Event Tips & Guidelines

These compass guidelines apply to the following open ladder tournament events:

• • • The Firefighter Open

    • The Men's Open & Women's Open

    • The Santa Cruz Pickleball Open

    • The Silicon Valley Open

Entry Fee: $85pp (plus special rates as noted for  each host group)

Players will be categorized onto courts based on their skill levels. However, being on the top court doesn't guarantee winning the compass ladder. Each court will host three games; players switch partners for every game. These games will be played to 15 points, rally scoring, with a win by a margin of 1, within a maximum timeframe of 15 minutes.

After the three games on each court, points for each player will be tallied and submitted to the tournament official.  The two players with the highest points will move up, while the two with the lowest will move down—a single round completed. We'll repeat this process for two rounds in total.

Ultimately, after two rounds, the total points accumulated by each player will determine the winner. The maximum possible points a player can achieve throughout the tournament will be capped at 90 (15 points x 3 games x 2 rounds). This structure aims to offer a fair and competitive environment while rewarding consistent performance across all rounds.

These compass guidelines only apply to The Pro-Am Cash Ladder Open event on Saturday, January 6, 2024.

Entry Fee: $350pp

Players will be categorized onto courts based on their skill levels. However, being on the top court doesn't guarantee winning the compass ladder. Each court will host three games; players switch partners for every game.  Pros will switch courts every game, not round.  Players will play with a maximum of 6 different pros.  These games will be played to 15 points, rally scoring, with a win by a margin of 1, within a maximum timeframe of 15 minutes. Maximum total play time of 2 hours. 

After the three games on each court, points for each player will be tallied.  The player with the most points will move up a court, while the player with the least will move down, and the player in the middle will stay on the court—a single round completed.  We'll repeat this process for two rounds in total.

Ultimately, after two rounds, the total points accumulated by each player will determine the winner. The maximum possible points a player can achieve throughout the tournament will be capped at 90 (15 points x 3 games x 2 rounds). This structure aims to offer a fair and competitive environment while rewarding consistent performance across all rounds.

Cash Prizes for Amateurs:  Winner $1,500;  2nd place $700;  3rd place $300

For more details, see the "Tournament Guidelines" in the Pro-Am Tournament Details.

If you'd like to secure your favorite pro to play with you the whole time during the Pro-Am Ladder (a 2-hour event), you can submit a blind bid to buy them outright with your $350 Pro-Am ticket during check out (or if already registered for this Pro-Am event, you may text your bid to Monica at 415.990.1606). 

You must submit a minimum reserve price or higher, per the Pro-Am Ladder minimum bids below.  Bids must be submitted by 6 pm PST on January 2, 2024 (Tuesday) and is valid upon confirmation receipt. 

• • $5,000 | Ben Johns

  • $2,500 | Collin Johns

  • $250 | Erik Pailet, Jack Munro, Preston Bies, and Roscoe Bellamy

  • $450 | Etta Wright, Irina Tereschenko, and Lacy Schneeman

  • $250 | Bryanna Ojeda, Jordi Vigna, and Rianna Valdes

  • $250 | Jessie Irvine as a coach (she will not be playing in the matches)

For more details, see the "BUY A PRO Guidelines" in the Pro-Am Tournament Details.

If you'd like to secure your favorite pro to play with you the whole time during the Match Play with 2 Pros (30 mins per group slot; each group slot is for 2-4 players, who will join 2 pros), you can submit a blind bid to buy them outright when purchasing your $350 "Match Play" group slots during check out (or if already registered for these "Match Play" slots, you may text your bid to Monica at 415.990.1606). 

Buy A Pro is NOT VALID for the amateur open ladder rounds where the top 6 of each open EARN a slot into the Match Play with 2 Pros.

You must submit a minimum reserve price or higher, per the Match Play with 2 Pros minimum bids below.  Bids must be submitted by 6 pm PST on January 2, 2024 (Tuesday) and is valid upon confirmation receipt.

$1,500 for 30 min slot; $2,500 for 1 hr slot | Ben Johns

$750 for 30 min slot; $1,250 for 1 hr slot | Collin Johns

$75 for 30 min slot; $125 for 1 hr slot | Jack Munro, Roscoe Bellamy, and Preston Bies

$135 for 30 min slot; $225 for 1 hr slot | Irina Tereschenko, Etta Wright, and Lacy Schneeman

$75 for 30 min slot; $125 for 1 hr slot | Jordi Vigna and Bryanna Ojeda

$75 for 30 min slot; $125 for 1 hr slot | Jessie Irvine as a coach (she will not be playing in the matches)

If you have a winning Buy A Pro bid, this will be added to your group registration fee of $350.

Enjoy the opportunity to demo new paddles and test drive the ERNE Pickleball Machine!  

See the dedicated Test Drive page for more details on the paddle models and more.