The following contains ASD’s policy on determining the break. ASD has two different rule sets, one used for Junior Open and Senior Open and one used for Advanced Open, Premier Junior and Premier Advanced. Please note this is an explanation of what is written in ASD’s rules. Where there is a discrepancy between what is written here and in ASD’s rules, what is written in the rules takes precedence.

Break Determination – Junior and Senior Open

The term ‘break’ means refers to the ranking of the top 16 teams who will be invited to compete in the octo-finals in the Junior and Senior Open grades.

There are up to five steps in determining the ranking for the Junior and Senior Open grades:

Wins: Teams are first ranked according to the number of wins that they each have. Steps 2-5 below are then used to separate each team on the same number of wins.
Who beat whom: If there are exactly two teams tied and they have debated each other, the team that has won the most of their encounters. For example, if Team A and Team B are equally ranked, and Team A has beaten Team B once, Team A will be ranked higher.
Draw strength: The sum of the number of wins of the team each team has faced. For example, Team A beats Team B (who has only won 1 debate). Team A loses to Team C (who has won 4 debates). Team A’s draw strength is 5.
Who beat who: This is then applied to teams on the same number of wins with the same draw strength.
Random determination: If teams are still equally ranked, a randomizing function or coin toss will be used to determine the positions of teams in the break.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will a team from every zone in the Junior Open and Senior Open grades make it?

One team from each zone must break.

If the break is completed and no team from one zone is represented we will substitute the lowest ranked team for the top ranked team from the zone without representation.

The reason for this is not because some zones have teams who are not good enough to make the break but rather that the smaller zones have a more limited chance to accrue draw strength points. With a limited number of teams and the rule that you can meet a team no more than twice, the likelihood of meeting a much lower ranked team is higher in a small zone.

Why are average speaker points not used?

Although speaker points might ordinarily be a mechanism by which to break competing teams, because there are so many judges in the Junior and Senior Open grades, it is difficult to ensure that a speech receiving a 72 in one debate is of the same quality as a speech receiving a 72 in another debate.

Who calculates the break?

The break is calculated by a computer programme, Tabbycat and then reviewed by members of the committee for accuracy. Tabbycat is the leading tabulation software for debating.

What happens if there is a mistake in the calculation of the break?

The committee will make available prior to the announcement of the break the results of all debates online. Teams have up until the day of the break announcement to advise the committee of any mistakes in the results listed online. If an error in the break occurs due to the recording of an incorrect result that the committee has not been notified about, the committee will not make changes to the announced break.

If an error in the break occurs for any other reason, the committee reserves the right to alter the break to correct that error. The determination of the committee will be final in this matter.

Break Determination – Premier and Advanced Open Grades

The term ‘break’ refers to the ranking of the top 16 teams who will be invited to compete in the octo-finals in the Advanced Open grade, or the ranking of the top 8 teams who will be invited to compete in the quarterfinals in the Premier Junior and Premier Advanced Grades.

There are up to seven steps in determining the break for the Premier and Advanced Open grades:

Wins: Teams are first ranked according to the number of wins that they each have. Steps 2-7 below are then used to separate ech team on the same number of wins.
Who beat whom: If there are exactly two teams tied and they have debated each other, the team that has won the most of their encounters. For example, if Team A and Team B are equally ranked, and Team A has beaten Team B once, Team A will be ranked higher.
Average speaker points: The average of the team’s speaker points received in the preliminary rounds.
Who beat who: This is then applied to teams on the same number of wins with the same average speaker points.
Draw strength: The sum of the number of wins of the team each team has faced. For example, Team A beats Team B (who has only won 1 debate). Team A loses to Team C (who has won 4 debates). Team A’s draw strength is 5.
Who beat who: This is applied to teams on the same number of wins, same average speaker points and with the same draw strength.
Randomising function / coin toss: If teams are still equally ranked, a randomizing function or coin toss will be used to determine the positions of teams in the break.