[ColleenShaver]

JAlpert-

Thanks for finally stating what I've been thinking through all these "fixing" threads. If your team goal was to seed high, you would want to leave your opponent stacks alone if all possible in order to win with a greater number of points. Obviously, if you're gonna lose, that would probably be the easiest way to get the win back. I just think of watching matches where there are still bins unclaimed at the top of the ramp yet within the first 30 seconds of the match, opponents stacks (or all stacks on the field) are knocked down... how would you know it is even worthwhile to do that yet? The smart strategy (in my opinion) would involve leaving all the stacks alone. Even if you do lose, if your stacks still stand you will have a much higher QP than if they are not. Everyone does better.

As for FIRST promoting de-scoring in the Elims. It's funny. In NH we saw only a few times use that as a valid strategy in order to leave themselves at a better advantage for the second match. The smart thing if you win the first match is to often try and score zero in the second. If you are losing the first, you want to get rid of a reasonable number of points to lessen the gap between you and your opponent. You rarely saw a team that lost the first match come back to win and move on with the second (maybe never)

However, I went to watch UTC and before the elim's starting, Woodie stepped up to the mike and explained this strategy to everyone... that 'if you are losing the first match, it might be more beneficial to NOT get on the top of the ramp to keep from giving your opponents an extra 25 points in their cushion'

In UTC, I saw several first match losing teams win in the end. Maybe it was just a coincedence.. or maybe it was after the advice of FIRST.

Interesting. We'll see what this week's regionals bring.