POUR HOUSE TRIVIA RULES AND FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Rules of play:
1. VERY IMPORTANT!! No use of cell phones or other outside reference materials.
2. Please do not call out any answers (even if you are just trying to be funny).
3. No collaborating with other teams.
4. Once an answer slip is turned in, teams may NOT change their answer or their wager, unless instructed to do so by the host.
5. The host will have final say in all circumstances during play.
6. In order to earn nightly prizes, teams may not have more than seven players. Your team may play the game with more than seven players, but it will be ineligible for nightly prizes given away by the venue. For the purposes of this rule, anyone situated at your table or team area is considered to be a part of your team, regardless of their actual input.
PLEASE NOTE that there is no restriction on team size for regular season California games.
Earning Pour House Trivia standings points (Washington DC area):
1. Every team earns ten standings points for completing at least one half of a PHT game.
2. Finishing in first place at a standard game earns an additional ten points.
3. Finishing in second place at a standard game earns an additional seven points.
4. Finishing in third place at a standard game earns an additional four points.
5. For games with at least 15 teams, finishing in fourth or fifth place earns an additional three points.
6. Teams with more than seven players will earn exactly ten standings points regardless of their placement.
7. Standings points may not be transferred between PHT venues.
8. Theme games aren't included in the individual venue standings, but standings points earned at theme games are included in each team's combined season total.
California venues use a different format for compiling regular season standings.
CLICK HERE for information regarding the current California standings.
Pour House Trivia Postseason (Washington DC area):
Held semiannually in the late winter and late summer, the PHT postseason comprises three rounds: the Wild Card games, the Semifinals, and the World Series. To qualify for the World Series, all teams must advance through the PHT Semifinals, typically held one week before the World Series.
There are three methods by which teams can qualify for the PHT Semifinals:
1. Win the regular season title at a weekly PHT venue by earning the most standings points across the entire season.
2. Earn at least 500 combined standings points across all PHT venues.
3. Earn a berth via the Wild Card game at its home venue (see next section).
Individual players may change teams before the postseason begins but MAY NOT represent more than one team during the postseason. Pour House Trivia reserves the right to exclude any team or individual player from the postseason for any reason.
California venues use a different qualification process for the CA Championship.
CLICK HERE for information regarding the current California standings.
Pour House Trivia Wild Card games (Washington DC area):
PHT teams that don't automatically qualify for the Semifinals by one of the first two methods described above can earn a Semifinals berth through the Wild Card game. Teams must earn at least 200* standings points at their home venue to participate in the Wild Card game. The Wild Card game for each venue will be held as part of its regular weekly schedule one week after the final game of the regular season. The number of Semifinals berths allotted to each venue is based on the number of Wild Card teams. Every host will announce the number of berths available just before the start of the Wild Card game.
* For venues with fewer than 20 games played in a season, the requirement to reach the Wild Card game will be 10 standings points multiplied by the number of games played.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: If I have a friend or someone who happens to be sitting at the table with us, do they count towards our seven-person limit even if they are NOT participating in the game?
A: Yes, if a person sits at or even lingers around your playing area, they will count towards the number of people on your team. Essentially, being on a team is not based on any verbal declaration by any team member. That declaration is in place when a person sits with a team who is playing trivia. If your host sees a person at a table for more than a few minutes, that person is considered to be part of your team. If the extra people pushes your team size over seven, we may ask that those people sit away from your trivia headquarters during the game. Remember that your team can play with more than seven people but will be ineligible for nightly prizes or extra standings points for a top three finish.
PLEASE NOTE that there is no restriction on team size for regular season California games.
Q: What if my team disagrees with the answer that the host has given to a particular question?
A: We can assure you that the Pour House staff puts in countless hours of research into writing questions. We make every effort to be 100% correct, and we do not ask "trick" questions or questions that are purposely misleading or ambiguous. Our intent is to provide entertaining and engaging questions that are concise and accurate. However, sometimes we can come up short of this goal. If your team believes that the host has given an incorrect answer, or that your answer is also acceptable, please wait until the end of a round to discuss the matter. Please approach your host politely and let them know your team's concerns. At this point, you'll need to provide proof for your argument. The host will take into account your argument and balance it against the facts presented through internet research and render a decision. It is difficult to describe how every possible scenario will play out, but it is always a priority at Pour House Trivia to be fair. Please remember that the host will have final say in all circumstances during play.
Q: I have noticed that teams at other venues have more points than my team. Will this affect my team's chances of getting into the postseason?
A: No, your team is ONLY competing against teams at your home venue. Teams at other venues have no bearing on your team's chances of qualifying for the PHT posteason.
If you have any other questions or comments, please contact us by CLICKING HERE.
1. VERY IMPORTANT!! No use of cell phones or other outside reference materials.
2. Please do not call out any answers (even if you are just trying to be funny).
3. No collaborating with other teams.
4. Once an answer slip is turned in, teams may NOT change their answer or their wager, unless instructed to do so by the host.
5. The host will have final say in all circumstances during play.
6. In order to earn nightly prizes, teams may not have more than seven players. Your team may play the game with more than seven players, but it will be ineligible for nightly prizes given away by the venue. For the purposes of this rule, anyone situated at your table or team area is considered to be a part of your team, regardless of their actual input.
PLEASE NOTE that there is no restriction on team size for regular season California games.
Earning Pour House Trivia standings points (Washington DC area):
1. Every team earns ten standings points for completing at least one half of a PHT game.
2. Finishing in first place at a standard game earns an additional ten points.
3. Finishing in second place at a standard game earns an additional seven points.
4. Finishing in third place at a standard game earns an additional four points.
5. For games with at least 15 teams, finishing in fourth or fifth place earns an additional three points.
6. Teams with more than seven players will earn exactly ten standings points regardless of their placement.
7. Standings points may not be transferred between PHT venues.
8. Theme games aren't included in the individual venue standings, but standings points earned at theme games are included in each team's combined season total.
California venues use a different format for compiling regular season standings.
CLICK HERE for information regarding the current California standings.
Pour House Trivia Postseason (Washington DC area):
Held semiannually in the late winter and late summer, the PHT postseason comprises three rounds: the Wild Card games, the Semifinals, and the World Series. To qualify for the World Series, all teams must advance through the PHT Semifinals, typically held one week before the World Series.
There are three methods by which teams can qualify for the PHT Semifinals:
1. Win the regular season title at a weekly PHT venue by earning the most standings points across the entire season.
2. Earn at least 500 combined standings points across all PHT venues.
3. Earn a berth via the Wild Card game at its home venue (see next section).
Individual players may change teams before the postseason begins but MAY NOT represent more than one team during the postseason. Pour House Trivia reserves the right to exclude any team or individual player from the postseason for any reason.
California venues use a different qualification process for the CA Championship.
CLICK HERE for information regarding the current California standings.
Pour House Trivia Wild Card games (Washington DC area):
PHT teams that don't automatically qualify for the Semifinals by one of the first two methods described above can earn a Semifinals berth through the Wild Card game. Teams must earn at least 200* standings points at their home venue to participate in the Wild Card game. The Wild Card game for each venue will be held as part of its regular weekly schedule one week after the final game of the regular season. The number of Semifinals berths allotted to each venue is based on the number of Wild Card teams. Every host will announce the number of berths available just before the start of the Wild Card game.
* For venues with fewer than 20 games played in a season, the requirement to reach the Wild Card game will be 10 standings points multiplied by the number of games played.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: If I have a friend or someone who happens to be sitting at the table with us, do they count towards our seven-person limit even if they are NOT participating in the game?
A: Yes, if a person sits at or even lingers around your playing area, they will count towards the number of people on your team. Essentially, being on a team is not based on any verbal declaration by any team member. That declaration is in place when a person sits with a team who is playing trivia. If your host sees a person at a table for more than a few minutes, that person is considered to be part of your team. If the extra people pushes your team size over seven, we may ask that those people sit away from your trivia headquarters during the game. Remember that your team can play with more than seven people but will be ineligible for nightly prizes or extra standings points for a top three finish.
PLEASE NOTE that there is no restriction on team size for regular season California games.
Q: What if my team disagrees with the answer that the host has given to a particular question?
A: We can assure you that the Pour House staff puts in countless hours of research into writing questions. We make every effort to be 100% correct, and we do not ask "trick" questions or questions that are purposely misleading or ambiguous. Our intent is to provide entertaining and engaging questions that are concise and accurate. However, sometimes we can come up short of this goal. If your team believes that the host has given an incorrect answer, or that your answer is also acceptable, please wait until the end of a round to discuss the matter. Please approach your host politely and let them know your team's concerns. At this point, you'll need to provide proof for your argument. The host will take into account your argument and balance it against the facts presented through internet research and render a decision. It is difficult to describe how every possible scenario will play out, but it is always a priority at Pour House Trivia to be fair. Please remember that the host will have final say in all circumstances during play.
Q: I have noticed that teams at other venues have more points than my team. Will this affect my team's chances of getting into the postseason?
A: No, your team is ONLY competing against teams at your home venue. Teams at other venues have no bearing on your team's chances of qualifying for the PHT posteason.
If you have any other questions or comments, please contact us by CLICKING HERE.