2024 SVIT Tournament Rules

SANCTIONING

1. The Silicon Valley Invitational Tournament (SVIT) is a USBC Certified Tournament. SVIT is a mixed competition open to men and women and is by invitation only.

2. All entrants must hold a current USBC membership card or they may purchase a membership card through www.bowl.com.

3. SVIT is affiliated with the International Gay Bowling Organization (IGBO). In the best interest of supporting IGBO, each participant must be a member of a league affiliated with IGBO. Any participant that does not meet this requirement may purchase an IGBO Associate Membership for an annual fee of $25.00. All fees are remitted directly to IGBO.

EVENT PARTICIPATION

4. SVIT events shall consist of handicap events as follows: Singles, Doubles, and Team. Optional Scratch Masters Event will also be offered

5. Each participant shall bowl three (3) games per event and must enter all three events, for a total of nine (9) games. Teams will consist of four (4) members comprising of any combination of men and women. Doubles partners must come from the same team.

6. Each participant may only bowl once in each event.

7. Professional bowlers, defined as any person who has been a “card carrying” member of a professional bowling organization within the past twelve months, shall be permitted to bowl the tournament as follows:

A) Not more than one professional bowler in a four-player lineup.

B) Not more than one professional bowler in a two-player lineup.

C) Professional bowlers MUST identify themselves at the time of registration.

D) In the event a professional bowler does not provide proper identification prior to bowling, they will be disqualified from that event.

8. Tournament directors maintain the right to refuse or reject any entrant application for any reason.

9. Entries must be accompanied by full amount of fees in the form of pay pal. “On Time” entries must be POST MARKED by February 29, 2024, 11:59PM. Late fee of $15 per person applies starting March 1, 2024.

10. Tournament entries are not considered complete unless the following terms have been met.

A) Entry form completed 100%.

B) Entry fees for each bowler paid. If these items have not been provided, SVIT will place teams on waiting list. Full paid entry fee payment with complete entry forms will have 1st priority of squad time (if applicable). Partial team entries will be filled by SVIT starting March 1, 2024.

PRIZES AND AWARDS

11. All cash awards shall be based on the total pins plus assigned handicap for each event (with the exception of the Optional Side Pots and Optional Scratch Masters). Side Pots have a max of 300 score.

12. Awards will be given for the highest Singles, Doubles and Team Scores. The awards ratio for each event shall be at least 1:10.

13. 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 placement.

14. Prizes will be distributed via check payable in US currency within thirty (30) days from the completion of the tournament, barring any protests.

ENTERING AVERAGES

15. SVIT handicap is based on 90% of the difference between a bowler’s entering average and the highest entering average of the tournament. Negative handicap will NOT be used for SVIT.

16. All bowlers entering SVIT must be able to provide proof of having an established ten-pin average acceptable to the Tournament Directors. Proof of average is defined as:

A) A credible website with free access (i.e., bowl.com, leaguesecretary.com)

B) A clear picture of scanned copy of league standings sheet

C) A hard copy of a league sheet with name and average highlighted

D) A signed paper note with average from the League Secretary with their name and phone number.

17. Bowlers to use the highest of the following scenarios when electing their entering average. These rules will apply to ALL SVIT bowling events:

A) Bowl.com 2023-2024 composite average (minimum 21 games).

B) Bowl.com 2022-2023 composite average (minimum 21 games).

C) Bowl.com 2021-2022 composite average (minimum 21 games).

E) IGBO Tournament average database (TAD) from March 15, 2023 through March 15, 2024 (minimum 18 games).

F) All others will enter at the highest entering average of the tournament.

G) 5 pin Drop rule. If 2023 book average is lower than 2021 or 2022 by 10 pins or greater. Max deduction is 5 pins.

H) If an average cannot be verified by bowl.com, leaguesecretary.com, or a bowler has a non-USBC sanctioned average, or if no average from the above rules is available, but a bowler believes they have an average that can be used, they must submit any available information and documentation to the Tournament Director as soon as possible.

18. SPORT BOWLING: USBC Rule #205 will be applied. A bowler must submit and use their adjusted Sport Bowling League average using the USBC Average Adjustment Scale (Rule #203) if this average is higher than their standard league average. Non-compliance may cause disqualification.

19. USBC Rule #319a, item 3. Bowlers are responsible for verifying his/her own average, whether submitted by the bowler, the team captain or others. If the submitted average is lower than required and results in a lower classification or more handicap, the bowler’s score is disqualified. If the submitted average is higher than required, prize winnings will be based on the submitted average. In the case of a team of two or more bowlers, the averages will be combined to determine if the correct total is higher or lower than the submitted total.

20. The average of any bowler may be adjusted at the discretion of the Tournament Director(s). Any average adjustment must be made before the completion of the entrant’s first game of competition. Per USBC, USBC and Non-USBC sanctioned leagues and tournaments may be taken into consideration for average adjustments. 

21. All claims of error must be submitted, in writing, to the Tournament Director(s) within seventy two (72) hours after the bowler or team has bowled. In matters of dispute, the decision(s) of the Director(s) will be final, unless an appeal is made in accordance with USBC Rule #329.

SUBSTITUTES AND ATTENDANCE

22. 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 Rule 24 below (USBC rules will apply).

23. There shall be shadow practice allowed before each event.

24. Substitutes are able to bowl with the Director(s) approval. Substitutes must register at least one (1) hour before the start of competition and must bowl in the same line-up position as the bowler they are replacing. Use of a substitute in an emergency that lowers the team ratio to less than 50% must be approved by the Director(s).

25. There will be NO REFUNDS after acceptance of an entry by the tournament committee.

ENTRY FEE AND PRIZE DISTRIBUTION

26. Entry Fee:

A) $115 – Standard Fee: Completed entries received at or before February 29, 2024, 11:59pm PT

B) $130 – Late Fee: Completed entries received at or after March 1, 2024.

27. Entry Fee Breakdown:

Lineage: $45

Awards & Catering Fund: $15

Prize Fund: $50.25

Administrative Fee: $4

IGBO Fee: 75¢

Total: $115.00

28. Cash prizes: A bowler may win only one (1) special awards prize. Each event has its own prize list, based on at least a 1:10 ratio. All prize fees collected for an event will be returned 100% to the participants of that event. This does not include optional events.

OPTIONAL SCRATCH MASTERS RULES

29. The Scratch Masters, in conjunction with SVIT, is an optional mixed competition open to all tournament entrants. The Scratch Masters has a separate entry fee, and the amount is based on division. Prize money for each division consists of the total entry fees received in that division.

30. The Scratch Masters divisions are defined as follows:

- Division A: Top 25% (approximate) of all entering averages - $65

- Division B: 2nd highest 25% (approximate) of all entering averages - $65

- Division C: 3rd highest 25% (approximate) of all entering averages - $55

- Division D: Lowest 25% (approximate) of all entering averages - $55

31. The tournament director may place a bowler into a higher division at their discretion. Any adjustment will be made before the entrant bowls any Singles, Doubles, or Team event and will be based on verified average information.

32. The scratch scores from Team and Doubles events ONLY from SVIT will be used to determine the six (6) qualifiers and one alternate in each division.  Scores DO NOT carry over from the regular tournament. A tie for 6th position is broken by using the tied bowlers scratch scores from the Singles competition to determine the qualifier.

33.  All six (6) qualifiers will get practice on all lanes assigned to their division prior to the start of Scratch Masters.

34. The bowler that finishes first for qualifying from their division will get an automatic bye for the first round.

A) Round 1 - All six (6) bowlers (including the top bowler with a bye) will bowl two games, three (3) bowlers per pair. Starting lane will be determined by draw. Players will switch lanes after each game. No bonus pins are awarded. The two-game series will be calculated and the low total of the five (5) bowlers without an automatic bye will be eliminated. The first round bowler that has a bye has the option not to bowl the first round, however, there will not be a warmup pair for bowlers to bowl on.

B) Round 2 - The remaining five (5) bowlers will bowl two games, three (3) bowlers on one pair and two (2) bowlers on the other pair. Starting lanes will again be determined by draw.  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 low total will be eliminated.

C) The remaining four (4) bowlers will now bowl a single game elimination style, on a single pair, the low bowler eliminated. We will continue in this fashion with the final three (3) bowlers bowling one (1) game and the low score bowler is eliminated. The final two (2) bowlers will bowl one (1) final game to determine the Champion. Games will be switch between 2 pairs after each game.

35. In the event of a tie a 9th and 10th frame roll-off will determine the winner.

36. The match game competition event will begin 30 minutes following the Singles Competition of SVIT on Sunday, March 17, 2024. ALL Scratch Masters divisions will bowl at the scheduled time at 4th Street Lanes.

37. Bowlers must check in to the tournament room following Singles Competition. Any bowlers not checked in will be replaced with alternates, forfeiting participation rights. NO EXCEPTIONS.

38. Any claims of error in the roll-off competition must be submitted before the start of the next match. In case of an error in the final match, any claims must be reported within one (1) hour after the end of the last match.

39. The Optional Scratch Masters payout will be 100% of the entry fees (less $10 for lineage) paid by participants by division. The award ratio by division shall be at a minimum of 1 in 2 entries, with a maximum of 6 places paid in each division.

40. If fewer than six (6) bowlers in any division who sign up for Optional Scratch Masters, they will be given the option of having their fee refunded or moving up to the next higher division.

41. Divisions will be announced once registration has closed and all averages have been verified. If you are placed in a division you don't wish to be in based on how we have them defined then you will be given the option for a refund.