Section 5 - Preliminary Rounds (Quad Format)

A. Once the Team Entry Deadline has passed, the Tournament Director shall set each team into the section they requested if they are eligible for that section.

B. Each of the teams within a Section will be assigned a Seed Number starting with the team with the highest Team Average Rating.

C. Divisions shall be formed in the following manner:

i. 1 team shall be incorporated into another Section.

ii. 2 teams. When there are only two teams for a Section, those two teams will compete for the Section divisional title by playing a 6-round head-to-head match, following all other procedures as provided for in these Statutes. The winning team shall be declared Section.

iii. 3 teams shall be a Quad Division with seed 4 being the bye;

iv. 4 teams shall be a Quad Division;

v. 5 teams shall be a Hex Division with seed 6 being the bye.

vi. 6 teams shall form a Hex Division;

vii. When there are seven (7) teams in a Section, a single division of 7 teams will be formed. The first and second place teams at the end of the seven rounds of play will then play off for the Section championship.

viii. 8 teams shall form two Quad Divisions, one division being seeds 1, 4, 5 and 8, the other division being seeds 2, 3, 6 and 7; or

ix. 9 or more teams shall be set into Divisions consistent with the above subsections and also bringing into consideration the Divisional structures of the other Section.