There will be three preliminary heats of one game. Groupings will be random, but you will not play the same player twice.

Players earn 1 advancement point for each player defeated. In the case of ties, points will be divided accordingly. 4-player games will be the norm but if the field or a shortage of games available force 3- or 5-player games, points earned per player defeated will be adjusted to .8 (5-player) or 1.33 (3-player). The top 16 players by point totals throughout the three heats to appear for the semifinals will advance to Round 2 of four 4-player games with those four winners advancing to the Final immediately thereafter. Point totals will be posted on the kiosk. Players should make their their own judgements based on these standings as to their opportunities for Alternate standing advancement. Players who know they will opt out of advancement are encouraged to delete their name so as to give others a truer indication of their eligibility chances.

Semifinal games will be assigned based on seed.

All players must write their name, badge id number and final cash score on the results sheet and return it to the Game Master. The GM will provide rulings on any queries that occur. Complete each game in the time allowed. Game assignments will be done randomly while trying to minimize family, friends, and teammates from the same games. Games can be played on any style of board (wooden, 3M, AH or Hasbro). The default board to use will be decided with the assignement of tables from those providing games. If all the players agree and another board is provided by one of them, the board type may be changed.

Rules clarifications:
1. All tournament games will be between four players if possible. In the event of the number of entrants not being a multiple of four, then there will be 3- or 5-player boards as required to make the count correct. These will be allocated at random.

2. Seating is determined by each player drawing a tile at random. The lowest numbered tile starts. In the case of a tie, the player drawing the tile with the first letter alphabetically starts. Other players sit in ascending order around the table from the starting player. These tiles are placed on the board.

3. If two (or more) of these tiles are adjacent, they do not form a hotel chain. Instead, a player must add another tile to the group to form a chain. They then get the free share for starting the chain.

4. Your turn ends when you pick up a replacement tile. Play then passes to the next player, and shares can no longer be purchased.

5. Games should be played with all shares and cash visible in a pile, and remaining in plain view at all times. Further inspection of said piles for exact quantities and/or keeping a record of transactions is not allowed.

6. When purchasing shares, players must announce what they are buying and how much they are paying. People may inquire what stock others have purchased their last game turn.

7. You are not obliged to end the game if you do not wish to and think that it is to your advantage to continue. If you do end the game however, you may end it at any point in your turn.

8. In the event of a tile being played that merges three or four chains, the largest chain takes over the others. It takes over the subsidiaries in order from largest to smallest. In the case of a tie, the player who laid the tile chooses the order.

9. Once a piece has been placed on the board, it cannot be retracted.

10. Permanently unplayable pieces are placed on the side of the board before drawing replacement tiles. They will not be placed on the board except to demonstrate they are unplayable and then will be exposed face up on the side of the board for the rest of the game. If an unplayable tile is drawn as a replacement, the player must wait until his next turn to discard it as unplayable.

11. In the interests of speed, a player may count remaining cards in the reserve pile for all hotel chains anytime during another player's turn provided it does not interfere with play. During his own turn, the player may count a maximum of two chains.