CERTIFICATION
1. The 2008 Denver International Gay and Lesbian Invitational Tournament, hereafter referred to as DIGLIT, is a USBC certified tournament and maintains a Moral Support Certification for all members of IGBO.  In part, Moral Support Certification permits non-USBC certified IGBO members to participate without paying a USBC participation fee.  All participants are subject to the USBC rules and jurisdiction for the event.  The tournament is a mixed handicap competition open to men and women by invitation only.

2. All participants must be a member of IGBO in one of its membership classes or an immediate family member of an IGBO member and be able to provide proof of membership (current membership card or signed statement from league secretary verifying membership).  If the participant is not a member of IGBO, he or she must become an IGBO Associate Member and pay appropriate Associate membership dues ($25).  The participant shall have the opportunity to apply for Associate Membership at the time of registration.

3. If a participant is not a member of USBC he or she must pay the appropriate membership fee to be eligible for USBC awards.  

4. If the participant is not a member of IGBO in any of its membership classes, he or she must become an IGBO Associate Member and pay the Associate Membership fee.   The participant shall have the opportunity to apply for Associate Membership at the time of registration.

EVENT PARTICIPATION
5. There will be three (3) games per handicap event (Singles, Doubles and Teams) for a total of nine (9) games. Teams will consist of four (4) bowlers; Doubles will consist of two (2) bowlers. Doubles and Teams may consist of any blend of men and women competing on an equal basis.

6. Each participant may bowl only once in each event.

 OPTIONAL SCRATCH EVENT
7. Optional Scratch will be offered to all participants competing in all events.

Competition will be in five (5) divisions as determined by entering average.

Division A: averages 0 to 138
Division B: averages 139 to 158
Division C: averages 159 to 178
Division D: averages 179 to 194
Division E: averages 195 and above

8. Scores used for the optional scratch event shall be those scratch scores (without handicap) as bowled in the handicap division.

OPTIONAL SCRATCH MASTERS EVENT
9. Scratch Masters will be offered to all participants competing in singles, doubles and team events. Tournament Directors may re-rate a bowler into a higher division at their discretion. Any issues not covered by these rules shall be resolved by the Tournament Director, whose decision is final.

An entrant's All -Events score (sum of singles, doubles and team) is used to determine the qualifiers in each division and seeding for the round-robin play. In case of a tie for the top eight positions, a one game roll-off will determine the winner(s). Continued ties will use a 9th-10th frame roll-off until the top eight qualifiers and one alternate are determined.

There will be in five (5) divisions as determined by entering average. In the event that there are not eight entrants in a division, the division will be cancelled.  Those entrants will be given the option to move to the next higher division.  If an entrant does not wish to move to the next division, all entry fees will be refunded.  The divisions are defined as follows:

Division 1: averages 195 and above
Division 2: averages 179 to 194
Division 3: averages 159 to 178
Division 4: averages 139 to 158
Division 5: averages 0 to 138

10. The eight (8) qualifiers in a division will bowl one (1) match game against each of the other seven (7) qualifiers (round-robin style). Seeding will be based on the entering All-Events score. If any initial bye exists it will be awarded to the highest seeded bowler. The winner of each individual match will be awarded 30 bonus pins. In the event of a tie, each bowler will receive 15 pins for the match in which the tie occurred. Play will be conducted PBA style where the bowler on the left lane will shoot one frame then the right bowler will shoot two frames, each alternating two consecutive frames until the match is complete. The highest seeded bowler in each match will have a choice of being the right of left bowler. In the event that a bye exists for any reason in a round, the bowler playing against the bye must shoot the minimum division average in order to be awarded the 30 bonus points.

At the completion of the round robin competition, the top four (4) bowlers in each division will compete in a step ladder final round (4th place bowls against 3rd place, the winner bowls against 2nd place, etc.). The championship match will consist of a two game match, with total pins determining the winner, while the other rounds shall be one game matches.

11. Payout will be 100% of the entry fees less lineage and will pay four places in each division.

12. Scratch Masters Competition will begin 60 minutes following the completion of the team event for all Divisions.  A bowler who is not available to bowl at the scheduled time will be disqualified and the alternate will replace the qualifier.

Bowlers will be allowed to (10) minutes of practice before the first round-robin match. No practice will be permitted in the following 6 matches. The finals match will allow 5 minutes of practice. Finalists who are waiting for their match may practice on a separate lane.

13. Any claims of error in the roll off competition must be submitted before the start of the next match. In case of an error in the final match, any claims of error must be reported within 30 minutes after the end of the last match.

DENVER INSURANCE for PATHETIC PERFORMANCE
14. D.I.P.P. (optional, additional fee) provides for some lucky bowler(s) to receive a refund of their entry fee if they fail to win money in ANY competition. DIGLIT will provide as many rebates as the premium fees allow. Refunds are reimbursed only up to what the bowler has actually paid. No refunds on free entries.

ENTERING AVERAGES
15. Tournament averages will be determined in the following manner:

A. Only ten pin averages acceptable to USBC will be used.

B. Individual averages used to determine handicap for certifed bowlers will be based on

a. The highest 2007/2008 average with a minimum of 21 games as of April 1, 2008. If competing in more than one league, the bowler MUST submit the HIGHEST AVERAGE of all leagues bowled, OR

b. if none, the highest book average from a 2007 qualified summer league (21 games minimum) OR

c. if none, the highest book average with a minimum of 21 games from the 2006/2007 season OR

d. if none of the above is available, the entering average shall be 225.

C. Non-certified bowlers shall use a minimum average of 130. Such bowlers shall be required to submit all league averages and tournament scores for possible rerating. USBC permits the tournament manager to assign an average higher than the minimum average prior to participation. (USBC rule 319b.)

The above averages MUST be verified by the use of:

1. League standing sheet, signed and dated by league officer, or

2. Letter from league president or secretary, or

3. Photocopy of book average (with year noted), signed and dated by league officer.

D. The following RERATE POLICY shall be used:

*If a bowler has a tournament average (21 games within the 12 months prior to the tournament) which is 1 or more pins higher than the entering average, the bowler must use the higher tournament average. This rule applies regardless of any amounts won.

A bowler whose tournament scores require an adjustment must submit the adjusted average in writing before the end of the first game of the tournament. Failure to use the adjusted average in accordance with the foregoing is cause for forfeiture of entry fees and prize winnings, and the bowler is subject to automatic disqualification from the tournament. On appeal or protest, the bowler must promptly supply the record of the names, dates, and scores in all tournaments in which the bowler competed within the previous 12 months. Nothing in this rule will be deemed to supersede the authority of tournament management or local association to adjust a bowler's average upward prior to bowling.

E. The DIGLIT Executive Committee reserves the right to re-rate any entrant prior to bowling for reasons other than those set forth. Any adjustment will be completed before the entrant bowls. A bowler unwilling to accept an average adjustment is entitled to a full refund.

F. USBC rules regarding the BOWLER'S responsibility to verify the accuracy of his/her entering average, whether submitted by the bowler, the Team Captain or other, applies to all bowlers. Failure to use the proper average shall disqualify scores if the submitted average is lower than the actual average, thereby resulting in a lower classification or more handicap. Prize winnings shall be based on the higher average if it is higher than the entering average.

16. Handicap will be based on ninety percent (90%) of the difference between the bowler's entering average and 225 scratch. Negative handicaps will not apply.

ATTENDANCE AND SUBSTITUTIONS
17. It is solely and entirely the bowler's responsibility to be present at the assigned lanes at the time of bowling. Each bowler shall have the total responsibility to arrive in time to bowl. Mechanical failures, transportation irregularities, improper directions and related reasons DO NOT alter the application of Rules 17 and 18 below. (USBC rules will apply).

18. Complete Doubles and Team entrants must be present for bowling each event. If an entrant is not present, the team may use an authorized substitute (Rule 19). If no substitute is available, a zero score will be used for the absent bowler.

19. Late bowlers will begin bowling in the frame in which they are ready, with prior frames being scored as zero.

20. Substitutes may bowl at the discretion of the Executive Committee. Their entering averages must comply with the rules previously stated. Substitutes must complete an entry form.

AWARDS AND PRIZES
21. All cash awards shall be based on the Total Pins PLUS assigned handicap for each event with the exception of the Optional Scratch event.

22. Awards will be given, in the HANDICAP DIVISION, of the best Singles, Doubles, Team and Individual All Events. Individual All Events is defined as the nine (9) game total plus handicap of an individual bowler.

23. The award ratio for the Singles, Doubles and Team events shall be a minimum of 1:8. The award ratio for the Individual All Events shall be a minimum of 1:20

24. All prize fund payout will be made within thirty (30) days after tournament completion, barring any protests. A tie in any position will result in the sum of the prizes being aggregated for the tied positions and divided equally by the number of ties for that placing. The prize fund fees received from the Entry Fees will be returned to the entrants 100% in terms of prize monies.

25. The award ratio for the Optional Scratch Event shall be a minimum of 1:20. Of the prize fund from each division in the Optional Scratch Event, 100% shall be returned to that division.

26. If there are 100 or more entries in an event or division of an event, the following USBC rule will be applied: The amount spent from the prize fund for first place shall not exceed 40% of the total prize fund for that event or division of that event. Second place must be equal to at least 1/2 of the first place payout.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
27. The entry fee is payable in U.S. funds. Entries must be accompanied by full payment of fees. An additional fee is required to enter the Optional Scratch event. Certified checks, cashier's checks or money orders are the only acceptable forms of payment. NO PERSONAL CHECKS WILL BE ACCEPTED. Make all checks (certified or cashier's) or money orders payable to DIGLIT 2008. All entries are to be mailed to:

DIGLIT 2006
P.O. Box 18875
Denver, Colorado 80218-0875

ALL ENTRIES MUST BE POSTMARKED NO LATER THAN THE ENTRY DEADLINE OF JUNE 1, 2008.  Entries shall be limited to a maximum of 40 teams.

28. Partial team entries will be accepted and the DIGLIT Executive Committee will make every possible effort to fill vacancies. NO CHANGES, once accepted.

29. Signed average verification sheets MUST be submitted with the entry form. Incomplete entries will be shifted to the bottom of the priority stack until the required documents are received.

PROTESTS
30. USBC Rule 329 regarding protests will be followed. Any claims of errors in scoring must be submitted in writing to the DIGLIT Executive Committee within twenty-four (24) hours. The protesting bowler(s) and the DIGLIT Executive Committee will settle the dispute according to USBC rules. Prizes for the positions affected cannot be distributed until all protests or appeals are resolved.

31. In the event that participants are bowling unopposed, the first bowler may not begin the next frame until the last bowler has delivered the first ball of their frame.

32. All other USBC rules will apply.

33. Any person attending and requiring special needs MUST notify the DIGLIT Executive Committee in writing.

34. The Team Captain MUST sign the entry form acknowledging he/she has read these Tournament Rules.

ENTRY FEE BREAKDOWN