Strat World Championship at the WSBG this Fall

Jack,

Will this be an annual event or does that depend on turnout this year?

Just wondering, as I probably cannot attend this year, but would like to sometime in the future.

Thanks,
Shark

Thanks for the question, watershark. Yes, the plan is to hold the tournament annually coinciding with the World Series of Board Games event.

After collecting feedback and post-tourney analysis, it may be possible that we'll expand and create additional events. Maybe with a global feel. We'll miss you this year!

I think it's going to be an exciting and dramatic event from the moment it starts...like a 100 meter dash for stratomatic baseball players! I can't play since I'm involved with WSBG and Strat but I'll be there to see it and help out the WSBG and Strat Staff where needed.

On to Day 5! The Final Series to determine the WSBG Strat-O-Matic Champion.

1.5 Day Five Structure
Day Five will feature the Championship match between the two remaining teams.
1.5.1 WSBG Championship Final Series
Day 5 will consist of a final 7-Game Series between the two remaining players. The schedule for each match
will be determined by the WSBG pairing system with teams designated to start as Home or Away. The 7-game
series will use a 2-3-2 format (2-Home, 3-Away, and 2-Home) as necessary.
1.5.1.1 Pitching Rotation
Each starting pitcher must rest for 3 games before he can pitch in any other game during the series. If
a pitcher starts a game, he must adhere to the starter rest policy even if he is also capable of fulfilling a
relief pitching role. Thus a starting pitcher may not serve as a relief pitcher within the 3-game rest
period once he has started a game.
Each relief pitcher may pitch a maximum of 4 Innings during any 4-game stretch occurring during each
series. If during the 4th Inning of relief, a pitcher records a multiple out play the excess partial innings
are not further penalized. A pitcher under no circumstances may participate in 4 consecutive games in
the same series.
A relief pitcher that can serve a dual role as a starting pitcher must have 2-games of rest from his last
game in which he served as a relief pitcher before he can switch roles to a starting pitcher within the
same series.
1.5.1.2 Matches Time
The Final Series will be limited to 6 Hours. At time the match will finish to the end of the current
inning following the procedures for matches that run beyond time. The final match is a first to 4-win
format. Once one team has won 4 matches the Series is concluded and the winner will be crowned the
2026 WSBG Strat-O-Matic World Champion.

In the unlikely event that the Final series reaches the time limit of 6 Hours without a 4-Game winner,
the match format will be reduced. If either team has more wins than the other, that team will
advance. If both teams are tied at the end of the current match, then the next game of the series will
be played as a sudden-death match. If one team has a lead at the end of any such inning during that
match, that team will be declared the winner and advance.

As mentioned earlier, the rules will be finalized by June 1st. Could be a few tweaks--like perhaps starting pitchers have to go four innings if there not bombed in the first or second inning--but not many.

Just a reminder that the tickets for the WSBG Strat-O-Matic championship are available at https://wsbgvegas.com/stratomatic-2026/.

There is a hotel deal (at the Horseshoe where the event is held) negotiated by WSBG available for ticket buyers. It's $135 a night (Vegas will be adding $60 in fees and taxes though so likely $190 or $195 total). The block of rooms is not unlimited though so don't wait if you're interested. Obviously you're free to book on your own as well. You will see the opportunity to get this deal AFTER you buy a ticket.

If you're knocked out in the first round you can stick around and play in side tournaments with buy-ins for days 3, 4, 5.

The 32 Diamond Gem teams we're using are listed higher on this thread.

There is also an early bird discount on the tickets right now, too. Just type in homerun for the code.

Strat World Championship 3-Inning Exhibition Game! 1929 Chicago Cubs team up with 1972 Oakland A's to beat the 1953 Brooklyn Dodgers and the 1978 Boston Red Sox. The final was 6-3.

Colleague, new friend, and Strat-o-Matic enthusiast Brian and I are making a video of a potential tourney game--for new players and also for players like me who've only been playing here! So we practiced yesterday. I hadn't played the cards, dice, board, x-chart game in at least 25 years. Interestingly, we fell right back into a rhythm. Holding runners, X-Chart, Strategy Chart, Infield in, etc... I honestly think the tournament games will only take 30 minutes or possibly less outside of unusual circumstances. Also--and this is very important--my Cubs and A's buried Brian's Dodgers and Red Sox. Brian's got the scorecard but I remember some of the action.

The game was at Ebbets Field (6/12 and 10/10) so I was the visitor:

Batting Order was...

1. Riggs Stephenson LF 2(+2), 362/445/562, 10 steals
2. Reggie Jackson CF 3 ](-5), 265/350/473 don't love a 3 in CF but who does?
3. Kiki Cuyler RF 1(-4), 360/438/532 43 SB
4. Rogers Hornsby 2B 2e23, 380/459/679
5. Hack Wilson DH, 345/425/618
6. Mike Epstein 1B 4e15, 270/376/490
7. Gabby Hartnett C 4(+5) 273/407/591 in just 22 ABs but that +5 arm
8. Sal Bando 3B 2e20, 236/341/368 weak sauce from Sal, thank goodness he walks a little
9. Bert Campaneris SS 2e19, 240/278/325 52 steals

P Catfish Hunter 21-7, 2.04
Relievers Rollie Fingers and Joe Horlen
Bench: Joe Rudi, Mike Hegan, Gene Tenace.

We didn't do the full 20 man-team since it was only 3 innings.

As I recall, Dodgers/Sox jumped out first and scored a run. Jackie Robinson (3B) led off the bottom of the first with a walk or a single and stole 2nd (without even needing a lead thanks to Hartnett's ridiculous arm!) and scored on a single while the Oakland Cubs went down quietly against Carl Erskine with only one base runner over 2 innings. Then exploded for 6 in the top of the 3rd...Sal Bando walked and then Bert Campaneris bunted and the fun began. Brooklyn Red Sox tried for the force play at second and failed to get Bando. 1st and 2nd, no out, and top of the order up. A barrage of hits ensued and Erskine was removed for Clem Labine 6 runs later. Catfish allowed a 2-run homer in the 3rd and then I brought in Rolly Fingers for no good reason to get the last out. 1B Hegan and Catcher Tenace came in for defense but I forgot to put Joe Rudi in LF for Stephenson. Duke Snider and Carl Furillo drove In the the three runs for Brooklyn/Boston.

WP: Hunter
LP: Erskine
Fake Save: Fingers

It was a blast. As I mentioned, we're going to record a video for YouTube of a full 9-innings (edited down to a "consumable" length). Going to be fun and feel free to laugh at our expense.

Cubs/A's was a good combo with great SP options from the A's and great bats from the Cubs. One more left-handed hitter and a CF with better range than Reggie and a C that can throw a little bit would have been perfect. Have to look but as I recall but very few Sox made the other lineup. Maybe only Jim Rice--even Yaz, Fisk, and Evans were backups.

After playing a bit yesterday, I really think the championship is going to be insanely fun. 15 home and home series over the first two days.




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Just a reminder that the tickets for the WSBG Strat-O-Matic championship are available at https://wsbgvegas.com/stratomatic-2026/. HOMERUN is the early bird discount code.

There is an attractive hotel deal (at the Horseshoe where the event is held) negotiated by WSBG available for ticket buyers. The block of rooms is not unlimited though so don't wait if you're interested. Obviously you're free to book on your own as well.

If you're knocked out in the first round you can stick around and play in side tournaments with buy-ins for days 3, 4, 5.

The 32 Diamond Gem teams we're using are listed higher on this thread. If you want to practice beforehand you can definitely pick these up from strat--all or maybe just some of them to look at some different combinations of teams. Or you can just check these teams out online like I did initially where I discovered the 1929 Cubs and some of their great players.

There is still an early bird discount on the tickets right now, too. Just type in homerun for the code.

I think most of you (all?) have heard directly from Hal Richman by now also. The 365 community is off to a promising (dominant really) start which is interesting as I now realize we're only 5% to 10% of the total strat community. 365 is the only way I've played for at least 25 years so I just assumed we represented a much bigger share of players than we do. A lot of cards and dice players are out there!

If you're only playing online get some or all of the tournament teams and play some different combos. As I mentioned above it was really fun to roll the dice, even a 3-inning exhibition game. And wait for the video of Brian and I playing! We'll keep you posted! Hop in the water's fine!

Ok so I just played a full face to face game with Jon Hagmaier, Hagster64, in about 35 minutes. It's all coming back to me as the rules are flowing better. I had the 09 Yankees and the 02 Giants and Jon played with the 71 Pirates (he's a huge Pirate fan!) and the 82 Brewers.

Unfortunately my "New York Giants" got jumped 6-0. I was feeling cocky going into the game but it just did not unfold the way I envisioned.

We didn't have the ballpark ratings with us in the cigar place so we just did a neutral stadium. We also rushed a little putting the teams together and I definitely made a couple of mistakes there--like not using Jeff Kent at DH over Hideki Matsui and probably Reggie Sanders in RF over Swisher. But I AM a Yankee fan so there's that explanation. Just had Bonds and Lofton from SF.

Visiting NY Giants:
1. Jeter SS .334 BA
2. Bonds LF .582 OBP and 800 something slugging 198 walks 46 HRs
3. Rodriguez 3B 31 HRs ho hum year for him until he went crazy in the playoffs
4. Cano 2B 300+ many extra base hits
5. Texiera 1B 282 and 39 HRs
6. Matsui DH love Godzilla
7. Posada C
8. Lofton CF 3 defense and only a little offense
9. Swisher RF lot of walks and some power
P Sabathia

Home Pittsburgh Brewers
1. Yount SS
2. Stennett DH
3. Sanguillen C
4. Clemente RF
5. Thomas CF
6. Stargell LF
7. Molitor 3B
8. Cooper 1B
9. Mazeroski 2B
P Dock Ellis

Jeter walked, Posada walked, ARod walked 3 times, and Bonds went 1 for 3 with a 2B and a walk (and a missed ballpark homer) and that's pretty much it for NY Offense. Ellis went 7 2-hit shutout innings and Fingers finished it off with 2 innings. Pittsburgh turned a couple of big double plays to quite very limited noise from our side. I lifted CC after 3 2/3 when when Stargell hit a 3-run bomb. David Robertson and Mariano finished up but both got nicked up also and allowed 3 more runs including a solo shot from Cecil Cooper.

Was a lot of fun despite the pasting!

Maybe a SOM player that is connected to the media can look into having ESPN or somebody cover the convention like they do with the WS of Poker.

Artie