fox: curling stones: i love this game (curling)
fox ([personal profile] fox) wrote2008-04-10 12:35 am

true tiebreaker hell scenario

I've just thought of one.

If Norway and Scotland both lose both of their games tomorrow, they will finish the round robin 6-5.  If France wins one and loses the other, they will finish 6-5.  If the USA beats Switzerland and not Canada, which is likely, they will finish 6-5.  If all this happens, it will be because both Denmark and Germany beat Scotland, so whichever of them wins the DEN-GER match will finish 6-5.  Furthermore, both Australia and China will in that scenario have beaten Norway, so whichever of them loses the AUS-CHN match will finish 6-5, and whichever of them wins will finish 7-4.

That would leave a field where Canada finished 10-1; either China or Australia finished 7-4; and Scotland, Norway, France, USA, either Germany or Denmark, and either Australia or China, that is, six teams, finished 6-5.  (There'd be records of 5-6 and 4-7 and possibly 3-8 and 2-9 among the remaining four teams, but it doesn't matter so I don't want to bother working it out now.)  And this is not, like, outside the realm of possibility, and would yield a six-way tie for two places, which is a variety of tiebreaker hell for which I'd have to consult the table.

Here's another:  half or so of the above.  Let's say Scotland loses both games and finishes 6-5, blah blah Denmark/Germany, etc.  France and USA as above.  Norway defeats the winner of AUS-CHN but the loser of AUS-CHN defeats Norway.  Then we have Canada at 10-1; Norway at 7-4; and both Australia and China at 6-5, along with Scotland, France, USA, and either Denmark or Germany.  That's a seven-way tie for two places, which I can't even speculate about how many tiebreakers it would take.  And like I said, it's not like this is an impossible scenario; it doesn't involve anyone beating Canada, and see above re: Scotland's "A" game, which they could certainly lose between the sofa cushions between now and tomorrow afternoon.

Conversely, what if Norway loses both games and finishes 6-5, but Scotland defeats the loser of DEN-GER but loses to the winner of DEN-GER.  Then Canada is 10-1; either China or Australia is 7-4, along with Scotland; and Norway, France, USA, the loser of CHN-AUS, and the winner of DEN-GER are all 6-5.  That's an easy two-way tie for second, but a tricky five-way tie for fourth.

I'm just saying.