Academic quiz bowl is a Jeopardy-like event that focuses solely on school subjects. The premier national quiz bowl competition is NAQT (National Academic Quiz Tournaments), and AAQB uses questions from NAQT. To view a summarized version of their rules, view below. To see the original rule-sheet, click here.
How does the NAQT format work?
Tossups:
Tossups are the most important questions in an NAQT game. The game starts with a tossup being read. Tossups are structured in a pyramidal form, with the hardest clues first, and progressively getting easier. Tossups reward deep knowledge by allowing those who know the hardest clues to buzz first.
Tossups are the most important questions in an NAQT game. The game starts with a tossup being read. Tossups are structured in a pyramidal form, with the hardest clues first, and progressively getting easier. Tossups reward deep knowledge by allowing those who know the hardest clues to buzz first.
If one buzzes during the 'Hard Lead-in' or 'Harder Clues' (the bolded section of the diagram) then they get a power, for 15 points. There is a power mark which shows the border between a power and a normal buzz. If the participant buzzes after the power mark and answers correctly he/she gets 10 points. However, if they buzz in and get the question wrong, they lose 5 points, and their team loses the chance to buzz in again. The team that gets the tossup will get a set of 3 bonuses.
Bonuses:
Bonuses are given as rewards for getting tossups correct. They are a set of 3 questions that the team that got a tossup is allowed to answer. The team is allowed to talk themselves, but the other team cannot answer them. The three bonuses are related to each other.
Bonuses are given as rewards for getting tossups correct. They are a set of 3 questions that the team that got a tossup is allowed to answer. The team is allowed to talk themselves, but the other team cannot answer them. The three bonuses are related to each other.
Here are some tutorials on the rules and on scorekeeping.