Join SXSW Startup Village for our annual SXSW ping pong tourney; you need not be a professional, just register online or at the event (first come first serve) and prepare to have a blast. Each company may select two employees to represent them in a single elimination doubles tournament. We'll provide the paddles, balls, and tables; you bring your best ping pong skills and prepare destroy the competition!

Registration is free and open to all SXSW Interactive, Gold and Platinum registrants.

Tournament occurs Friday, March 8 from 2:00-6:00pm on the 4th floor of the downtown Hilton, Meeting Rooms 400/402

HOW THE TOURNAMENT WILL WORK
Sign up online or at the event (as long as slots don't fill up)
When you arrive check in at the registration table to find out when your first game is; you will receive a card with your time on it so you know when your team plays. If you win the match, go back to the registration table; announce your victory and you’ll receive another card with your next game time. Repeat the previous step until you are the tournament champion!!

TOURNAMENT REGISTRATION
Please keep checking back as we will be announcing the opening of the Ping Pong Tourney registration shortly.

TOURNAMENT RULES FOR DOUBLES
1. "P-I-N-G" before each game to decide who serves (regardless of who won the previous game)
2. Each Match will be best of 3 games played to 11, switch sides every game.
3. The service itself is exactly the same as in singles except that, rather than the ball bouncing anywhere on the table, it must bounce only on the right half portion of the table for both the server and the receiver.
4. Switch Serves every 2 points (every point if game reaches deuce) and even if your opponent is on their game point, they can still serve. The service still alternates every two points between teams, but it also alternates between players on the same team.
5. In doubles, the server shall first make a service, the receiver shall then make a return, the partner of the server shall then make a return, the partner of the receiver shall then make a return and thereafter each player in turn in that sequence shall make a return.
6. If ball goes past the table without hitting it, it is out of bounds (even if it hits the other player or their paddle).
7. If the ball scrapes the net on the serve and lands in-bounds it's a "let", do the serve over. You can have as many of these as you want.
8. You should make the ball leave your hand when serving, instead of hitting it right out of your hand, as that's the official way to play. But you can decide whether or not to enforce that rule with your opponent at the start of the match.
9. FYI...no refs! Keeping score and following the rules yourselves is part of the game. Do let us know if anything needs to be brought to our attention.
10. Have fun!