2024 Tournament Rules

Sanctioning

1. The 2025 Chuzapalooza tournament is a USBC certified tournament and will be held in accordance with USBC rules and regulations.

2. The tournament is a mixed handicap competition open to men and women by invitation only.

3. All participants are required to hold a current 2024-2025 USBC membership card (Rule 300c). Participants who are not a member of USBC can qualify for an entry in accordance with USBC Rule 300c-2.

4. All participants must be a member of IGBO. If the participant is not a member of IGBO, in any of its membership classes, he or she must become an IGBO Associate member and pay the appropriate Associate membership fee (currently $25). The participant shall have the opportunity to apply for Associate Membership at the time of registration.

Event Participation

5. 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 men and women. Men and women will compete on an equal basis. Doubles Partners must come from the same team.

6. Each participant may bowl only once in each event

7. Only one (1) professional bowler per team will be allowed. A professional Bowler is defined as any person who presently carries or has been a “Card-Carrying” member of a professional bowling organization within the past twelve (12) months preceding the 2025 Chuzapalooza Tournament.

Awards and Cash Prizes

8. All cash prizes shall be based on the Total Pins PLUS assigned handicap for each regular event (except for the Scratch Roll-Off). Cash prizes will be offered for the singles, doubles, and team events. In lieu of an optional scratch event, there will be a Chuza Bowl, which will be the total number of strikes bowled in all three events and will be contested in each bowlers' division.

9. Awards will be given in the Handicap division for Singles, Doubles, Team, and Individual All-Events. Individual All-events is defined as the nine (9) game total plus handicap of an individual bowler and is a combined event. Individual All-Events will be trophy only.

10. Prize money will be distributed via check payable in US currency within (30) days of the completion of the tournament, barring any protests. A tie in any position will result in the sum of the prizes aggregated for the tied positions and divided equally by the number of ties for that placing.

11. The prize payout ratio will be a minimum of 1:10. 100% of the Prize Fund collected per entry will be paid out.

The entry fee of $115.00, if received by midnight PST on 11/30/24 will be allocated as follows:

Lineage $40.00

Prize Fund $48.50

Awards $6.00

Banquet $18.00

IGBO Part B dues $0.75

Administration Expenses $1.75

Additional events additional:

Best 3of9 - $10

Chuza Bowl - $10

Scratch Roll-off see below.

Entering Averages

12. Any bowler entering the Chuzapalooza Tournament must establish a ten-pin average acceptable to USBC. The following rules shall be used to determine the entering average:

a) The 2023/24 USBC composite book average – or current tournament average (21-game minimum): WHICHEVER IS HIGHER for the previous 12 months prior to the start of this tournament).

b)  If none of the above is available, the 2022/2023 USBC Composite Book Average.

c)  If none of the above is available, the highest current league average as of the start of this tournament will be used. (If this average is more than 10 pins higher than the average determined in [12a] the current average will be used.

d) If none of the above is available, the highest 2023 summer league average (minimum 21 games).

e) If none of the above is available, then the entering average shall be 225 (or the high average used in rule 17).  

13. The above averages MUST be verified by the use of:

a)  The USBC book averages verified as they are computed on bowl.com.   

b)  TAD averages verified on igbo.org.  The TAD average will be the actual average that is in the

database on January 1, 2024.  Tournament scores that were bowled prior to that date, but not

entered into the database, will not be considered.

c)  League Averages verified by a photocopy of the most current league standing sheet prior to the

start of this tournament or final 2022 summer league standing sheet. 

14. Averages will be verified by USBC, TAD, or League Standing Sheets before the start of the tournament by the Committee and will be verified via the bowler upon sign-in and will stand as is with the signed agreement.

15. Challenge and Sport Condition averages will be accepted and adjusted in accordance with the USBC conversion chart for each average.

16. The handicap for the tournament shall be based on 90% of the difference between the highest bowler’s average rounded up to the nearest 5 (example: 226 average – 230 is the handicap base) or a minimum of 225.

17. Bowlers are responsible for verifying bowlers entering average, whether submitted by the bowler, the team captain, or others (Rule 319a-3). If the submitted average is lower than required and results in a lower classification or more handicap, the bowler’s score will be disqualified. If the submitted average is higher than required, prize winnings will be based on the submitted average.

Re-Rate/Average Adjustment Policy

18. The tournament director(s) have the authority to adjust the entering average of any bowler in accordance with USBC Rule 319c. If the assigned average is not accepted by the bowler, the entry fee shall be refunded.

19. As of the beginning of this tournament, any bowler who has qualified for a cash prize of three-hundred dollars ($600US) or more in any single event MUST report all positions, all amounts won and all scores for the previous 12-month period to the tournament director no later than at the time of registration for possible re-rating. Failure to report this information shall result in AUTOMATIC disqualification and loss of all winnings. No refunds will be issued for bowlers disqualified.

Attendance and Substitutes

20. 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 Rules 21 and 22 below. (USBC rules will apply).

21. Late bowlers will begin bowling in the frame in which they are ready, with prior frames scored as zero. No practice balls will be allowed for late bowlers.

22. Substitutes may bowl at the discretion of the tournament director(s). Their entering average must comply with the rules previously stated. Any substitute that cashes in singles, doubles, or team events will receive any payment in excess of the entry fee. Those monies will be returned to the paying entrant. Substitutes must complete an entry form. Substitutes will not be eligible to enter in optional events, including Scratch Roll-Off.

23. All bowlers will be given 10 minutes of practice before each event. Oiling of the lanes will occur prior to every event

24. During tournament play, there will be music played in the bowling center. There will also be regular announcements, including for drawings and other special event taking place during singles, doubles, and team events.

Entry Requirements

25. The entry fee must be paid in U.S. funds only by credit card payable to Chuzapalooza. An additional fee is required to enter Optional events and Scratch Roll-Off.

26. Entries shall be accepted at the (early registration fee of) $115.00US (+ $3.00 processing no extra with additional events) fee until midnight on November 30, 2024. From December 1, 2024 until January 6, 2025 the fee shall be $125US (+$3 processing fee no extra with additional events). No entries will be accepted after January 13, 2024.

27. Partial team entries will be accepted. The Tournament Directors will make every effort to fill any vacancies.

28. Optional events and Scratch Roll-Off can be paid at the time of registration.

Scoring Errors

29. After a score has been recorded, it cannot be changed unless there has been an obvious error in scoring or calculation. A tournament official must be notified immediately upon discovery to correct obvious errors. 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 327b)

Protests and Appeals

30. All protests and appeals will be handled in accordance with USBC Rule 329.

31. Any person attending and requiring special needs must notify the tournament director(s) in writing at least 36 hours in advance.

32. Any bowler that does not have a verifiable average cannot enter any Optional events including side pots/brackets etc.

Scratch Roll-Off.

33. Scratch Roll Off is available to eligible bowlers for an additional entry fee. Divisions are determined by the entering tournament average. Payout is 100%, minus any applicable linage fees in each division. The tournament will pay three (3) places for each division that has six (6) or more entrants. The tournament will pay two (2) places for each division that has five (5) or fewer entrants. The entry fee for this optional event is based on the average division and is as follows:

Division: Average:

Catalina 200+ $50

Rincon 185-199 $40

Santa Rita 170-184 $40

Sonora 151-169 $40

Tucson 150 and below $40

These events can be paid at ahead of time or at registration.

34. Scratch Roll Off will be based on scratch scores (without handicap) bowled in all nine (9) games of the tournament. The top six (6) bowlers in each Division will advance to the Scratch Roll Off competition. If there is a tie for the sixth spot, both bowlers will bowl in the Scratch Roll Off and three bowlers will be eliminated after the first game. The competition will consist of three (3) games. All six (6) competitors of each Division will bowl a two (2) game total pinfall with the two (2) bowlers having the lowest scores eliminated from the competition. The remaining four (4) bowlers will bowl game three (3) with the two (2) bowlers having the lowest scores eliminated from the competition. The remaining two (2) bowlers will bowl game four (4) and the bowler with the highest score will be crowned Scratch Roll Off champion for their respective Division.

35. If a TIE exists during the first two games of the scratch roll-off competition for the cut-off score, all bowlers at or above that cut-off score will advance, and three (3) or four (4) bowlers will be eliminated in the next round. If a tie occurs during the championship round, a one-frame roll-off will occur, and this will continue until a champion is crowned.

36. Qualifiers and the alternate must sign in at least fifteen (15) minutes before the match game competition is scheduled to begin. The scheduled match play competition will begin promptly at 10:00 am. A bowler that has not signed in by 9:45 a.m. will be disqualified and the alternate will be used. A disqualified bowler will forfeit their entry fee.

37. A bowler that is unable to continue during any portion of the match play will receive a score of zero for any remaining frames or games.

38. Bowlers will be allowed 10 minutes practice before the first match on any of the lanes assigned to that division. No other practice is allowed.