than one league, the bowler MUST submit the COMPOSITE AVERAGE of all leagues bowled, even if a league has less than 21 games bowled. |
| c) | If neither “a” or “b” is available, use the 2022 final summer league average (minimum 21 games). If competed in more than one league, the bowler MUST submit the COMPOSITE AVERAGE of all leagues bowled, even if a league has less than 21 games bowled. |
| d) | If neither “a”, “b” or “c” is available, a current season average (minimum 21 games) as of April 1, 2023 will be accepted. If competing in more than one league, the bowler MUST submit the COMPOSITE AVERAGE of all leagues bowled, even if a league has less than 21 games bowled. |
| e) | Non-certified bowlers shall use a minimum average of 130 and must submit all league averages and tournament scores (12-months immediately preceding the entry cut-off date) for possible average adjustment. |
| f) | If none of the scenarios above are applicable, then the entering average shall be equal to the Tournament Scratch Score (see Rule 19). |
| g) | The above averages MUST be verified using: |
| TAD (igbo.org), OR leaguesecretary.com, OR bowl.com, OR photocopy of book average with year noted, signed and dated by League Officer. |
| h) | Averages from “Sports Condition” leagues are not acceptable at any time. |
| 2. | The Tournament Scratch Score will be set equal to the highest entering average (rounded up to the nearest 5) as of the entry cut-off date for the tournament. Should a substitution and/or bowler replacement be necessary after the entry cut-off date, the Tournament Scratch Score will NOT be affected. |
| 3. | The per-game handicap for the tournament shall be based at 100% of the difference between the bowler’s entering average and the Tournament Scratch Score. Negative handicaps shall not apply. |
| 4. | USBC rules regarding the BOWLER’S responsibility to verify the accuracy of their entering average, whether submitted by the bowler, the team captain, or any other individual, applies to all bowlers. Failure to use proper average shall disqualify scores if the submitted average is lower than the actual average, thereby resulting in a lower classification or more handicap. Event placement and/or prize winnings shall be based on the higher average should the submitted average prove to be higher than the bowler’s actual average. |
| 1. | The tournament management has the authority to adjust the entering average of any bowler. Average adjustments will be applied as set forth under USBC rules. All average adjustments will be completed prior to the start of each event. A bowler unwilling to accept an average adjustment is entitled to a full refund for that event. |
| 2. | If a bowler has a current tournament average (comprised of a minimum of 21 games bowled during the 12-months less the 30 days immediately preceding the official start date of this tournament) that is one or more pins higher than their Entering Average, they must use the higher tournament average as their entering average. It is the bowler’s responsibility to report ALL tournament scores that are relevant in calculating their current tournament average. Failure to report this information may result in AUTOMATIC disqualification and loss of all prize winnings – subject to Tournament Management discretion. |
| 1. | It is solely and entirely the bowler’s responsibility to be present at the assigned lanes at the time of bowling. Each bowler shall have the total responsibility to arrive in time to bowl. Mechanical failures, transportation irregularities, improper directions and related reasons DO NOT alter the application of the rules listed below (USBC rules will apply). Tournament-offered transportation and catastrophic events will be subject to Tournament Management discretion. |
| 2. | Complete Doubles and Team entrants must be present for bowling each event. If a team member is not present, the team may use an authorized substitute (as outlined below). If no substitute is available, a zero score will be used for the missing bowler or bowlers. |
| 3. | Late bowlers will begin bowling in the frame in which they are ready, with prior frames being scored as zero. No practice balls will be allowed for late bowlers. |
| 4. | Substitutes may bowl at the discretion of the tournament management. Their entering average must comply with the rules previously stated. Substitutes must complete an entry form. |
| 5. | Bowlers will be allowed a minimum of two (2) practice balls on each lane per event. |
| 1. | The entry fee is payable in US funds only by CREDIT CARD or PayPal. An additional fee is required to enter the Optional Scratch or Scratch Masters events. All entries must be completed online and must be submitted by 11:59pm PDT May 10, 2023. |
| ALL ENTRIES MUST BE RECEIVED NO LATER THAN the entry deadline of MAY 10, 2023. Entries shall be limited to a maximum of 480. Once this maximum has been reached, no more entries can be accepted. Entrants’ acceptance will be based on the order in which payment has been received. Once an entry has been accepted, refunds will only be issued at the Host Committee’s discretion. |
| 2. | Partial team entries will be accepted and the tournament management will make every effort to fill the vacancies. |
| 1. | After a score has been recorded, it cannot be changed unless there has been an obvious error in scoring or calculation has occurred. Obvious errors must be corrected by a tournament official immediately upon discovery. Questionable errors must be reported to a tournament official within two (2) hours of the error and will be decided by tournament management. (USBC Rule 328). |
| 1. | Protests and appeals must be in writing, stating the grounds for the protest and/or appeal. |
| a) | A protest involving eligibility or playing rules must be filed with the tournament management within 24 hours of the alleged infraction. |
| b) | The decision of the tournament management shall be final unless a written appeal is filed with the local association or USBC Headquarters prior to tournament prizes being awarded/paid. Upon notification of a protest or appeal, tournament management must withhold all affected prizes until the protest or appeal is resolved. |
| 1. | All other USBC rules will apply. |
| 2. | Any person attending and requiring special needs MUST notify the tournament management in writing. |
| 3. | The team captain MUST sign the entry form acknowledging they have read the rules. In the case of online registration, the timestamp will be considered the team captain’s acknowledgement. |