Gameroom Rock/Paper/Scissors Tournament III

[Montmorency]

I think we knew for a while that it would come to this, Khan.

[Ibn-Khaldun]

Visor, why didn't you get my hint?

It would be funny if The King goes out in the next round, after not losing a single match.

Hey, that would be NOT funny!!!

I hope Monty will defeat khaan...

[seireikhaan]

I think we knew for a while that it would come to this, Khan.

Let the real demon's souls R/P/S start here...

[classical_hero]

Hey, that would be NOT funny!!!

I hope Monty will defeat khaan...

I think it would be absolutely funny.

[GeneralHankerchief]

Okay, I'm back to normal activity and everyone's got their orders in. Expect the writeup in the next few hours.

[GeneralHankerchief]

First Round results

"I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can't accept not trying."
~ Michael Jordan

Finally, after eleven days of essentially preliminaries, the real tournament is about to begin. The tiebreakers have been sorted out and the matchups have been determined. The top four seeds: The King, Sigurd, Visorslash, and Ishmael, have all earned a well-deserved rest. Today, at least, the pressure is not on them. Instead, it is on the eight men who failed at what the other four were able to accomplish: securing one of the top four seeds. As a result, their path to eternal glory is all the much harder for it.

The storylines, of course, are out in full force. Can any of the players, especially those seeded in the double-digits, start a run today and knock out the favorites? Can atheotes and Zaccino, who almost always achieved the same exact results until the final day, both get hot and meet up in a later round? Can edse or BSmith, two of the lesser-heralded players in the tournament, top each other and go onto greater things? And, of course, what will happen with the greatest X-factor in the entire tournament, issaikhaan, now that all bets are off?

For the first time all tournament, the oddsmakers have previous head-to-head data to go on when determining the numbers. As it turns out, of the matches today, three of the higher seeds defeated their opponents during the round robin, with only #10 Zaccino prevailing against #7 classical_hero on Day 6. Everyone in the audience will soon find out if this feat is repeated today, the higher seeds all win out, or if there are further upsets this time around.

Meanwhile, as a part of the heightened atmosphere, the audience is as loud as it has been all tournament, although they finally do get quiet as the referee walks out, acknowledges the contestants, and raises his hand in the air.

"Rock... paper... scissors... shoot!"

#5 Montmorency vs. #12 issaikhaan
This match is actually off the board; the oddsmakers are refusing to accept bets. It's understandable to see why. After twelve straight matches of throwing nothing but Rock, issaikhaan is finally playing for real. As a result, nobody, including Montmorency, quite knows what to expect from the #12 seed. Monty's admirable 6 points, including wins in four out of his last five matches, means absolutely nothing. However, it seems like karma has a stake in this match. Monty throws Paper, hoping for the best... and sees that khaan has, for the eighteenth straight time this tournament, has thrown Rock. He (along with everyone else in the tournament) breathes a huge sigh of relief. After the match, in the press conference, khaan reveals that he was going to throw Paper next should there have been an initial tie.
Montmorency advances

#6 atheotes vs. #11 LazyMcCrow
Redemption. In a word, that's what atheotes is looking for in this knockout round. In the very first tournament, atheotes was the #1 seed heading into the final day of the round robin phase. He ended up losing to Andres, tumbling to the #4 seed, and then lost to the eventual champion, #5 CountArach in the first round. Wracked with disappointment, atheotes walked away from the game for a while and sat out the second tournament. Now, however, he's back, and although his tournament has been marred by inconsistency and overshadowed by his weird connection with Zaccino, he's ready to go on a run. It's very possible it could start here. atheotes after all has logged a 5-0-1 record against people seeded lower than him in the tournament (though he doesn't like the mention the 0-5-0 he went against the top five seeds), including a victory against LazyMcCrow on Day 1. However, it looks like redemption will have to wait another day. After both initially throw Rock, it is plucky #11 seed Lazy that ends up moving on with a victorious throw of Scissors, defeating atheotes' Paper. Lazy will have a mammoth task ahead of him; the undefeated #1 seed The King lies in wait.
LazyMcCrow advances

#7 classical_hero vs. #10 Zaccino
Zaccino was able to score a victory against classical_hero on Day 6, which means despite the seeding disparity he is listed as the slight favorite to win the match. He sees that atheotes has been knocked out and, smiling, is looking to separate himself between his longtime scoring clone for good. The oddsmakers, though, should have perhaps been looking at the greater trends. classical, after having a miserable second half of the round robin, finally turned it around on Day 11 with an impressive victory over #3 Visorslash, who had a lot to play for. Both players start out with Paper. However, perhaps sensing that Zaccino is going to stick with Paper for as long as it takes, classical adjusts and throws Scissors, taking the victory. It seems like the classical_hero from the early part of the tournament is re-emerging, unluckily for all the players remaining. Meanwhile, Zaccino can't help but shake his head and laugh. It is all too fitting that he and atheotes were eliminated in the same round.
classical_hero advances

#8 edse vs. #9 BSmith
By definition, 8-9 matches are toss-ups, and this one is no exception. Even though edse did defeat BSmith in the round robin, their match was all the way back on Day 2 and really not all that relevant to their current streaks. Evening this out, BSmith has the slightly better tournament resume as he flat-out defeated #3 Visorslash on Day 9 of the round robin and, most impressively, fought #1 The King to one of his two draws on Day 6. Perhaps fittingly considering their seedings and exact same point totals during the round robin, the first throw is not enough to decide things as both throw Rock. As the crowd gets worked up in a frenzy as they wait for things to be decided, the players take a step back and analyze each other for a moment. In the end, though, it seems that head-to-head results prevail over tournament resume as edse's Scissors cut through BSmith's Paper. The two shake hands respectfully before BSmith walks off for his postmatch press conference. edse, meanwhile, stays onstage. His run in the tournament gets to continue.
edse advances

Interestingly enough, this is the second time in a row where the #6 seed has been upset in the first round. Perhaps you guys should have been trying to avoid that one instead of the #5.

Congratulations to the four players who advanced, as well as to the ones who lost for their great efforts. The real challenge for these four begins next round, as they get to play the top four seeds in the tournament for the right to advance to the semi-finals.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It is now Round 2!

Round 2 matchups:

#1 The King vs. #11 LazyMcCrow
#2 Sigurd vs. #8 edse
#3 Visorslash vs. #7 classical_hero
#4 Ishmael vs. #5 Montmorency

[Montmorency]

I'll count this as my

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[Zack]

First time paper has failed me.

[seireikhaan]

Well, at least I'll get the top draft pick.

[LazyMcCrow]

@ atheotes ---->

[LazyMcCrow]

The King --->

[Ibn-Khaldun]

The King --->

Oh .. you give up? So kind of you!

[LazyMcCrow]

Oh .. you give up? So kind of you!

I thought you might take it like that. Hope the first round break did you good and that you haven't forgotten how to play.

[classical_hero]

No hints for you this time around.

[atheotes]

another first round exit.... I am retiring till the next tournament.

@ atheotes ---->

Happy WIFOMing to you and the rest of the contenders

[BSmith]

First first round exit. I think I'll retire until the next tournament too.

[GeneralHankerchief]

Waiting on @Sigurd, @classical_hero, and @Montmorency.

-edit- Just Sigurd now.

[GeneralHankerchief]

Apologies for the delay. We're in the process of resolving the longest set of tiebreakers in tournament history.

[GeneralHankerchief]

Second Round results

"On any given Sunday, anything can happen."
~ American football, traditional

As the contestants progress through the knockout round, the stakes get progressively higher. After the matches of the first round, the novelties, the underachievers, those who could not live up to the pressure, have been weeded out. In their place come the four top seeds of the tournament, all of them powerful players who will take serious effort to knock out. At stake in each of these matches is a berth in the semi-finals, where a mere two match win streak stands is needed to grant the contestants eternal glory.

First, however, they must take care of business today. And with that in mind, the crowd noise builds to a fever pitch as the contestants take their places in the stadium. There will be no pushover matches for the rest of the tournament.

The referee walks out, acknowledges the contestants, and raises his hand in the air.

"Rock... paper... scissors... shoot!"

#1 The King vs. #11 LazyMcCrow
LazyMcCrow scored the one upset of the previous round, having defeated #6 atheotes. His reward is a date with the man who put together the greatest round robin performance in tournament history and the heavy favorite to go all the way, #1 The King. The King, like he did to all but two players on his way to a 9-0-2 record, defeated Lazy on Day 10, but the #11 seed figures that he is playing with house money and has nothing to lose anyway. It is with this in mind that he meets The King's gaze and matches his Scissors with the same throw. However, The King isn't worried. After all, three of his victories, including the one against #2 Sigurd, came after the first throw was a draw. However, nobody expects what happens next. The audience makes a noise it hasn't made all tournament, something like a cross between a shout and the world's loudest collective intake of breath. After a split second of silence, confirming what they have just seen, the stadium explodes in bedlam. For the first time in the entire tournament, The King has fallen, his Paper defeated by Lazy's repeat throw of Scissors. It is easily the greatest upset in tournament history. Lazy can't believe his luck, shaking his opponent's hand with a bemused expression on his face. A minute later, The King walks off, saluting the crowd. They respond with an extended standing ovation. Even though his tournament run ended prematurely, no one will ever forget what The King accomplished to this point, and they are acknowledging him for it. However, among all the cheers and the acknowledgement is a note a finality: the ovation, after all, signals that his tournament is over.
LazyMcCrow advances

#2 Sigurd vs. #8 edse
The defeat of #1 The King suddenly makes this tournament a wide open affair, truly anyone's game. #2 Sigurd, a two-time semifinalist but never able to get over the hump, is smart enough to know that he's just been given a gigantic opportunity, one that would be terrible to waste. His opponent, #8 edse, would seem like nothing more than the first step on the way to glory, but Sigurd knows better. edse is one of the most unpredictable players in the entire tournament and is the hot hand, having just beaten #9 BSmith yesterday while Sigurd was resting. Everyone has just witnessed firsthand how easy it is to trip up a higher seed and knock him out of the tournament just like that. Sigurd takes his opponent very seriously as they both initially throw... and both come up Paper.
Of course this wasn't going to be easy. Sigurd gives edse a little smile as they both move to throw again. This time, the result for both is Rock.
Sigurd's smile disappears. In round robin play, this would mean that both contestants would have earned a draw, but this is the knockout round, where play continues for as long as it has to. He has been in situations like this before, in the first-ever tournament semifinals against CountArach. The two of them got two tied throws before CountArach defeated him on the third and went on to become champion. Sigurd does not want that happening again. He rears back to throw, as does edse... and both show Paper.
The crowd's fervor, already at a fever pitch, becomes even greater. With this third tie, Sigurd and edse are officially entangled in the longest match in tournament history. Neither is particularly enthused about being a part of this piece of history. They're too busy gritting their teeth, trying to gain the advantage over their opponent and finally winning the opportunity to move on. For the fourth time, they rear back to throw: Paper for each.
By this point, sweat is pouring down both contestants' faces. The constant mental stress of trying to figure out what your opponent is going to throw can really get to you, and both Sigurd and edse have been pushed beyond the limit. There's really nothing left to say to or acknowledge to each other, so each man simply prepares to throw again. At last, there is separation: Sigurd's Rock smashes edse's Scissors. The audience explodes with cheers. Sigurd and edse, meanwhile, embrace. There is no way you can go through a match like that and not have the utmost of respect for your opponent. edse's tournament may be over, but he went out like a warrior.
Sigurd advances

#3 Visorslash vs. #7 classical_hero
Two matches into the round have brought the most shocking upset in tournament history and the longest match in tournament history. Visorslash, comparatively, is hoping for a nice and easy match, just a boring defeat of his opponent, #7 classical_hero. However, it will not be easy. After a terrible second half of the round robin, classical has acquired something of a hot hand, having won two straight matches. One of those two wins came against Visorslash himself on the final day of the round robin. Because of this, the oddsmakers have set the match as "too close to call". Through the first throw, it looks as if the drama of the two previous matches is going to continue as both men throw Scissors. Visor steps back and starts talking to himself, psyching himself up for the throw that's to come. classical, meanwhile, stays put, brimming with cool confidence. His tournament problems are well behind him now, and he knows it. After a minute, Visorslash steps back in, deliberately looking at anywhere but his opponent. This unorthodox strategy appears to work, as his Scissors cut through classical's Paper on the second throw. Visorslash's primary emotion is one of relief more so than jubilation that he's making the semi-finals. classical's, not surprisingly, is of disappointment. Just when he thought he had it turned around, he faltered again. Such is the way of the tournament.
Visorslash advances

#4 Ishmael vs. #5 Montmorency
Order has finally been restored. Maybe. Hopefully, thinks Ishmael. Like Visorslash, he too is looking forward to a boring, simple victory after putting together an extremely solid round robin performance to secure the #4 seed. However, with The King's defeat, #5 Montmorency is unquestionably the hottest player left in the tournament, having won five out of his last six matches. Ishmael's victory over Monty on Day 2 seems like a lifetime ago, and both men know it. Ishmael, for his part, closed his round robin with three victories in four days, but they were mostly against lower seeds. His signature performance was probably only a draw against Sigurd on Day 6, while Monty's was meanwhile a huge sigh-of-relief victory against a man who had absolutely no data at all to go on, #12 issaikhaan. However, none of that matters when both men step into the stadium and prepare to throw... unless, of course, it does. In a bit of a letdown after the past three incredibly-tense matches, Monty dispatches Ishmael in one move, his Paper covering Ishmael's Rock. Ishmael shakes his head in disappointment. There will be no repeat tournament victory coming from the #4 seed. Meanwhile, Montmorency is going into the semi-finals as the man who nobody wants to face, a position he seems to have inherited from the man he vanquished in the first round.
Montmorency advances

Speaking from a host's standpoint, I've run three of these things now and this was without a doubt the craziest day I can remember. Big thanks to everyone who took part for making it like this; it's things like this that make me love the Gameroom. Congrats to our semi-finalists, of course, on a job very well done (as well, naturally, for their gallant opponents for making it this far). And finally, I'd like to make a special mention to The King. Even though he's out at the hands of Lazy, I'd just like to recognize his absolutely incredible run he had through the round robin to get him the #1 seed. Nine wins and no losses through 11 days of play. I think I can say with 100% certainty that we'll never see anything like that again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It is now the semi-finals!

Matchups:

#2 Sigurd vs. #11 LazyMcCrow
#3 Visorslash vs. #5 Montmorency

[Ibn-Khaldun]

Well, all good things must end one day.

Good luck to who ever wins this!

[Ishmael]

Well played Montmorency .

My money is on Visorslash to win it though.

[Zack]

[LazyMcCrow]

Well, all good things must end one day.

Good luck to who ever wins this!

bravo!

Speaking from a host's standpoint, I've run three of these things now and this was without a doubt the craziest day I can remember. Big thanks to everyone who took part for making it like this; it's things like this that make me love the Gameroom. Congrats to our semi-finalists, of course, on a job very well done (as well, naturally, for their gallant opponents for making it this far). And finally, I'd like to make a special mention to The King. Even though he's out at the hands of Lazy, I'd just like to recognize his absolutely incredible run he had through the round robin to get him the #1 seed. Nine wins and no losses through 11 days of play. I think I can say with 100% certainty that we'll never see anything like that again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It is now the semi-finals!

Matchups:

#2 Sigurd vs. #11 LazyMcCrow
#3 Visorslash vs. #5 Montmorency

Never say never :)

[atheotes]

that was a crazy round!

[Ibn-Khaldun]

This is how I managed to win. A common sense and some analyzes. And the only time when I went for a gut feeling.. I lost.



Here are all the throws you made during round robin.

[Zack]

Well I made a spreadsheet too, and I got my butt whupped.

[Ishmael]

This is how I managed to win. A common sense and some analyzes. And the only time when I went for a gut feeling.. I lost.



Here are all the throws you made during round robin.

That's significantly more sophisticated than my 'record my opponent's previous throws on notepad' approach . I kept telling myself I should keep a record of all players each round, so that I could work out who was also analysing, but I never got around to it.

[GeneralHankerchief]

that was a crazy round!

You're telling me. I wrote over 1,500 words for that last writeup. 1,500 words for Rock/Paper/Scissors!

[GeneralHankerchief]

Waiting on the @Sigurd - @LazyMcCrow matchup.

[LazyMcCrow]

Waiting on the @Sigurd - @LazyMcCrow matchup.

You've got my orders: Pikeman, Archers ...I think.. or was it Cavalry first?