World Cup fantasy trading game

[Con]

I'm bored with fantasy football leagues and would like to try out another type of point-scoring prediction game for the World Cup. This one will also incorporate trading.

 

If you like the game and want to play please state your intention below. I'm thinking of setting a limit of 20 players because any more than that will be too much work for me to keep track of everyone's progress.

 

 

Game rules

 

The game is played over 64 rounds - that is, every game of the World Cup. 

 

The objective is to score as many points as possible in each round and the player with the most points after 64 rounds is the winner.

 

Points are scored for correct predictions, which are made by the playing of "cards" (virtual cards).

 

A minimum of five cards must be laid each round (each match). If a player does not have 5 cards left, they must lay the maximum they can.

 

This is the important twist - when the prediction goes wrong you lose the card! 

 

No new cards are generated during the game. While there are a lot of cards in the game the number of cards in circulation will decrease dramatically as the game progresses because there will be so many wrong predictions.

 

So think carefully before you play Rooney against Italy - if he doesn't score or assist you will lose him, so perhaps he will do better against the Costa Rican defence?

 

 

Every player starts with the following cards:

 

32 team cards

736 player cards (includes 4 sub-classes: GK, DF, MD, FW)

52 referee cards

1 wild card

 

 

Note: the actual usable number of player cards will be much less than 736 because many squad players won't get a game. However, you still may use any card applicable to the match with a penalty (see below).

 

 

Team card (worth 20 points each win) -  This card represents the team and a prediction that the team wins the game. Both can be played for the same match. However, if the game is drawn (or goes to penalties) both cards are lost. 

 

 

Player card (worth 10 points each win)

 

GK Clean sheet or shots on target - goals is 5 or more, or goal or assist

DF Clean sheet or total shots conceded 10 or less, or goal or assist

MD goal or assist or team dominates possession

FW goal or assist, or 3 or more shots on target

 

Note: these statistics will be available from the Fifa website which will be the authoritative source of all statistics.

 

Non-player penalty points: players can play any player card they like from the squads of the two teams, even in the knowledge the player is unlikely to play in the match. However, if the player does not play any part in the match the card is lost and the player receives a -7 points deduction.

 

Duplicate cards: Two or more of the same card may be played. This may become an option if a player has acquired two of the same cards through trading.

 

 

Referee card (worth 25 points each win) - Red card, 5 or more yellow cards, or penalty awarded

 

 

Wild card (worth 10 points each win no matter what class it represents) - Can be any of the above cards of your choice and reused until it is lost.

 

 

Trading cards

 

Cards are lost when predictions go wrong.  No new cards can be generated in the game. However it may be possible to get replacement cards for yourself by trading cards with other players.

 

Note that players are only permitted to trade during a transfer window and only up to a maximum of 5 cards in each window.

 

All trading must be conducted in front of other players in this thread. Discussions can take place between the windows but no trades are permitted until a window opens.

 

There are four trading windows. 

 

Window 1: 9th-11th June (before the first game on 12 June)

Window 2: 16th - 17th June (end first round group matches)

Window 3: 22nd-23rd June (end second round group matches)

Window 4: 26th-27th June (end third round group matches, before knock-out phase)

 

 

Why trade?

 

Example1: It's before the start of the competition and you think it might be a good tactic to stack up on Ronaldos so you trade your Neymar, Suarez and Rooney cards with other players willing to give up their Ronaldo

 

Example 2: It's end of round 1 and you've already lost a lot of potentially high scoring cards: Van Persie, Benzema, Messi and you are willing to trade in a few other good cards to get one back

 

Example 3: It's end of round 3 and you think someone might swap Fred (Brazil) for Suarez (Uruguay).  Even though Suarez is better your rationale is Uruguay will go out early while Brazil will go all the way.

 

 

How do I play my cards for each round?

 

The only way to play your cards in this game is to fill out a Google form I post to the thread.

 

If you don't do this and just post your "cards" to this thread it will be impossible for me to find everyone's predictions - at least, it will take up too much time which I don't have.

 

There will be a deduction of -50 points for every skipped match, that is if you don't use the online form.

 

However the forms will be posted well in advance and group matches together so you can do many of them at the same time. There will be seven forms in total.

 

Form 1: Group stage round 1

Form 2: Group stage round 2

Form 3: Group stage round 3

Form 4: Round of 16

Form 5: Quarter-finals

Form 6: Semi-finals

Form 7: 3rd Place Play-off and Final

 

 

 

 

So, who wants to play this game?

 

 

 

 

 

 

NB: These rules may be subject to slight editing before the game officially starts (9th June) in response to any feedback I get.

Edited May 12, 2014 by Con

[AVFCforever1991]

You just took the fun out of the world cup...

[villaajax]

Who do you think you are, Sepp Blatter?!

[StefanAVFC]

I like lamp.

[Davkaus]

Erm...That's Numberwang?

[CarewsEyebrowDesigner]

[Con]

You are so cruel.

 

Only just made this up today.

 

Took me an hour to post.

 

No big deal if nobody plays.

 

However I think there will be a dozen or so who like strategy games who will play and enjoy the game.

[CardiffGreens]

Con, it's an interesting concept for a game, and kudos for coming up with something rather different.

 

Personally I'm not a fan of negative points for non-participation (especially as the group stage schedule is quite full-on)

 

And could you clarify a couple of the scoring rules please?  

In particular you say "10 points each win" - if a striker scores 3 times is that 3 "wins" (and 30 points) or just 1 win as "$goals > 0"?  If a

For midfielders, what consitutes "dominating" possession? (More than 50%?)

 

There is a few other things I'd be aware of - but I'll hang fire until you can clarify just how the scoring system works.

[Con]

Con, it's an interesting concept for a game, and kudos for coming up with something rather different.

 

Personally I'm not a fan of negative points for non-participation (especially as the group stage schedule is quite full-on)

 

And could you clarify a couple of the scoring rules please?  

In particular you say "10 points each win" - if a striker scores 3 times is that 3 "wins" (and 30 points) or just 1 win as "$goals > 0"?  If a

For midfielders, what consitutes "dominating" possession? (More than 50%?)

 

There is a few other things I'd be aware of - but I'll hang fire until you can clarify just how the scoring system works.

 

Thanks. The rules can still be adjusted if anyone has some good suggestions.

 

There are negative points for non-participation because someone could employ the tactic of not playing at all in order to protect their stock of players. That is almost cheating and would go against the spirit of the game which is about making a prediction and risking something on it. 

 

Perhaps I can come up with some other idea to punish non-participation which doesn't mean loss of points. Loss of player?

 

 

 

 

And could you clarify a couple of the scoring rules please?  

In particular you say "10 points each win" - if a striker scores 3 times is that 3 "wins" (and 30 points) or just 1 win as "$goals > 0"?

 

 

No, the striker only needs to score or assist once, or fulfil any one of the conditions. It's not cumulative. You get a maximum 10 points for a correct prediction. However... perhaps it could be cumulative? Maybe that would be more interesting.

 

 

 

For midfielders, what consitutes "dominating" possession? (More than 50%?)

 

 

 

Their team ends the game more than 50% possession.

Edited May 13, 2014 by Con