(New rules/details in bold italics)

$30 entry fee for all contestants, 80% handicap, 3 game qualifier to reach the Ladder or Bracket/Ladder. With more entries, more bowlers will qualify to advance. The reigning King or Queen will have the option to accept the 6th seed, or bowl in the qualifier to try to reach a higher seed. At a minimum, the defending champion will receive the 6th seed. Formats for the Ladder or Bracket/Ladder will be as follows:

Entries          Qualifiers   Payouts        Format (handicapped head-to-head)
up to 10              6                 3              6 person ladder
11-15                  7                 4              4 person bracket followed by ladder (top 3)
16-20                  8                 5              4 person bracket followed by ladder (top 4)
21-25                  9                 7              6 person bracket followed by ladder (top 3)
26 or more        11                 7              8 person bracket followed by ladder (top 3)

In each format, the Ladder consists of one game matches, except the final match of 2 games against the #1 seed.

Final match is 2 games, with handicap 80% of 2 string average.

Tie-breakers: to advance to ladder/bracket: all ties advance. Match tie-breaker: 4 boxes (2 per lane) each, with 32% handicap (80% * 4/10) of full single game average.

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Please note: the March King of the Hill will be moved to the 4th Sunday, March 24th

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Reigning King of the Hill: Craig Wester, two-times running

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We will apply handicap of 80% from a 130 base using a composite of the following averages:

A) Agawam Bowl King of the Hill average since the start of season 5 (September, 2020), if *nine* strings or more. We will have this at the event.

**Plus one of the following**

B) Composite of all 2023-24 regular season and Summer 2023 season averages (minimum *21* strings), rounding down. Summer and Travel/Pro leagues are included. If you do not have all such averages, please supply the highest. [We are dropping last season’s averages from the calculation as of January]
**Or, if B is not applicable**
C) Composite of all season-end post-lock-down (since Fall 2020) league averages (minimum *21* strings), rounding down. Travel/pro leagues are included. If you do not have all such averages, please supply the highest.

**If neither B or C is applicable, an older average or tournament-only average may be used at the discretion of the tournament director**

Your composite average for this event will include A and B *or* C of the above as applicable, averaged together and rounded UP (since league averages and the composites above are rounded down).

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Agawam Bowl reserves the right to modify the format or rules as deemed necessary.