HOL Special Seminar

The Magic Behind Quidditch

Referee and Player Training
(WQL Qualifications)
by
Professors Blue and Xanthos
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Lesson Two: Roles of the Players
Coach Xanthos of Ravenclaw
http://hol.hpgalleries.com/

The Quidditch FAQ, Quidditch Rules and Snitch FAQ are in the lower left corner.  Read these before continuing with the lesson.

The chaser as we know is the oldest position in Quidditch.  There are a total of 4 positions but the first three all relate directly to the Quaffle so they will be covered at the same time.  Thus, the first section will deal with Chasers, Beaters, and the Keeper.

Each team has three chasers, two beaters, one keeper and one seeker.  If for some reason the team is not able to have 7 players at the start of the match they either have to play short handed or forfeit the match.

For the Quaffle players (Chasers, Beaters, Keeper) the game is mostly about answering Harry Potter Trivia Questions correctly (this of course includes related trivia such as the movies).  Players will also find it necessary to “dodge” bludgers.

Captains / Coaches are required to submit there team rooster no less than 24 hours before the time of the match.  The referee needs to time to set up for the match and needs the names of the players as well as their positions.

For the sake of example we will pretend that Team A is playing Team B in Quidditch.  Team A’s players would have to change their nicks to reflect that they are on team A, what position they are playing, and the name of the player.  Thus Team A’s 
 

Chasers are:
A-C1-Frank
A-C2-Molly
A-C3-Jenny
Their Beaters are:
A-B1-John
A-B2-Cindy
Their Keeper is:
A-K-Aaron
Their Seeker is:
A-S-Bill


The first letter is the team letter.  After the “-“ is the position for that player.  C = Chaser; B= Beater; K=Keeper; S=Seeker.  The numbers are only needed for the positions that have more than one.  If your players care who is C1 and who is C2 please let the referee know.

Games will take place in #quidditch.  The Captain and Coach will be opped.  Also, the Captain and Coach are to join the referee and other staff in #refchan.  Only the referee (and staff) and the Captains and Coaches from both teams should be there.  Only 2 people per team should be there to represent the team.  (One Captain and One Coach or Co-Captain).  In #refchan the team members will not be opped but the ref and other staff will be.  The snitch referee (and possibly other WQL staff), coaches, and seekers meet in #snitch.  No one else should come in there.  Those who will be asked to leave or possibly just kicked if the game is going on at that time.

This is actually optional but most teams will likely have a team channel open during the match.  It is recommended that you exit all unnecessary channels during the match to allow your broom (computer) to be as fast as possible.  Also make sure that you are using the same server as the referee.  This should help your speed performance.

Finally it is time for the game.  All the final details have been worked out with the referee before the match.  The teams are in #quidditch and in their proper team uniforms (nicks).  The team members have been voiced and all spectators will no longer be able to talk in the channel.  The referee will ask the captains to shake hands, which they should do.  That is the sign that the game can begin because both teams are ready.

Then the referee will start the program, which announces both teams.  After that the snitch will be released (the Seekers will be covered later) and finally the game begins for the Quaffle players.
 
The Quaffle is released and the referee announces: “All Chasers” in red.  Then the count down from 5: “5-4-3-2-1”.  The question will be in blue.  Only the chasers are to answer.  Please review the rules to see what an acceptable answer is.

One of the chasers will be awarded the answer.  Their team is now in possession of the Quaffle.  Let’s say that Team A’s chaser Molly got the answer.  The referee will announce that Molly got it (and show the correct answer).  Next the referee will say in red, “A Chasers vs. B Beaters” “5-4-3-2-1” then the new question in blue.

Let’s say that Frank gets the question correct.  (Frank is one of A’s chasers).  Frank now gets a chance to score.  Frank will take on B’s Keeper one-on-one.  The referee will say in Red, “Frank vs. B Keeper” “5-4-3-2-1” then the question in blue.  Frank is the captain and gets the answer correct before B’s Keeper was able to do so.
The referee will say that Frank got the question first and show the correct answer.  Then in red “Score!”  and will show the new total score of the game.  B’s Keeper will then take the quaffle and pass it to their team’s chasers.  (The keeper doesn’t really have to do anything … it happens automatically.)

B’s chasers are determined to answer that goal with one of their own.  B’s Captain (and chaser) is called Craig.  The referee announces in red, “B Chasers vs. A Beaters” “5-4-3-2-1” and finally the new question in blue.  Craig gets the answer and thus has a shot on goal.  Aaron is an excellent keeper and blocks Craig.  The referee announces that Aaron got the question as well as the correct answer.  Aaron still passes the Quaffle to his chasers.  So regardless of if the chaser scores or not … the Quaffle will be passed by the keeper to his/her chasers after the shot on goal.

Each goal is worth 10 points.  The game ends with the capture of the Golden Snitch which is worth 50 points in HOL / WQL play.  Game play continues on like this until the snitch is caught ending the game.  There are however other special events, which could interrupt game play for a short amount of time.

Bludgers

Once the game has started from time to time the referee will shout in Red “BLUDGER”.  When this happens it is up to the 6 quaffle players to type, “dodge” to avoid being hit with the bludger.  The team that got 3 players to type dodge (and this must be spelled correctly … no one letter rule) wins.  The bludger will hit the other team.  The captain of the winning team must tell the referee who was hit by the bludger.  It is recommended that you do this quickly so that you don’t waste too much time.

The keeper is almost always protected from the bludgers.  The only time the keeper can be hit with the bludger is “if the Quaffle is in the scoring area."  (Thus after a chaser passes the beaters and just before the shot on goal.)  It is possible that up to two players on the losing team could be protected because of their quick dodging.  Protected means that this time that player cannot be hit by the bludger.  In order to be protected a player on the losing team must have typed “dodge” before the third player on the winning team.  It’s possible that no one other than the keeper is protected.

Finally the captain tells the referee which player on the losing team was hit by the bludger.  (Remember you can’t name protected players.)  That player is not able to play until someone scores a goal … for either team.

Problems Can Happen

  • No one gets the answer in time -

  • During play sometimes no one will know the correct answer.  It’s up to the referee how long to wait.  This gives you enough time to look up the answer in the books.  However, if there is excessive guessing the referee might call time sooner.

    When this happens the Quaffle goes back to the “all chasers” to start things again.  
     

  • Referee made a mistake

  • Sometimes the referee will make a mistake.  The referee is human.  Please treat the referee with respect no matter what.  It’s possible that you are in the wrong.  If you feel the referees call is in error please have the captain or coach notify the ref immediately in #refchan.  (Only the Captain and Coach are allowed to be there.)  Please do not do this in #Quidditch.  Players who interrupt the game in #Quidditch could get a warning, a foul, or possibly thrown out of the game if it is repeated or depending on the severity of the problem.

    If indeed the ref has made an error it will be corrected.  Sometimes there wasn’t a problem or it is something that is “debatable”.  The referee has final say.  You can bring matters to the ref’s attention (via your coach and captain) but they have the final ruling on the matter.
     

  • One of your players leaves the game (reboots computer or is forced off)

  • This is unfortunate but it is a fact of life.  Technically the game goes on and that team will have to play short handed.

SEEKERS

Seekers have a very difficult and stressful job.  However, it can also be fun and challenging.  Please read the seeker (snitch) FAQ.  I’ll try not to repeat to much of what is in there.

Basically in a text based environment the seekers from both teams, the snitch ref, 1 coach per team, and perhaps other APPROVED staff are allowed in #snitch.  This is where the seekers will compete in an attempt to capture the Golden snitch.

The seekers move around on a grid by giving the referee commands such as: u, d, l, r or in other words, “up”, “down”, “left”, “right”.  There are a few blank squares, 10 bludgers, 2 Wronski Feint, many trivia squares and of course the Golden snitch which doesn’t appear at first.

Seekers must find the clue squares, which they use to solve the logic puzzle.  If they submit the correct answer to the snitch referee they get the location of the Golden snitch.  A wrong answer means they have to wait until after the other seeker makes a guess.

Clue squares can be landed on accidentally but the main way of course is by answering trivia questions before the other seeker.  When either seeker lands on a trivia square (a frequent occurrence) both of them compete on that question.  The ref snitch program will keep track of who got the answer.  As soon as a player gets 5 answers correctly they get the location of the first clue square.  Technically the other seeker will get the location to clue square number 5 and get the locations in reverse.  Even if one seeker gets 10 questions in a row they don’t get the location of the next clue square until after they have found the one they are working on.  Thus, if Team A’s seeker is told that the their next clue square is on 3,7 that seeker won’t get the location for the next one until after they have landed on the clue square at 3,7, and answered 5 more trivia questions correctly.

Hitting a bludger makes that seeker lose 3 turns.  Hitting the Wronski Feint means the other seeker loses 5 turns!!!  Clearly answering trivia is important.  But finding the clue squares in order to answer the puzzle correctly to find the location of the Golden snitch is truly the key to victory.  

A seeker has many things to do at once.  But they must work alone.  The new snitch helps to ensure that the seeker is working alone but there is still needs to be trust that both parties are playing as seeker alone.

Once the seeker finally finds the snitch they can return to #Quidditch with the snitch.  The referee will announce that the snitch has been caught and which team caught it.  That team is awarded 50 points (this amount could change but for now it is set) and the game is over.

Are you ready to take the Quiz for this unit?
 



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