You don’t have to be a professional to participate in a Table Shuffleboard tournament. The beauty of this sport is that it can be enjoyed by anyone and everyone. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned player, you can bring the thrill and excitement of a Table Shuffleboard tournament to your home, office, or local bar.
All you need are some tips and tricks from John McDermott, a well-known and respected professional Table Shuffleboard veteran who is still ranked as one of the best players in the sport. John founded the North American Shuffleboard Championship, the most prestigious Table Shuffleboard tournament in the world, which he is still actively involved in.
Are you ready to follow in his footsteps from the comfort of your home? Then, let’s get started!
The Shuffleboard Table
First things first, you need to have the right equipment on hand.
The best tournament organizers have a 22-foot regulation Shuffleboard Table — this is what you’ll find in official tournaments. In our opinion, this can give your tournament an authentic feel. However, we understand if your venue is too small for a regulation table. In that case, we have a variety of sizes for you to choose from.
Any Shuffleboard Table size will work, as long as you take the time to prep the board. By that, we mean you should apply an even coating of Shuffleboard Table wax to help your weights glide smoothly. You can only do this at the beginning of the game; otherwise, it’s grounds for elimination.
The Table Shuffleboard Games
There’s more than one way to shuffle! A Shuffleboard Table offers so many possibilities for competitive fun, and we are excited to highlight some of the most popular games that can be played on a Shuffleboard Table.
Crazy Eights and Horse Collar are two of our favorites because they can be played with an unlimited number of people, making them perfect for holiday gatherings. Here’s a sneak peak from The North American Shuffleboard Championship Crazy Eight’s Event, as recently seen on ESPN,
Before you start playing, make sure you decide and agree on two things beforehand:
- The rules of the game
- The scoring system
Everyone should be on the same page from the start, so you don’t run into any problems halfway through the game. The Shuffleboard Federation offers framed prints for Knock-Off, Crazy Eight’s, and Horse Collars rules for your convenience.
The Tournament Prizes
Make your tournament as authentic as possible by featuring grand prizes! Of course, these prizes don’t actually have to be “grand,” but playing for something can make the tournament more competitive and more fun.
There’s nothing quite like the feeling of watching your weight soar down the Shuffleboard Table to help you score. If you love Table Shuffleboard as much as we do, you know exactly what we’re talking about. We urge you to try your hand at hosting your own Table Shuffleboard tournament and share the results with us!
