2022 Individual Player National Championship Tournament Logistics Information
The 2022 Individual Player National Championship Tournament (IPNCT) was held at the Hyatt Regency O'Hare Chicago in Rosemont, Illinois (near Chicago), on April 3, 2022.
The IPNCT is NAQT’s championship tournament for individual players. It is split into two divisions: one for high school students and one for middle school students.
Contents
Date
April 3, 2022 (Sunday). This is the same weekend (and site) as NAQT’s 2022 Intercollegiate Championship Tournament, but the IPNCT is a completely separate event.
Participants will check in on Saturday, April 2.
All gameplay will occur on Sunday, April 3.
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.
COVID-19 Safety
To protect all participants and their communities, NAQT has established the following policies pertaining to COVID-19 safety:
Vaccination Requirement
All participants must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19.
- This applies to everyone attending the championship in person—players, coaches, chaperones, staff, and spectators.
- “Fully vaccinated” means, as of the beginning of the tournament, being vaccinated in accordance with the definition of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (If the CDC changes its definition after March 1, 2022, the definition from March 1 will be used.)
- Participants are furthermore very strongly encouraged to receive booster doses if eligible.
- The vaccine must be one approved or authorized for emergency use in the United States (Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson/Janssen) or an approved multiple-dose mix thereof. Prospective participants who have received a different COVID-19 vaccine should discuss their situation with NAQT.
NAQT has prepared responses to frequent questions and comments about this policy as well as suggestions for coaches with challenges navigating this policy in the context of their school.
Implementation of Vaccination Requirement
Before the tournament, all participants must sign a participation agreement covering several topics, including an attestation that the participant meets the above requirements. For participants who are minors, the minor’s parent/guardian must also sign, and for high school students who have attained the age of majority, the student’s parent/guardian is still strongly encouraged to sign. This agreement includes specific penalties for misrepresentation of vaccination status. Participation agreements must be submitted electronically by Sunday, March 20, 2022.
At the tournament, staff will examine each participant’s proof of vaccination (official vaccination card) and photo identification, verifying vaccination status and that the photo identification matches both the person presenting it and the person identified on the proof of vaccination. Photographs of proof of vaccination are acceptable, but other electronic “passes” are not, nor are documents other than official vaccination cards.
Once a participant’s documents have been checked, staff will place a wristband on the participant as evidence of completion of the verification process. The wristband must be worn throughout the tournament; no one without such a wristband (other than hotel staff) will be permitted in tournament areas. If a wristband must be removed, there will be a procedure for replacing it (including re-checking of documents), but it is expected that players should keep the same wristband throughout the weekend; wristbands will be safe to shower with.
Participants must complete the above steps (proving vaccination status and receiving a wristband) before partaking in any other tournament activities, such as scrimmages, or otherwise being in any other space used by the tournament.
If a participant is unable or unwilling to provide the requisite documents (participation agreement in advance; proof of vaccination and photo identification on-site), they will not be permitted to attend. If they are already on-site, they will not be permitted in areas of the hotel used by the tournament.
Mask Requirement
All participants must wear well-fitted masks that fully cover their nostrils and mouth at all times when in indoor spaces used by the tournament. The sole exception is when a participant is actively eating or drinking. Participants should not eat or drink during games or when in close proximity to others.
Tournament staff will be understanding of momentary, inadvertent lapses due to masks falling, with reminders issued as necessary. However, participants should be aware of their mask situation and adjust the mask promptly if it falls, without having to be reminded. (A well-fitted mask should not fall often.)
Players may want to wear the type of mask they plan to use in advance of the tournament to ensure it is comfortable, well-fitting, and easy to speak through. (Reusable masks should be laundered before use at the tournament if previously worn.)
Frequent or prolonged lapses in mask-wearing, or the failure to make a good-faith effort to comply with the mask requirement, will not be tolerated.
NAQT recommends N95, KN95, KF94, or similar masks. Surgical and cloth masks are acceptable but not preferred. Vented masks, bandannas, or other items not designed for the purpose of proper masking are not acceptable. Face shields are not acceptable on their own (but may be used in addition to a mask). Participants are expected to provide their own masks.
Other
NAQT will be able to support contact tracing with its records of what players (and other participants) are involved with games at what times and with what other people, including scrimmage and consolation games. NAQT is not able to track locations and interactions that are not part of these records, such as specific paths of inter-game travel and informal interactions.
NAQT will adapt its ordinary procedures, such as opening meetings, to avoid the need for large, close gatherings.
All participants are encouraged to wash their hands frequently, cough or sneeze into their elbow, and maintain other standard hygienic practices.
Changes
NAQT reserves the right to modify these plans as conditions change closer to the tournament. However, in the interest of allowing for participants to plan with confidence, NAQT is unlikely to make changes unless absolutely necessary.
Schedule
All of the competition will take place on Sunday. The primary check-in time will be Saturday evening, but players may also check in Sunday morning.
This schedule is final.
All times are listed in Central time.
Saturday Evening
Time | Event | Location | Area |
---|---|---|---|
7:00 – 9:30 p.m. | Vaccination status verification and check-in | Conference Center foyer | Lobby Level |
Sunday
Time | Event | Location | Area |
---|---|---|---|
7:00 – 7:55 a.m. | Secondary vaccination status verification and check-in | Conference Center foyer | Lobby Level |
7:45 – 8:15 a.m. | Staff meeting | Hartsfield | Lobby Level |
8:00 – 8:15 a.m. | Player meeting | O'Hare Ballroom | Lobby Level |
8:30 – 11:30 a.m. | Rounds 1–3 | Throughout the hotel | |
11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. | Lunch (on your own) | Buffet available in O'H American Grill | Lobby Level |
12:30 – 2:30 p.m. | Rounds 4–5 | Throughout the hotel | |
2:30 – 3:30 p.m. | Middle School final | O'Hare Ballroom | Lobby Level |
3:30 – 4:30 p.m. | High School final | O'Hare Ballroom | Lobby Level |
After finals | Awards | O'Hare Ballroom | Lobby Level |
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.
Information Desk
During check-in on Saturday evening, NAQT will take questions at the check-in tables. On Sunday, during the tournament itself, the Information Desk will be in the Conference Center foyer (Lobby Level). The Information Desk should be the first destination for any questions about or issues with the tournament (other than protests, which must be lodged within the game room).
Participants may also text 213‑279‑6278 (“NAQT”) with questions if it is inconvenient for them to get to the Information Desk (standard messaging rates apply). Tournament staff will answer incoming messages as quickly as they can.
In general, lost-and-found items will be taken to the Information Desk during the tournament. We will notify owners to the extent we can identify them. At the end of the tournament, any unclaimed items will be brought to the hotel’s general lost-and-found.
Gameplay Rules
The tournament will use NAQT’s standard rules with the IPNCT modifications. In brief:
- There are only tossups (no bonuses).
- Games are untimed.
- There are no notions of teammates or captains.
- Games will start with three or more (typically eight to ten) players at once.
- In group games, an interrupt penalty will be assessed for every incorrect answer given before the question is completely read.
- In group games, players may secure a high placement and be removed from the game (“buzz out”) before it is over, depending on their performance.
- In group games, a question only “goes dead” when time expires or every active player has answered incorrectly.
- There are no timeouts in group games, but there will be periodic score checks.
Eligibility
The high school division is open to all players eligible to compete for their school (or homeschool) team according to NAQT’s High School Eligibility Rules; the middle school division is open to all players eligible to compete for their school (or homeschool) team according to NAQT’s Middle School Eligibility Rules.
In general terms, this tournament is open to all students in grade 12 or below from any kind of school anywhere in the world. Players with special eligibility circumstances may write to eligibility@naqt.com for a ruling on their situations.
Qualification
There is no qualification procedure for the Individual Player National Championship Tournament. NAQT welcomes all players who want to see how their knowledge, anticipation, and buzzer speed stack up against the very best.
Field
These players attended the tournament.
Format
The following format will be used (separately in each division).
The tournament will consist entirely of group games, in which up to nine players compete in each room. There are special gameplay rules for group games.
All players will compete in Rounds 1–5. The top players from those games (top nine in the High School Division, top eight in the Middle School Division) will advance to the finals (Round 6).
Within each game, players will be ranked by the order in which they buzz out (by reaching a specified score), or if they do not buzz out, by other criteria, starting with points earned in that game. The threshold to buzz out is 60 points in Round 1 and 90 points in subsequent rounds (except the finals).
- Round 1: 48 tossups
- The players will be seeded and placed into game rooms of balanced strength.
- Round 2: 72 tossups
- The game rooms will be balanced in strength based on players’ Round 1 performances.
- Round 3: 72 tossups
- The game rooms will not be balanced in strength so as to make finer distinctions between players with similar performances thus far.
- Lunch is after Round 3.
- Round 4: 72 tossups (elimination games)
- The game rooms will be balanced in strength based on players’ Round 3 performances. There will be a limit on how many players may buzz out; after that limit is reached, the remaining players will play for the rest of the game. The top three (High School Division) or four (Middle School Division) players in each game will remain in contention for the championship; the other players will have been eliminated from contention (but will continue playing in Round 5).
- In this round, if at the end of a game there is a tie among players who have not buzzed out and the tie determines who will be eliminated from championship contention, the tie will be broken by further play (three tossups, followed by sudden death if the tie remains). Other than this, players will be ranked within each game the same way as they were in previous rounds.
- Round 5: 72 tossups (elimination games in some rooms)
- Some rooms will contain players who remain in contention for the championship; in these rooms, there will be a limit to how many players may buzz out, and the top three (High School Division) or four (Middle School Division) players will go on to the finals. In the other rooms, there is no limit on how many players may buzz out.
- In this round, if at the end of a game there is a tie among players who have not buzzed out and the tie determines who will be eliminated from championship contention, the tie will be broken by further play (three tossups, followed by sudden death if the tie remains). Other than this, players will be ranked within each game the same way as they were in previous rounds.
- Round 6 (finals): 80 tossups (nine players) in the High School Division, 72 tossups (eight players) in the Middle School Division
- There is no buzzing out.
- After 24 tossups, the player with the lowest score will be eliminated. Every 8 tossups after this, the remaining player with the lowest score will be eliminated. Other than at the end of regulation, if there is a tie for the lowest-scoring player, the standard statistical tiebreakers will be used. If at the end of regulation there is a tie, standard gameplay tiebreakers will be used (three tossups, followed by sudden death if the tie remains).
The players in the finals will be ranked by their performance in that game. Other players will be ranked based on the round in which they were eliminated from contention for the championship and by their performance in any subsequent placement games.
The IPNCT format is based on the Hillemann Singles Format pioneered by NAQT Member Emeritus Eric Hillemann in 1997.
Fees and Payment
Registration has closed.
The registration fee is $220 per player.
The registration fee only covers participation in the tournament. It does not cover transportation, lodging, food or other expenses.
Cancellation
Players who cancel on or after February 27 but before March 15 will owe a cancellation fee equal to 50% of the registration fee. Players who cancel on or after March 15 (including no-shows) will owe the entire registration fee. Those deadlines notwithstanding, every player will have a one-week grace period from the day on which they register, during which they may cancel with no penalty. Failure to submit participation agreements on time may be treated as a cancellation, including incurring a cancellation fee, at NAQT’s discretion.
Cancellation due to COVID-19
NAQT expects all prospective participants to follow the recommendations of the CDC (and any other applicable health agencies) with regard to isolation, quarantine, not traveling, etc., based on testing positive for COVID-19, having symptoms thereof, or having been exposed to people who are symptomatic or who have tested positive, etc.—even if that means they are unable to participate in the tournament.
NAQT will waive cancellation fees for any player who is unable to participate due to following such recommendations or whose chaperone is unable to participate due to following such recommendations, though NAQT strongly prefers players whose chaperone is unable to participate for this reason to find an alternative chaperone if at all possible. For a cancellation fee waiver, notice should be given to NAQT as early as possible, supporting documentation or information may be required, and the offer is only available to players who are in full compliance with other requirements pertaining to payment, submission of participation agreements, etc.
Payment
Once you have finished registering, click “View Cost.” Follow the page’s instructions to request an invoice (so we have the proper billing information), and you will be offered the opportunity to pay by credit card. If the information is not correct, write to billing@naqt.com with the details.
You can also pay by sending a check, payable to “NAQT,” to
National Academic Quiz Tournaments, LLC
11521 W 69th St
Shawnee, KS 66203–3749
Spots in the field are not guaranteed until payment is received.
Questions
The high school division will use the tossups from the Division II ICT set, plus perhaps additional (newly written) tossups. No bonuses will be used at this tournament. High school players unfamiliar with college-level questions may see a sample of a past year’s Division II ICT set.
The middle school division will use a set of tossups newly written for this tournament that are at approximately the level of NAQT’s regular Invitational Series. These questions will be similar in difficulty to the questions used for the playoff rounds at the Middle School National Championship Tournament). Middle school players may check out NAQT’s sample regular Invitational Series packet to get an idea of the likely difficulty.
Participation Agreements
Every person attending the tournament—including players, coaches, chaperones, and spectators—must sign a participation agreement covering expectations, the vaccination requirement, media coverage, etc. All agreements must be submitted to participate@naqt.com by Sunday, March 20, 2022.
For players who are under age 18, both the player and their parent/guardian must sign the agreement. For players who have reached age 18, NAQT strongly recommends and requests that the parent/guardian sign in addition to the player.
Download Agreement Form for High School Division Middle School Division
Participants who are not players (i.e., coaches, chaperones, and spectators), may complete either version.
The signature(s) on the participation agreement must be handwritten, not typed. The agreement may be submitted by sending a scan or photo to participate@naqt.com. Only the last page is required unless the participant is indicating a preference not to be recorded (in which case the page with the checkbox to indicate that preference must be included).
Chaperones
Every player must have a chaperone, subject to the following rules:
- The chaperone must be a legal adult.
- The chaperone must be reachable by text message (at a number provided to NAQT) throughout the tournament, to the maximum extent possible given availability of cellular networks.
- The chaperone must be with the player at most times during the tournament, traveling, and downtime. If the chaperone is not with the player, NAQT is not obligated to contact the chaperone in situations short of an emergency. In particular, NAQT will not contact absent chaperones regarding protests.
- The chaperone must always be near enough to the player to (physically) reach them in less than ten minutes.
- The chaperone may also be the chaperone for other players at the tournament, thus potentially reducing their regular proximity to the player (but without nullifying any of these requirements).
- The chaperone must comply with the COVID-19 safety policies, including the requirement to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 and prove that status before participating.
- The chaperone must complete a participation agreement.
- The chaperone must be the same person for the entire tournament.
All players’ parents/guardians must affirm (via the participation agreement) that they accept their child’s chaperone and the chaperone’s role of responsibility.
Players who wish to request a variance from the chaperone policy should write to NAQT at ipnct@naqt.com well in advance of the tournament to discuss their situation.
Checking In
There are two parts of check-in, which need not be completed at the same time.
Everyone (players, coaches, chaperones, and spectators) must prove their vaccination status and receive a wristband before participating in any other aspect of the tournament (including, but not limited to, the remainder of the check-in process) or being in other space used by the tournament. This process will be available starting Saturday evening. All participants will need their official vaccination card (or photograph thereof) and a photo ID for this step. The remainder of this section covers the “traditional” tournament check-in process.
The primary check-in period will be from 7:00 to 9:30 p.m. in the Conference Center (Lobby Level) on Saturday, April 2. During this period NAQT will distribute information folders, answer questions, and take care of other administrative matters. There is a late check-in period on Sunday morning, but NAQT would prefer that as many players as possible check in on Saturday night.
To check in, each player (or their chaperone) should come to the check-in area to receive their information folder.
In past years there has been a long line just after check-in opens, so we encourage players to keep an eye on the line and check in when the line is short. There is no need to check in immediately.
Players that don’t arrive at the hotel until after 9:30 p.m. on Saturday may check in between 7:00 and 8:00 a.m. Players that checked in on Saturday do not need to check in again on Sunday.
Since the Intercollegiate Championship Tournament (ICT) is using many of the same questions on Saturday at the same site, no competitor (or coach or spectator with ties to a competitor) in the IPNCT may watch any part of the ICT, including the awards ceremony. Similarly, no ICT participant or attendee (in any capacity) may be a coach, chaperone, or player at the IPNCT. This applies to both divisions of the ICT and both divisions of the IPNCT.
Standby List
Potential competitors willing to travel to the tournament site without a guaranteed spot may sign up for the standby list. Such players will only play if a spot opens up, and if they play, they will play for free.
Awards
In each division, all players who have not been eliminated after the end of the first five or six group rounds will receive plaques. The top players in each subject area (history, literature, etc.) will also receive plaques.
Each plaque will be personalized with the name of the player and have a list of their overall finish and top subject performances. These plaques will be ordered by NAQT following the tournament and shipped to the players who earned them.
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 at the Information Desk to validate their parking ticket. (Do not use the manual validator box if you are staying overnight at the hotel.)
Hotel
The official hotel for the tournament is the Hyatt Regency O’Hare. (There are two Hyatt hotels in Rosemont; the one hosting the tournament is the Hyatt Regency O’Hare.)
Rooms with one king bed are available for $119/night and rooms with two double beds are available for $127 per night. To receive this rate, rooms must be booked using NAQT’s group reservation link before March 17, 2022 (and before the room block fills). It is also possible to book by calling 800-544-9288 and mentioning NAQT and/or the group code “ICT2,” but hold times are often long.
Between the IPNCT and the other events scheduled for the Hyatt Regency O’Hare, it is expected that the hotel will run out of rooms. NAQT strongly recommends that participants book their rooms as early as possible, particularly if they want rooms with two double beds.
As part of the contract negotiated by NAQT, the hotel will offer complimentary Internet access in guest rooms to tournament participants and their families.
Food
The hotel has several options for food, though the details have been changing amid the pandemic.
There is a food court with a variety of typical food-court-style restaurants at the Fashion Outlets of Chicago mall at 5220 Fashion Outlets Way. To get to the Fashion Outlets from the hotel, walk west on Bryn Mawr, turn left onto River Road, then turn right onto Balmoral Avenue until you get to Fashion Outlets Way. The food court is a 15-minute walk from the hotel.
There are also several restaurants offering more formal dining at the Parkway Bank Park Entertainment District. These are more suited for evening meals and are a twelve-minute walk away.
Participants can also order carry-out or delivery from local restaurants.
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). At least one such staff member will generally be available at the Information Desk during tournament hours; if no such person is available (e.g., due to being on a break), the other Information Desk staff can be asked to have a senior tournament official come to the Information Desk to hear the report. Additional 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.
Practice Material
Participants may be interested in practicing on questions from previous years to prepare for the event. All of NAQT’s past regular-season sets are available, as are the sets from previous championships.
Participants may also want to study frequency lists, Power Up study guides, and/or Thumbs Up! question anthologies. These are also available on our practice materials page.
Finally, participants may want to look at the information contained in NAQT’s free You Gotta Know articles before the tournament. These detail the most frequently asked-about question topics in a wide variety of areas.
Spectators
Spectators are welcome to attend any part of the tournament (though some areas may have limited capacity).
Spectators are required to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19, including the requirement to complete a participation agreement and submit it before the tournament, and to prove their vaccination status before spectating.
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.
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.
Further Questions
To ask specific questions about the IPNCT, write to ipnct@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!
Social Media
The official hashtag for the tournament is ipnct; 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 anyone else at all.
We will post highlights from the tournament on NAQT’s social media, especially Twitter (@NAQTLive) and Instagram (@NAQTqb).