Single Comment

After doing a bit of math, it looks like the subtournaments method of
running the tournament wouldn't work out well unless we had exactly eight
people in the tournament. For example, if we had nine people, we could not
evenly distribute people among six eight-person subtournaments. At best,
six people would each play in five subtournaments, and three would play in
all six.

One possible alternative is to stick with subtournaments but to put seven
people in some subtournaments. In the case of nine people, three of the
subtournaments could have seven. The one drawback to this alternative is
that some people would have to sit out the first round in a subtournament,
then play against one of the three winners in the next round.

A second alternative is to have some preliminary elimination rounds that
reduce the number in the tournament to eight, then let the eight people
compete in a few subtournaments.

A third alternative is to forego subtournaments and do something else. One
possibility is to just have everyone play so many games, each against a
different opponent, moving first and second in an equal number of games.
Points would be given for wins or draws, and the tournament winner would
be whoever gets the most points. Ties would be broken with an extra game.

These alternatives have been for eight or more. If we get exactly eight, a
set of subtournaments would work well. If we get fewer than eight, then it
may be best to just have everyone play everyone else at something, then
total up points. Depending on how many signed up, people might play two or
three games with each of the others.