2019 Intercollegiate Championship Tournament Logistics Information

The 2019 Intercollegiate Championship Tournament (ICT), powered by LetterOne, was held at the Hyatt Regency O'Hare Chicago in Rosemont, Illinois (near Chicago), on April 5–6, 2019. The 2018 ICT was also held at this site.

Contents

    Date

    April 5–6, 2019 (Friday–Saturday).

    Check-in will occur on Friday, April 5, but all gameplay will be on Saturday, April 6.

    Presenting Sponsor

    NAQT is thrilled to have LetterOne as the presenting sponsor of the 2019 ICT (as well as the 2019 IPNCT and the 2019 HSNCT). LetterOne is a partnership of successful entrepreneurs and former CEOs aiming to create one of the world’s pre-eminent international investment firms. LetterOne believes quiz bowl encourages the team-based, innovative thinking that is valuable to the next generation of business leaders in the face of a new industrial revolution in which social media, robotics, 3D manufacturing, artificial intelligence, and new trade corridors are altering the landscape.

    Location

    The Hyatt Regency O'Hare Chicago hotel in Rosemont, Illinois (near Chicago). This is the official hotel, and it contains all of the competition rooms. A floor plan (PDF) is available.

    Schedule

    Note that the Division I and Division II fields will have different schedules on Saturday to accommodate different formats (due to the differing number of teams).

    This schedule is final.

    All times are listed in Central time.

    Friday Evening

    Time Event Location Area
    6:00 – 9:30 p.m. Team check-inConference Center foyer Lobby Level
    7:30 – 9:30 p.m. Staff check-inLogan Lobby Level

    Saturday Morning

    Time Event Location Area
    7:00 – 8:00 a.m. Secondary team check-inRosemont Ballroom foyer Entry Level
    7:30 – 7:45 a.m. Secondary staff check-inInternational Ballroom B International Level
    7:50 – 8:20 a.m. Staff meetingInternational Ballroom B International Level
    8:00 – 8:20 a.m. Player meetingRosemont Ballroom AB Entry Level

    Saturday Gameplay: Division I

    Time Event Location Area
    8:30 – 11:30 a.m. Preliminary rounds (1–5)Throughout the hotel
    After Round 5 Record confirmationThroughout the hotel
    11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. LunchO'H American Grill and Red Bar Lobby Level
    12:15 – 1:00 p.m. Tiebreakers (Round 6)Throughout the hotel
    1:00 – 4:00 p.m. Playoff rounds (7–11)Throughout the hotel
    After Round 11 Record ConfirmationThroughout the hotel
    4:15 – 4:45 p.m. Tiebreakers (Round 12, only if necessary)Throughout the hotel
    4:45 – 6:30 p.m. Superplayoff rounds (13–15)Throughout the hotel
    6:30 – 6:45 p.m. Break/results tabulation 
    6:45 – 6:55 p.m. Playoff announcementsRosemont Ballroom AB Entry Level
    6:55 – 8:30 p.m. Tiebreakers and finals (Rounds 16–18)Rosemont Ballroom AB Entry Level
    After finals AwardsRosemont Ballroom AB Entry Level
    After awards Buzzer returnUnited B Entry Level

    Saturday Gameplay: Division II

    Time Event Location Area
    8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Preliminary rounds (1–7)Throughout the hotel
    After Round 7 Record confirmationThroughout the hotel
    12:30 – 2:00 p.m. LunchO'H American Grill and Red Bar Lobby Level
    1:15 – 2:00 p.m. Tiebreakers (Round 8)Throughout the hotel
    2:00 – 6:00 p.m. Playoff rounds (9–14)Throughout the hotel
    6:00 – 6:15 p.m. Break/results tabulation 
    6:15 – 6:25 p.m. Playoff announcementsInternational Ballroom ABC International Level
    6:25 – 8:00 p.m. Tiebreakers and finals (Rounds 15-17)International Ballroom ABC International Level
    After DI finals AwardsRosemont Ballroom AB Entry Level
    After awards Buzzer returnUnited B Entry Level

    Note that the post-preliminary tiebreaker round (Round 6 for Division I, Round 8 for Division II) overlaps 45 minutes of lunch. Most teams will have nearly 90 minutes for lunch, but those involved in tiebreaker games will need to be back early. (These teams will be allowed to skip to the front of the lunch line at Red Bar buffet.)

    The Round 12 tiebreaker game in Division I will only be played for teams still in the running for the Overall and/or Undergraduate title. If no such tiebreaker games need to be played, the rest of the Division I schedule will be advanced by approximately 30 minutes.

    The finals (and awards) will start as soon as possible; 6:55 and 6:25 are estimates of when the Division I and Division II finals will begin, but it might be earlier.

    During the tournament, participants may text 213‑279‑6278 (“NAQT”) with questions; tournament staff will answer incoming messages as quickly as they can. Standard messaging rates apply.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    NAQT has prepared answers to frequently asked questions about its national championships.

    Rules and Eligibility

    Gameplay will follow the Official NAQT Rules. Player eligibility is governed by the College Eligibility Rules.

    Teams and players in Division II are additionally subject to the Division II eligibility rules. Teams and players competing for the Undergraduate title in Division I are subject to the Undergraduate eligibility rules.

    Qualification

    Schools qualified to send teams to the ICT through their performances at Sectional Championship Tournaments (SCTs) held in February and at the 2019 Community College Championship Tournament (CCCT). Details about the way in which schools qualify for ICT and which players may represent a school at the ICT may be found on the ICT qualification page. This page also details the effects on players’ Division II eligibility of playing in an SCT or qualifying for or playing at an ICT. NAQT has answers for some frequently asked questions about eligibility.

    Invitations will be issued electronically as quickly as possible after the completion of the last Sectional Championship Tournament.

    All invitations for the ICT are available online.

    Four Division II invitations are reserved for the top teams from the CCCT.

    Schools have one week from NAQT’s issuance of an invitation to accept or decline, though they may request an extension if additional time is required. The acceptance period may be shortened if invitations are awarded nearer to the actual tournament. To accept an invitation, see the section below on Registration. To decline an invitation, write to decline@naqt.com. (A team may later “un-decline” a declined invitation, in which case it will be placed first on the waitlist.)

    Field

    These teams attended the tournament.

    The expansion of the Division I field (from 2017’s 32 teams) is made possible by the continuing support of the ICT’s presenting sponsor, LetterOne.

    Format

    Division I

    The 36-team field will be initially seeded into six balanced preliminary pools of six teams. Each pool will play a round robin (Rounds 1–5). Teams will then be repooled into six new playoff pools of six teams. There will be two “top-tier” playoff pools, two “middle-tier,” and two “bottom-tier.” The top two teams from each preliminary pool will advance to the top-tier playoff pools (so that each top-tier playoff pool contains three preliminary-pool winners and three preliminary-pool runners up), numbers three and four advance to the second-tier pools, and so forth. Advancement will be determined by overall record (possibly involving tiebreaker games played during Round 6).

    Each playoff pool will then play a round robin (Rounds 7–11). After Round 11, the teams will be repooled into six superplayoff pools of six teams based on overall record. The top superplayoff pool will consist of the top three teams from each top-tier playoff pool, the second superplayoff pool will consist of the bottom three teams from each top-tier playoff pool, and so on. Ties affecting superplayoff pool assignments will be broken by a tiebreaker game in Round 12 for teams in contention for the overall and/or undergraduate championships. Other ties affecting superplayoff pool assignments will be broken by points per tossup heard. Ties not affecting superplayoff pool assignment will be broken alphabetically. (The possible existence of these tiebreaker games during Round 12 is the only difference from the 2018 Division I format.) If no tiebreaker games are needed in Round 12, the remaining schedule for the Division I portion of the tournament will be advanced by approximately 30 minutes.

    Each team will then play the three teams in its superplayoff pool that it did not play in its playoff pool (Rounds 13–15). At the conclusion of Round 15, the top two teams in the top superplayoff pool (by overall record) will advance to the tournament finals. Ties for the top two spots will be broken during Round 16, if necessary.

    Tiebreaker games played in Rounds 6 and/or 12 do not count toward a team’s overall record.

    If the top two undergraduate teams are six or fewer spots apart in the rankings after Round 15, they will play a similar one- or two-game final (regardless of their records). If the top undergraduate team is involved in the overall finals (or play-in games for the overall finals), it will be awarded the undergraduate title outright.

    A complete description of the Division I format (PDF) is available.

    Division II

    Division II will use the same format as the 2018 Intercollegiate Championship Tournament. Teams will be initially divided into four preliminary pools of eight teams, each of which will play a round robin (Rounds 1–7). These teams will be repooled into four new playoff pools of eight (the top two advance to the top pool, numbers three and four advance to the second pool, and so forth) for a second round robin. Advancement will be determined by overall record (possibly involving tiebreaker games played during Round 8).

    In the second round robin, teams will play the six teams they haven’t yet faced (Rounds 9–14). At the conclusion of Round 14, the top two teams in the top playoff pool (by overall record) will advance to the finals. Ties for the top two spots will be broken during Round 15, if necessary. (Round 8 tiebreaker games do not count in final records.)

    A complete description of the Division II format (PDF) is available.

    Both Divisions

    In both divisions, if the top two teams have identical records, they will play a one-game final for the championship. If one team has a one-win advantage, they will play an advantaged final (in which the second team needs to win two straight games). If one team has a two-game advantage, it will win the tournament outright (with no final).

    Placement games will be played if necessary to decide third place.

    Registration

    Registration has closed.

    The registration fee is $415 per team.

    The registration fee only covers participation in the tournament. It does not cover transportation, lodging, food or other expenses.

    Buzzer Discounts

    Teams who bring a working buzzer system to the tournament will be eligible for a $20 discount on the registration fee if it meets NAQT’s national-championship standards. There may be some surprises in that policy! Please read it in advance to make sure your system qualifies.

    Unless otherwise approved by NAQT, no team may receive more than two buzzer-system discounts.

    Timing

    NAQT will only award the discount for buzzer systems that it may keep until the completion of the awards ceremony; if you cannot commit to those times, do not register to bring a buzzer system!

    Staff member discounts ($75) are only automatically available to teams who notify NAQT on or before March 1 that they will be bringing a staff member. Teams indicating an interest after that date may be extended the discount at NAQT’s discretion. Teams are responsible for the travel and housing costs of staff members for which they receive discounts. In addition, after March 1, commitments to bring staff members will be considered final. Teams who promise to bring a staff member, but who cancel that staff member on or after March 2, will be charged a $50 penalty (in addition to forfeiting the discount).

    Discounts are only available for dedicated staff members; a team may not claim a single staff-member discount by having one team member keep score for the morning rounds and a different team member keep score for the afternoon rounds. Note that team-provided staff members will not, in general, keep score for their own team.

    In addition, as of Friday, March 1, invitation acceptances will be considered final. Should a team cancel on or after March 2 but before March 15, it will still be liable for 50% of the base registration fee. Teams that cancel on or after March 15 (including tournament no-shows) will be liable for the entire base registration fee.

    Teams should register online to ensure that NAQT has their information. After NAQT receives that registration information, an invoice will be generated. Rosters may be changed at any time before the start of the ICT, so it is neither necessary nor desirable to wait to register until a team’s composition has been definitively decided. Register as soon as possible and update that registration if and when the composition of a team changes.

    All participating schools will receive copies of the questions for the division(s) in which they have entered teams. Each division will have 17 packets of 24 tossups and 24 bonuses each. Teams that leave early or that forget to pick up their questions may have them shipped after the completion of the tournament at no extra charge.

    Payment

    Payment is due by the beginning of the tournament. NAQT strongly prefers payment prior to tournament check-in but also accepts payments at check-in. Schools that will be unable to pay by this time (typically for reasons related to school bureaucracies) should discuss their situation with NAQT well in advance.

    NAQT may specify earlier payment deadlines for specific teams, especially those for which the school is not paying.

    NAQT will send invoices well in advance of the tournament. If you would like to pay or request an invoice earlier, once you have entered all the information that can affect costs (but not necessarily entered your roster), at the bottom of your registration page, click “View Cost.” Verify that the listed information is correct, and if so, follow the instructions to request an invoice so that we have the proper billing information. You will also be offered the opportunity to pay by credit card.

    Checks, payable to “NAQT,” should be sent to

    National Academic Quiz Tournaments, LLC
    11521 W 69th St
    Shawnee, KS 66203–3749

    Please send questions about billing to billing@naqt.com.

    Checking In

    The primary check-in period will be from 6:00 to 9:30 p.m. in the Conference Center (Lobby Level) on Friday, April 5. During this period NAQT will distribute information folders, answer questions, process payments, verify rosters, and take care of other administrative matters. There is a late check-in period on Saturday morning, but NAQT would prefer that as many teams as possible check in on Friday night.

    To check in, each team should send only one representative to the check-in area. That person will be given the team’s information folder. Others should not enter the check-in area.

    Teams that don’t arrive at the hotel until after 9:30 p.m. on Friday may check in between 7:00 and 8:00 a.m. in the Rosemont Ballroom foyer (Entry Level). Teams that checked in on Friday do not need to check in again on Saturday.

    Awards

    The top three teams in Division I (Overall), Division I (Undergraduate), and Division II (Overall) will each receive team trophies and their members (and coaches) will receive individual awards. In addition, the top eight individual scorers in Division I, the top eight individual scorers in Division II, and the top four undergraduate scorers in Division I will be given All-Star awards.

    Individual All-Star awards will be based solely on the preliminary rounds, not the playoff rounds.

    Transportation

    Flights

    Participants are strongly encouraged to fly into Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD), which is extremely close to the hotel. They may also fly into Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW), but it is much less convenient.

    Ground Transportation

    The hotel runs a free shuttle every 15 or 30 minutes (depending on time of day) to transport people from O’Hare to the hotel (and vice versa). As of 2024, the shuttle pickup location has changed; it is now outside of Door 2A on the Arrivals Level of Terminal 2. There is also a pickup location by Door 5E in Terminal 5, but that is much less convenient for most domestic arrivals.

    There is no such shuttle for Midway. A taxi between Midway and the hotel will cost $35 or more, or you can take the CTA’s Orange and Blue Lines for $3 per person (getting on at the Midway Orange Line station, transferring to the Blue Line downtown, and getting off at the Rosemont Blue Line station, which is about one block from the hotel).

    Driving Directions

    The hotel’s address is 9300 Bryn Mawr Avenue, Rosemont, Illinois.

    Parking

    Parking standard vehicles at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare costs $15/day, including in-and-out privileges. Participants traveling to the tournament in buses should contact the hotel in advance to discuss parking options.

    To receive the discounted parking rate, participants staying at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare should mention when checking into their guest rooms (not the tournament) that they have parked at the hotel and validate their ticket. Participants not staying at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare should use the manual validator box outside the control room to validate their parking ticket. (Do not use the manual validator box if you are staying overnight at the hotel.)

    Hotel

    The Hyatt Regency O’Hare (9300 Bryn Mawr Avenue, Rosemont, Illinois) is both the official hotel and the competition site for the tournament.

    Rooms with one king bed are available for $115 per night; rooms with two double beds are available for $123 per night. To receive this rate, rooms must be booked before March 18, 2019 (and before the room block fills).

    Rooms may be booked online or reserved by calling the hotel at 847-696-1234.

    Teams that book rooms at the as part of NAQT’s official block are guaranteed to have free wireless Internet access in their guest rooms and in the public areas (but not in the meeting rooms).

    Food

    Thanks to the support of LetterOne, a buffet lunch at the hotel will be provided to all tournament players, coaches, and staff. Teams will receive food tickets at their record confirmation meeting (right before lunch) that can be tendered as payment. Teams that have tiebreaker games will be given “Priority” tickets allowing them to skip ahead of other tournament participants in the lunch line.

    Tickets will specifically direct their holders to eat at either O’H American Grill or Red Bar for lunch. The buffets offered at each location will be very similar.

    T-Shirts

    Thanks to the championship’s sponsor, LetterOne, each player will receive an event T-shirt at check-in.

    Advocate Program

    Because NAQT believes that quiz bowl is an activity for everybody, and in which all participants should feel welcome and respected, we have established the Advocate Program to make sure select tournament staff are available to hear reports about problematic behavior and comments by anyone at the tournament.

    Staff wearing blue ribbons that say “Advocate” have been specifically selected to receive reports about inappropriate behavior (as opposed to run-of-the-mill questions about the quiz bowl aspects of the tournament). Advocate Program staff will be available in many places around the tournament site.

    Feedback about problematic behavior can, of course, always be sent to NAQT by email (advocate@naqt.com) or other channels such as the Misconduct Reporting Form, but the Advocate Program is intended to allow for in-person reporting of sensitive complaints on-site so they can be handled immediately.

    Reports are confidential to the extent permitted by law and NAQT’s agreements to share critical information with other quiz bowl organizations.

    Spectators

    Spectators are welcome to attend any part of the tournament (though some areas may have limited capacity).

    No registration or tickets are required for spectators.

    Sightseeing

    Chicago has a variety of world-class attractions that should appeal to anybody, especially to quiz bowlers!

    The easiest way to reach most of Chicago’s downtown attractions is to ride the Chicago Transit Authority’s (CTA’s) ‘L’ trains, for which there is a stop within easy walking distance of the hotel: Exit the hotel and walk west on Bryn Mawr; turn right on River Road and pass under I-190 and the CTA tracks. The entrance to Rosemont station on the CTA Blue Line will be on your right. Board trains bound for “Loop” or “Forest Park” (not for O’Hare!) for the 35-minute ride into downtown Chicago.

    Once you’re downtown, the Art Institute of Chicago (Blue Line to Monroe, walk 1 block south to Adams and 3 blocks east) features dozens of tossup-worthy works, including Nighthawks and American Gothic, and adjoins both Millennium Park and Grant Park, home to Cloud Gate (“The Bean”) and Buckingham Fountain, respectively. Just a bit further south is the Museum Campus (Blue Line to Jackson, walk 1 block east to State Street and Jackson and catch bus 146 toward Museum Campus), which is home to three major institutions: the Shedd Aquarium, the Field Museum of Natural History, and the historic Adler Planetarium, which was the first planetarium in the Americas.

    The Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower; Blue Line to Jackson, walk 4 blocks west) offers stunning views of the Chicago skyline; so does 875 North Michigan Avenue (formerly the John Hancock Center; Blue Line to Chicago station, bus 66 toward Navy Pier), located on Michigan Avenue in the heart of famed Magnificent Mile. Further afield are the Lincoln Park Zoo (Blue Line to Western, bus 73 to Clark/North), the Chicago History Museum (5 minutes walk from the zoo), and the Museum of Science and Industry (Blue Line to Jackson, walk 1 block east to State Street and Jackson and catch bus 6 toward 79th/South Shore), which is housed in a structure originally built for the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition.

    Social Media

    The official hashtag for the tournament is ict; please use this tag for all posts about the tournament.

    Remember that question content for the championship cannot be posted online (or shared through other channels)! This means that players, coaches, spectators, and moderators should not discuss clues, answers, or even overall themes (e.g., “Lots of opera”) with people on other teams (even those from the same school).

    We will post highlights from the tournament on NAQT’s social media, especially Twitter (@NAQTLive) and Instagram (@NAQTqb).

    NAQT Nationals app logo

    Companion Mobile App

    NAQT has created a companion mobile app for attendees. The app includes the tournament schedule (with the ability to set reminders for various events, on iOS), links to results, maps of the venue, help reaching the Information Desk, connections to social media, and other important documents related to the tournament.

    Download on the App Store Get it on Google Play

    Further Questions

    To ask specific questions about the ICT, write to ict@naqt.com.

    We look forward to answering any and all questions, no matter how expansive or trivial, in the hopes of eliminating any possible confusion or mistakes in participants’ plans. If something’s not clear, let us know!

    2019 Intercollegiate Championship Tournament

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