If you're running a fun tournament or just a small tournament, here are some neat things you can try to generate some excitement and open the door for the "grass roots" player to win something.
This is something we often do in our pub when running an "x01" tournament.
Before the tournament purchase a plaque with "The Last Double One" engraved on it along with the date and the name of the pub or tournament.
Each time a player finishes a game with a double one he/she gets to claim "their" double one plaque. The plaque passes form hand to hand with lots of raucous laughter and shouts of, "Where's my plaque?" whenever someone takes out an "x01". This really livens up the day for everyone, especially if there are lots of double ones shot, which is not always the case.
We usually do this when running a mixed triples event. Alternatively, if you didn't get around to buying a plaque, you could have a last double one T-shirt or something.
Donny K. Joe (djoe@netropolis.net) submitted this great idea:
"How many of you out there participate in weekly Blind Draw Doubles '01 tournaments where you have 'Mystery Outs'? We currently have a couple of weekly tournaments here in Houston, TX (USA) where the 'Mystery Out' pots are around $500.00. This seems to bring people out of the woodwork to play and have a chance at the pot.
For those who aren't familiar with a 'Mystery Out' pot, here's simple explaination of how it's done around here...
1. It's only played in BDD [blind draw doubles] '01 games (501 usually).
Players record their 'Out' numbers when they are hit. The 'Outs' range from 2 to 50.
The first one to report an out number, gets that number and nobody else can use it after that.
2. Players pay an extra $1.00 on top of their tourney entry fee to be eligible for the pot.
3. When the tournament is over, a number is drawn from the hat (2 to 50) and if the number drawn corresponds to an 'out' that was reported, then that person wins the Mystery Out. If the number drawn was not taken, then the pot carries over till the next week....and thus it keeps building each week until somebody hits it.
4. It's customary to split your Mystery Out with your doubles partner if your partner was also paid an extra $1.00 for the pot.
This concept works well for the bar because it increases the number of players that come and spend money and it's good for the players because it increases the pay out $$$ due to the extra players.
An extra sweet night is taking first place, mystery out, and high out...."
A variation to this, especially for more competitive players, could be to list all the possible 2 and 3-dart (or just 3-dart) finishes on pieces of paper which are then folded and put into a hat. Participating players pay their $1 and during the tournament report all their 2 and/or 3-dart outs.
After the tournament, the organizer draws the Mystery Out for the event and the person (or persons) who hit it gets the pot. If no one hit it, the pot is held for the next tournament at which time a new out number is drawn. This goes on until a number is drawn that someone actually hit.