2022 Middle School National Championship Tournament Logistics Information
The 2022 Middle School National Championship Tournament (MSNCT) was held at the Hyatt Regency O'Hare Chicago in Rosemont, Illinois (near Chicago), on May 6–8, 2022.
Contents
Date
May 6–8, 2022 (Friday–Sunday). This is Mother’s Day weekend.
Participants will check in on Friday, May 6 and have the opportunity to meet each other and play scrimmage games.
The tournament’s preliminary games will take place on Saturday, and the playoff games will take place on Sunday. Teams may arrive earlier or stay later to explore Chicagoland at the discounted hotel rates negotiated by NAQT. Teams that cannot arrive on Friday night will have a chance to check in on Saturday morning.
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 Friday, April 29, 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 teams (and 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, people not being with their team, 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
This schedule is final.
All times are listed in Central time.
Friday Evening
Time | Event | Location | Area |
---|---|---|---|
4:00 – 9:00 p.m. | Vaccination status verification and buzzer intake | Lobby, outside Conference Center | Lobby Level |
5:00 – 9:00 p.m. | Staff check-in | Hartsfield | Lobby Level |
6:00 – 9:00 p.m. | Team check-in | Conference Center foyer | Lobby Level |
6:30 – 9:30 p.m. | Scrimmage rounds (optional) | Conference Center foyer | Entry Level |
Saturday
Time | Event | Location | Area |
---|---|---|---|
8:00 – 9:00 a.m. | Late-arrival vaccination status verification | Lobby, outside Conference Center | Lobby Level |
8:00 – 9:00 a.m. | Late arrival team check-in | Conference Center foyer | Lobby Level |
8:15 – 8:45 a.m. | Secondary staff check-in | London | International Level |
8:45 – 9:15 a.m. | Staff meeting | London | International Level |
9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. | Preliminary rounds 1–6 | Throughout the hotel | |
12:30 – 2:00 p.m. | Lunch (on your own) | ||
2:00 – 6:00 p.m. | Preliminary rounds 7–13 | Throughout the hotel | |
6:00 – 8:30 p.m. | Consolation sign-up | Online |
Sunday
Time | Event | Location | Area |
---|---|---|---|
7:30 – 8:15 a.m. | Playoff cards distributed | Conference Center foyer | Lobby Level |
8:00 – 8:25 a.m. | Playoff staff meeting | London | International Level |
8:00 – 8:25 a.m. | Consolation staff meeting | Hartsfield | Lobby Level |
8:30 a.m. – 12:00 noon | Playoff rounds 14–19 | Throughout the hotel | |
8:45 – 11:30 a.m. | Consolation rounds (optional) | Throughout the hotel | |
12:00 noon – 1:00 p.m. | Lunch (on your own) | ||
1:00 – 2:30 p.m. | Playoff rounds 20–21 | Ballrooms | |
1:00 – 4:00 p.m. | Buzzer return | Grand Ballroom Registration Desk | Entry Level |
2:30 p.m. (or earlier if ready) | Finals (round 22 and maybe 23) | Grand Ballroom ABCD | Entry Level |
After finals | Awards | Grand Ballroom ABCD | Entry Level |
Frequently Asked Questions
NAQT has prepared answers to frequently asked questions about its national championships.
Information Desk
Starting Friday evening, NAQT will operate an Information Desk in the Lobby Level Atrium. 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.
Rules and Eligibility
Gameplay will follow the Official NAQT Rules. Player eligibility is governed by the Middle School Eligibility Rules.
Qualification and Registration
Registration is limited to invited teams through Monday, January 31, 2022. Beginning Tuesday, February 1 at midnight Central time, any middle school may register, with a limit of two teams per school. Beginning Tuesday, February 15 at midnight Central time, the two-teams-per-school limit will be lifted and any middle school may register any number of teams (subject to a cap on the total field size).
Because of the open registration window, there is no wildcard process for this tournament. Teams who do not receive invitations based on their performance may register on or after February 1.
Field
These teams attended the tournament.
Format
Preliminary Rounds (1–13)
The preliminary rounds will take place using power-matching, also known as “the card system.” That is, each team’s opponents (after their first game) will depend on their performance in previous rounds, and teams will always face opponents with the same record or as near to the same record as possible. In the preliminary rounds, each team will play eight games and have five byes. Because of this system, it is not possible to know each team’s opponents in advance.
Playoff Rounds (14–23)
Teams who won five or more of their preliminary games will compete in double-elimination playoffs. The playoff bracket will be seeded by preliminary win-loss record followed by points per tossup heard. Depending on how many teams make the playoffs, some teams may receive byes.
A small number of teams will have had an additional bye in the preliminary rounds (due to there being fewer than 144 teams present). For the purpose of record and advancement to the playoffs, such byes count as forfeit wins. For example, if a team goes 4–3 in “real” games, they will be treated as 5–3 and will therefore make the playoffs.
For the finals, there are two possible cases depending on the results of the semifinal round. In the semifinal round, the last team who has not lost in the playoffs will play a team who has taken one loss in the playoffs, while the other game will involve two teams who have each taken one loss in the playoffs. If the team who has not lost in the playoffs wins its semifinal game, then it will have the advantage in a final against the winner of the other semifinal game, that is, the former team need only win one of two games to claim the championship, while the latter team must win two games to claim the championship; meanwhile, the teams who lost the semifinal games will play for third place. If the team who had not yet lost in the playoffs loses its semifinal game, then the final will be a three-team, two-game procedure: the two semifinal winners will play each other, and the winner of that game will play the team who had not lost before the semifinals in a one-game final, while the team eliminated in the semifinal round will finish in fourth place.
All teams eliminated in the same round of the playoffs will be considered tied. Teams who did not make the playoffs will be ranked (behind teams who made the playoffs) by win-loss record followed by points per tossup heard.
Fees and Payment
Registration has closed.
The registration fee is $635 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 receives by 9:30 p.m. Friday and may keep until 4:00 p.m. Sunday; if you cannot commit to those times, do not register to bring a buzzer system!
Buzzer Return
NAQT will begin returning team-provided buzzer systems at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday (and not before, except in emergencies). As mentioned above, this might make it impractical for teams planning to leave as soon as they are eliminated to receive buzzer-system discounts (as their systems will not have been returned at that point). Buzzer return will stay open until 5:00 p.m. on Sunday. If a team knows in advance they will be unable to pick up their buzzer system in time, they should make special arrangements at check-in; barring other arrangements, unclaimed buzzer systems will be left with the hotel bell desk.
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.
Cancellation
Teams who cancel their registration between March 1 and March 31 (inclusive) will owe a cancellation fee of $63.50 (10% of the registration fee). Teams who cancel their registration between April 1 and April 20 (inclusive) will owe a cancellation fee of $317.50 (half of the registration fee). Teams who cancel their registration on or after April 21, or who fail to show up to the tournament, will owe a cancellation fee of $476.25 (75% of the registration fee). These deadlines notwithstanding, teams will always have a seven-day grace period after registering during which they can cancel without incurring a fee.
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 team whose chaperone or any player is unable to participate due to following such recommendations, though NAQT strongly prefers affected teams to play shorthanded or 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 teams who are in full compliance with other requirements pertaining to payment, submission of participation agreements, etc.
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 Friday, April 29, 2022.
For players’ agreements, both the player and their parent/guardian must sign.
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 team 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 team at most times during the tournament, traveling, and downtime. If the chaperone is not with the team, 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 team to (physically) reach them in less than ten minutes.
- Each team must have a separate chaperone as just described; the same person may not be the chaperone for multiple teams.
- 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 team’s chaperone and the chaperone’s role of responsibility.
Teams who wish to request a variance from the chaperone policy should write to NAQT at msnct@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, scrimmages and the remainder of the check-in process) or being in other space used by the tournament. This process will be available starting early Friday afternoon. 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, for which only one person per team is required.
The primary check-in period will be from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. on Friday, May 6. 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, but NAQT would prefer that as many teams as possible check in on Friday night.
To check in, each team should send only one coach or chaperone to the check-in area. That person will be given the team’s information folder. Others should not enter the check-in area.
In past years there has been a long line just after check-in opens, so we encourage teams to keep an eye on the line and send one person to check in when the line is short. There is no need to check in immediately. In particular, it is not necessary to check in before playing scrimmage games (but it is necessary to have completed the vaccination-proof step).
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. Saturday at the Information Desk. Teams that checked in on Friday do not need to check in again on Saturday.
Scrimmages
Between 6:30 and 9:30 p.m. on Friday night, game rooms will be set up for teams to scrimmage against each other on questions from previous championships and/or the regular season. This scrimmaging is free and will be moderated by tournament staff.
Before playing scrimmage games, every person with a team (players, coaches, chaperones, and spectators) must verify their vaccination status. It is not necessary to complete the remainder of the check-in process first.
Scrimmages will be organized by means of “scrimmage tickets”: When a team shows up to the scrimmage desk, it will be given a ticket listing a room and a time; that team should go to that room and be prepared to play at that time. The majority of tickets will be for games that start within 5 to 15 minutes, but it is possible that there could be a 30-to-45-minute wait during the busiest periods. If a team wants to play another game, it should return to the scrimmage desk to get another ticket after its game finishes.
Scrimmages are open to all players, including alternates and standby teams.
Teams will be offered up to two scrimmage games.
Awards
Teams finishing in 13th place and higher will receive trophies, and the players on those teams will receive individual trophies (up to five per team).
The top 24 individual scorers (determined by points per tossup heard in the preliminary rounds) will receive All-Star awards. The top six non-eighth-graders who are not All-Stars will receive Rising Star awards.
If a team, All-Star, or Rising Star needs to leave before the awards ceremony, they can go to the Information Desk to their trophy/ies.
Consolation Games
Teams who do not qualify for the playoffs are encouraged to return at the beginning of the playoffs to play consolation games.
Teams will be texted at the end of the preliminary rounds with a link to a form by which to sign up for consolation tournaments. Teams who sign up by 8:30 p.m. are guaranteed a spot; after that, spots depend on supply, demand, and timing of signup.
Consolation games will consist of two-, three-, and four-round mini-tournaments. Teams can specify their preference when signing up; they will not be assigned a longer mini-tournament than they request, though depending on supply and demand, they may be assigned a shorter one. Signing up for consolation mini-tournaments is the only way to participate in consolation games; there are no ad hoc games.
Most consolation mini-tournaments will start at 8:45 a.m. on Sunday. Some may start later.
Consolation games have no effect on a team’s final rank in the tournament. They are played solely for fun. They will use the same questions as are being used in the playoffs.
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 $118/night and rooms with two double beds are available for $126 per night. To receive this rate, rooms must be booked using NAQT’s group reservation link before April 20, 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 “MSQ2,” but hold times are often long.
Between the MSNCT 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 teams 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 MSNCT, write to msnct@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 msnct; 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).