ENTRY FEE BREAKDOWN
Entries postmarked or received on or before May 15, 2008 will receive an early bird discount of $10.00 per bowler. Entry deadline is June 22, 2008. Entries will be accepted after the deadline, based on availability, until June 29, 2008 with a late penalty fee of $10.00 per bowler. Online registration and entry fee payment is also
available online at www.houstoninvite.com. A service charge will apply to online payments.

Prize Fund $ 35.00
Lineage $ 19.00
Awards Banquet $ 25.00
IGBO Donation $ 1.00
Total Entry Fee $ 80.00 (US)

PRIZE FEE PAYOUT
Prize Fees will be returned 100%. Payout will be 1 in 8 in each event:
(Singles, Doubles, Team, All-Events) Optional Scratch payout is at least 1
in 10.

NON-PARTICIPANT PACKAGES
Includes all activities other than bowling. Please indicate
Non-Participant's name and city on entry form and remit fee of $30.00.

OPTIONAL SCRATCH ($25.00 FEE)
DIVISION A: 0 - 149 AVERAGE
DIVISION B: 150 - 164 AVERAGE
DIVISION C: 165 - 179 AVERAGE
DIVISION D: 180 - 194 AVERAGE
DIVISION E: 195 & ABOVE

SCRATCH MASTERS ROLL-OFF
DIVISION A: 0 - 149 AVERAGE ($25 FEE)
DIVISION B: 150 - 164 AVERAGE ($25 FEE)
DIVISION C: 165 - 179 AVERAGE ($30 FEE)
DIVISION D: 180 - 194 AVERAGE ($30 FEE)
DIVISION E: 195 & ABOVE ($30 FEE)

TOURNAMENT RULES
1. The Houston Invitational Tournament, held July 3 - 6, 2008, is an IGBO member tournament open to men and women by invitation only. The tournament will be a mixed, handicap competition sanctioned by USBC, and will adhere to USBC rules. Participation is limited to fifty teams of four members each. Any issue that is not covered by USBC or the following rules will be resolved by the Tournament Executive Committee.

2. CERTIFICATION: Pursuant to Rule 300c, all participants must be members of USBC and provide proof of membership (certification card or signed statement from the League Secretary). If the participant is not a member of USBC, he/she must pay the appropriate participation fee of $18.00 and become concurrently subject to the USBC rules and jurisdiction for the tournament.

3. TOURNAMENT EVENTS: Each participant may only enter once. The tournament shall consist of Singles, Doubles, Team and Individual All-Events based on handicap of 90% of the difference between the bowler's entering average and a scratch score of 225.

4. AVERAGES: Any bowler entering the Houston Invitational Tournament must establish a ten-pin average acceptable to USBC (Rule 319), subject to the following: (See Also Rule 6B for Tournament Average Information)
A. The highest 2007-2008 book average (minimum 21 games) as of May 31, 2008.
B. If none, the 2007 summer average (minimum 21 games).
C. If none, the 2006-2007 book average (minimum 21 games)
D. If B and C exist; the higher of the two will be used.
E. If none of the above exist, the highest current average, minimum 21 games or
F. If none of the above, an entering average of 225 will be used.

5. VERIFICATION: Entries must be accompanied by League Standing Sheet or photocopy of Book Average, signed and dated by a league officer or a letter from the league president or secretary of the league from which the entering average is submitted. Failure to use the correct average shall disqualify score if submitted average is lower than correct average thereby resulting in a lower classification or more handicap. Prize winnings shall be based on the submitted average if it is higher than the correct average. However, corrections in averages may be permitted up to the completion of the bowler's first game.

6. OTHER REQUIREMENTS:
a. Any bowlers who have qualified for a cash and/or merchandise prize of $600 (US) or more in a single event must report the following: The actual scratch scores bowled in the series, the event in which the prize was won, the name and date of the tournament and the position won. An average adjustment on this information
will be reviewed on an individual basis and action will be decided by the Tournament Re-Rate Committee.
b. The bowler's accumulated tournament average for all but not less than 21 tournament games must be used for handicapping or classification purposes if it exceeds the entering average by 15 pins or more. Failure to report this information shall result in automatic disqualification and loss of winnings. (USBC Rule 319 is enforced and applies in its entirety).
c. When tournament management reserves the right to adjust a bowler's average, such adjustment must be made before the entrant bowls. Any bowler unwilling to accept an average adjustment is entitled to a full refund.

7. INELIGIBILITY: The following conditions result in automatic disqualification to participate in the Houston Invitational Tournament:
a. Any bowler who is employed by a host bowling center may not participate in that bowling center.
b. Any bowler who currently bowls in a league at the host-bowling center, but is not a member of an IGBO league.

8. FEES: The tournament entry fee shall be eighty ($80) (US) per person. The breakdown is as follows: Prize Fund $35.00; Lineage $19.00; Awards Banquet 25.00; IGBO Donation $1.00. Entries postmarked on or before May 15, 2008 will receive a $10.00 per person early bird discount. Entries postmarked after June 22,
2008 will pay a late penalty fee of $10.00 per bowler. Entries will not be accepted after June 29, 2008 (except for emergency replacements). Entries not accompanied by payment will not be processed until payment is received, which may result in changing of entry fee and/or shift preference. When a free or reduced entry is given, an amount equal to the prize fee will be paid into the tournament prize fund by management.

9. REGISTRATION: Tournament registration shall close on June 22, 2008 or when all available spots have been filled. Entries received with a postmarked date after June 22, 2008 shall be processed on a first-come, first-served basis until June 29, 2008, with a late penalty fee of $10 per bowler (all late fees collected will be allocated directly for the prize fund). All entries must be accompanied by full payment of $80.00 (US), less any early bird discounts and/or plus any late fees or optional event fees, per bowler by cashier's check or money order made payable to the Houston Invitational Tournament and mailed to the Houston Invitational
Tournament, P. O. Box 3711, Houston, TX 77253-3711. Personal checks drawn on US funds will be accepted through June 1, 2008. Entries must be postmarked by June 22, 2008 and shall be processed in the order in which they are postmarked. Once an entry is accepted by the tournament, no refunds shall be
made except for re-rated bowlers pursuant to Rule 6 (C). Partial entries will be accepted and every effort made to fill the spots, provided all necessary information is provided and fees paid.

10. LATE BOWLERS & SUBSTITUTES: It shall be the sole responsibility of each bowler to be present at their assigned lane at the time of bowling without regard to transportation irregularities, improper directions, mechanical failures or any other reason. Late bowlers shall begin bowling in the frame in which they are ready, with prior frames scored as zero (0). If a team member is not present, the team may use an authorized substitute as permitted by the Tournament officers. If no substitute is available, a zero score will be used for the missing bowler.

11. PRIZES: There shall be one position prize awarded in each handicap event for every eight (8) entries, or major portion thereof and will be payable in US funds by mail within 30 days of the tournament. In addition, special awards will be given for the male and female high handicap game and series scores and the male and
female high scratch game and series scores.

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OPTIONAL SCRATCH RULES
1. An Optional Scratch event is available to all participants for an additional entry fee of $25.00. Optional Scratch entry fees may be paid at the time of tournament entry or during registration (before the first ball is rolled in competition).

2. The Optional Scratch qualifying scores will consist of the total scratch scores for the nine (9) games in the Singles, Doubles and Team events. Optional Scratch divisions will be as follows:

Division A: Averages from 0-149
Division B: Averages from 150-164
Division C: Averages from 165-179
Division D: Averages from 180-194
Division E: Averages 195 and Above

3. Prizes will be awarded in each division for the high scratch game, series and all-events bowled by participants who have paid the Optional Scratch entry fee. The award ratio for the Optional Scratch will be at least 1:10 per division and 100% of the prize fund for each division shall be returned to that division. Ties for any event will be aggregated for the tied positions and divided equally by the number of ties for that placing.

SCRATCH MASTERS RULES

1. The Scratch Masters competition, in conjunction with the Houston Invitational Tournament, is available to all participants for an additional entry fee based on Division as outlined below. Scratch Masters entry fees may be paid at the time of tournament entry or during registration (before the first ball rolled in competition). 100% of the entry fee will be returned to the prize fund for each division. All scores will be scratch, no handicap.

2. The six (6) game scratch totals from the handicap tournament (Singles and Doubles) are used to determine the six (6) qualifiers and the one (1) alternate per division for competition. If a TIE exists for any of the six (6) qualifying spots, the bowler with the highest three (3) game scratch series will determine the seeded positions. Once the final ranking or position for the six games is determined, qualifying scores will not carry over. Scratch Masters Divisions and corresponding entry fees will be as follows:

Division A: Averages from 0-149 $25.00 entry
Division B: Averages from 150-164 $25.00 entry
Division C: Averages from 165-179 $30.00 entry
Division D: Averages from 180-194 $30.00 entry
Division E: Averages 195 and Above $30.00 entry

3. Lane assignments for preliminary matches will depend on qualifying position, as follows:

	Lane # 1 - 2		Lane # 3 - 4		Lane # 5 - 6
Game 1	1 vs. 6	(vs)	3 vs. 4	(vs)	5 vs.2
Game 2	5 vs.3	(vs)	1 vs. 2	(vs)	4 vs. 6
Game 3	4 vs. 1	(vs)	5 vs. 6	(vs)	2 vs.3

During match play, the bowlers on lanes 2, 3, 4, and 5 will also be competing against the bowler on the adjacent lane. For example, in Game 1, the bowler positioned on lane 2 will be matched against the bowlers on lanes 1 and 3, while the bowler on lane 4 will be matched against the bowlers on lanes 3 and 5. When positioned on lane 1 and 6, bowlers will be matched only against the other bowler on the same pair of lanes.

4. Each match won will be worth 30 bonus points. In the event of a tie, 15 bonus points will be awarded to both bowlers. Bonus points will be added to the bowler¹s scratch scores bowled during the roll-off. The top three (3) bowlers will advance to a “pro-style” stair-step final round of two (2) games. The bowlers in positions 2 and
3 will bowl one game against each other. The winner will advance to bowl a single game against the bowler in position 1 to determine the champion.

5. The scheduled competition will begin at 2:30 pm on Sunday, July 8, 2008.

6.Scratch Masters check-in will be 1:45 pm – 2:15 pm. If a bowler has not checked in by 2:15 PM or is unavailable to bowl at the scheduled time, the alternate in that division bowls. The unavailable bowler is disqualified. The alternate assumes the 6th place seed and the other seeds are advanced accordingly.

7. During preliminary rounds, bowlers will have 10 minutes of practice on any or all of the 6 lanes assigned to his/her division; no other practice balls are allowed on subsequent lanes and/or matches. During the semifinal round, bowler will be allowed two (2) practice balls per lane. During the final round, the bowler in position 1 will be allowed two (2) practice balls per lane. During the semi-final round, two lanes will be available for the top seeds in each division to practice.

8. Any claims of error in the competition must be submitted to the Scratch Master¹s Committee prior to the start of the next match. In the case of an error in the final match, within thirty (30) minutes after the end of the final match.

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