The format for February remains largely the same except for a few tweaks including a change to the grand finals, max 64 players cap (cause why not?) and the sign ups closing 15 minutes before the start. Map selection will remain pick/pick with Best of Three upper and best of one lower. We have been doing pick/pick since December and the games have been much better! I know some of you don't like it. Tough. The full rules & guidelines can be read at DuelCup.com but here is a quick summary containing some of the most common topics that I am asked.

1.) Occasionally someone will ask "I don't have 3 days and 300 duels played! Can I still play?" and the answer is: "get in touch with admins". This rule exists to deter aliasing so the tournaments can be seeded properly.

2.) In a "Pick-Pick" tournament the players each pick a map from the pool, and then drop maps until one remains. The map that remains will server as a tie breaker. Best of One sets still decide maps by dropping until there is a single map left to play.

3.) Type "cv cointoss" following by "heads" or "tails" into the console to see who picks/drops first. The winner of the coin toss may pass the first map drop/pick to their opponent or take it for themselves.

4.) Upper Bracket games are Best of Three sets: PICK PICK, drop drop, drop drop, tie-breaker

5.) Lower Bracket games are Best of One sets: drop drop, drop drop, drop drop, play last

6.) Grand Finals is a Best of Five/Seven (please read for further clarification)
The upper bracket finalist is assumed to have proven themselves by not dropping a set throughout the tournament, and therefore if they take 3 map wins before their opponent they win the grand finals. However if the player from the lower bracket takes 3 map wins first then the best of five becomes a best of seven. Map selection remains the same starting with a coin-toss. Player who wins the coin-toss may pick the first map or pass the choice to their opponent. Subsequent picks are then chosen the loser of the most recent map.

6.) Server settings can be copied from below (makes a Texas server).

{"maps":["bloodrun"],"cvars":{"g_gametype":1,"premium":0,"sv_hostname":"N.A. Duel Cup","g_password":"duel","g_complaintLimit":0,"g_timeoutCount":3,"g_timeoutLen":60,"web_location":6}}

No additional modifications are allowed. The only values you may change are the maps, server name, server password, and server location. Do not make premium servers. There is no point and it only causes issues with players needing invites. If you simply use a password and provide the information in #duelcup irc on quakenet I assure you no one will bother you. Always provide an admin a link to your game and the password BEFORE you ready up. We can avoid having to ask you mid game accidentally. Admin names on irc flair, SG|shun, SG|Rob. Alternatively you can put the info into the #duelcup chat. Anything sent to flair in IRC is safe from the stream. Anything sent to flair in game is subject to show up on stream!

Furious Heights
Lost World
Toxicity
Dismemberment
Sinister
Blood Run
Cure

With QuakeCon maps being announced soon this will likely be one of the last "odd" arrangements of map pools until QuakeCon is over. We will be mirroring the LAN map pool (99.99999%)

Sign Ups will OPEN 13:00 CST, 21 February 2015 (eight hours before tournament begins)
Sign Ups will CLOSE 18:45 CST, 21 February 2015 (fifteen minutes before tournament begins)

Sign-Ups for North American Duel Cups can be found at http://1800.challonge.com/duelcup ... the bracket is unlocked and available for sign up ON EVENT DAY (February 21st). There are no early sign-ups or player list available. This is done to prevent no shows, and it has been working very well! To sign up players need to create a http://challonge.com account.

Participants need to join #duelcup irc channel (quakenet.org) to find opponents. Do not expect your opponent to add you to their friend list in quake. It is much faster to simply send them a message in the #duelcup channel or a private /msg over the irc network.

Please send all issues or questions to flair@duelcup.com. See you 19:00 CST, 21 February 2015 !

$125 Grand Prize
$65 to the Runner up
$35 for Third Place
$20 for Fourth Place
____________________

Big thank you to all the players who have donated! You're amazing!! Donations via paypal can be made here. This is the prefered method, but please contact me if you would like to setup an alternative.

Player Donations for February: $245.00

Feb 03 - Private Donation $100
Feb 04 - nthreem $100
Feb 06 - Julbars $25
Feb 10 - meh $20