Vintage in New York City!

[Stormanimagus]

Hey guys. I know there's a topic about this in the "Anything Magic" forum, but I don't think that everyone checks that thread very often so I'd like to start one here. My intention is to:

a) Recruit a following of Vintage Players living in NYC or the surrounding area (Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx, Long Island, Jersey, Yonkers, Westchester) to all convene in Manhattan for a FNM style Vintage Tournament that will be held on a TBA day once a week. I really think these tournaments need to be more than 12 people to be worth the trip for most so I want to make sure there is interest first.

b) Possibly offer decks to those without one and to see what cards would be needed as proxies the most so I could have a pile of them ready at every tournament (like, for instance, sharpied copies of all the power 9 that look presentable + readable that I can have on-hand for every tournament).

c) Find an appropriate Venue.

So I think I've accomplished c). I have now heard of a magic playing store that is quite popular in place of neutral ground closing down. It has space for up to 45-50 man tournaments, but may expand its space with demand. The place is called:

Jim Hanley's Universe
4 West 33rd St., New York, New York (btw 5 ave and broadway)
Across from the Empire State Building
212-268-7088
Store Hours:
Mon-Sat: 9AM-11PM
Sun: 10AM-9PM

http://jhuniverse.blogspot.com/

Anyway, this place seems very promising and seems to attract a decent sized non-vintage crowd that could definitely be persuaded to give Vintage a shot. If there's an interest in such a Venue and weekly outlet for the Vintage bug I'd love your PM's or emails (my email is noahsmith55@gmail.com). If you PM or email me with interest I can also give you my cell number so we can be in more ready communication.

This seems like a great idea for some smaller scale yet fun Vintage in the City. This is a long time coming, but I hope the interest is still there.

Any ideas for other Venues, suggested Proxy structure and/or prize structure would be greatly appreciated on this thread as I am not a TO and would need some basic knowledge of that to help organize an event.

Peace,

-Noah

aka "Stormanimagus"

[Yare]

I'm in for this, though I prefer weekend events.

I would say having events at all with liberal proxies would be a good place to start.

Cash as a prize initially would be a good way to keep the store interested instead of having to play games with structuring a payout relative to the number of players (see that big long thread in community discussion for why that's a bad idea), particularly if events are going to be weekly.

Have you talked to this store about this?

[disrupting specter]

I would like to see this happen. I'm from NJ. It would be easier to get to than Princeton or Waterbury because I'm currently sans carriage.

[Eastman]

I would be able to play starting in september when I'm back in town. 

[Yare]

In talking to Eastman, I came to realize something. Basically, as soon as you post a tournament announcement, I'm going to be there if my schedule permits, which I think is true for most anybody else who is interested in this, even if they haven't posted. I really don't see the need for too much extensive setting up of these weekly events as long as there is enough room to even handle 12 people when we get there. Additionally, as Eastman mentioned to me, if only four people show up, then only four people show up and we can have a round robin. That's how these things get started. Next time, hopefully there will be more and the store can get a bigger cut.

I guess the question is: what are we waiting for?

[Stormanimagus]

In talking to Eastman, I came to realize something. Basically, as soon as you post a tournament announcement, I'm going to be there if my schedule permits, which I think is true for most anybody else who is interested in this, even if they haven't posted. I really don't see the need for too much extensive setting up of these weekly events as long as there is enough room to even handle 12 people when we get there. Additionally, as Eastman mentioned to me, if only four people show up, then only four people show up and we can have a round robin. That's how these things get started. Next time, hopefully there will be more and the store can get a bigger cut.

I guess the question is: what are we waiting for?

For me to get my Saturdays Free *insert grumble grumble grumble* .

I will do what I can to get that day off (and possibly Sunday during the day as well). It sucks that acting in a show demands so many of my evenings. Grrrrrr. Anyway, I may not be working my weekend job at The Public Theater for too much longer as the Sunday Shift is conflicting with my play and I'll probably have to be at rehearsal more often. I may be able to do that Saturday time at some point in the next couple weeks. Keep an eye out for a post either here or in the tournament announcement forum.

Peace

-Storm

[xerxes]

If you ever arrange some weekend type 1 in NYC, you can count me in.

[Stormanimagus]

Ok guys. I talked to the store manager at Jim Hanley's Universe and they are absolutely supportive of an event.

So here's the deal. I could attend/run an event this coming SUNDAY at around 11 or 12 in the morning but we'd need to finish up by 5 at the absolute latest as I have a rehearsal to attend for a show I'm doing.

Given 8-24 people I think 4 rounds + a cut to top 4 should be appropriate. However, if we have less than 8 we might need to re-organize the structure a bit so it is important for me to get a head count ASAP in order to determine how best to announce the tourament.

In general (unless this grows out of hand in popularity and numbers) I think I'd like to keep these touramemts under 5 hours so a strict 50 minute rounds rule will be applied.

So as of now here's what I have for you as a proposal:

When?

Sunday, May 17, 2009
Begins promptly at 11:30 am but meet at 11:00 to register + make/receive proxies + pay entry

Where?
Jim Hanley's Universe
4 W33rd st., between 5/6 avenue
New York, NY

(short walk from Penn station and right next to Herald Square)

Tournament Format
Unsanctioned Vintage (Type 1) with up to 15 proxies permitted
Entry Fee: $10
4 rounds of Swiss/ cut to top 4
Prizes (based entirely on attendance)
With 10 people the prize structure would look like this:
1rst - $55
2nd - $25
3rd/4th - $10

I will be posting something similar in the "tournament announcement forum" and possibly the open forum later tonight but I wanted to get something posted now as well.

Thoughts? Yes's?
 

[Yare]

I can't go to this particular one this weekend, but I could probably go to any other future event that's on a Sunday.

Perhaps push it back a week to give people a little warning and to get it off on the right foot?

And am I gathering that you're saying 90% payout? Seems very reasonable, particularly in NYC.

Important edit: Thank you very much for getting this organized!

[Ozymandias]

Dod this end up going off?

[Yare]

Dod this end up going off?

See this thread.