Blue Grey Games presents

Field Day

Draft the matchups. Play the bracket.

Players: 6–12
Best with: 8
Match length: About 5 minutes
Format: Drafted bracket

Complete rules · public playtest · bluegreygames.com/games/field-day/rules

Overview

The game in one minute.

Field Day is a tournament made from quick one-on-one games. Before anyone plays, the group drafts both the names and the games onto an empty bracket.

AriBea

PlayBalance

Winner moves inwardBea

Your goal

Get one of your name-card paths to the end of the bracket. You will have more than one name card, so losing a matchup does not eliminate you while another copy of your name is still moving inward.

DraftPlace one name or one game on each turn.

PlayRun ready matchups, often at the same time.

AdvanceEach winner moves one step toward the center.

WinThe last name standing is the champion.

What you need

Build a game-day kit.

Bracket pieces

One large tournament bracket drawn on poster board or built from wood or PVC
Equal sets of name cards for every player
Game cards for every contest the group may draft
Bye markers for any empty entry slots

Host supplies

Velcro stickers, glue dots, tape, tacks, clips, magnets, or removable adhesive
Markers and extra paper
A d20, shuffled cards, or another randomizer
A timer and a coin
All equipment needed for the game cards

Know the board

Entry slot: An open space at the outside edge of the bracket. Only a name card or bye goes here.
Game slot: A junction where two paths meet. Put one game card here.
Name card: One path for one player. A person may have several name cards alive at once.
Reserved name: One name card per player held back until the last part of the draft.
Ready matchup: A game slot with a name or bye arriving from both sides.
Bye: A path that advances without playing a game.

Set up

Prepare the bracket.

Use the table below or let the setup tool make the count for you. The table includes the optional third-place game.

Players	Entry slots	Name cards each	Byes	Games placed	Games to prepare
6	32	5	2	32	40
7	16	2	2	16	24
8	32	4	0	32	40
9	32	3	5	32	40
10	32	3	2	32	40
11	32	2	10	32	40
12	32	2	8	32	40

Guideline: prepare about eight more game cards than the bracket will use. Repeated games are allowed. If you skip third place, place one fewer game card. For a custom bracket, divide the entry slots as evenly as possible among the players; any slots left over become byes. A main bracket has one fewer game than entry slots.

Set up in this order

Choose the bracket.Eight players on a 32-entry board is the recommended full game: four name cards each and no byes.
Make the name cards.Give every player the same number of copies. Hold back one copy of every name as a reserved name.
Place the byes.Spread them around the outside of the bracket instead of grouping them in one corner.
Prepare the games.Each card needs a title and a clear win condition. Keep the cards face up so everyone can see the choices.
Set out the board.Build it before game day and make it readable across the play area. Leave every remaining entry slot and game slot empty.
Choose the draft order.Shuffle the names before the event, or have everyone roll a d20 on game day. Draft from highest roll to lowest and reroll ties.

Draft the board

Place one card per turn.

On your turn, choose one available name card or game card and place it in one legal empty slot. You may choose your own name, another player's name, or any game.

Follow a snake draft

Go from the first drafter to the last. The last player takes a second turn, then the order reverses. When the draft reaches the first player again, that player takes a second turn and the order reverses once more.

AriBeaChenDrewDrewChenBeaAriAri…

Place cards legally

Name cards go only in empty entry slots at the outside of the bracket.
Game cards go only in empty game slots, including the final and optional third-place game.
Legal placements stay put. Once placed, a card cannot move.
Illegal placements cost the turn. Return the card to the available pool and continue to the next drafter.
Do not make a deliberate self-match. You cannot place a name directly against another copy of that name while a different legal entry slot remains.

Draft example

Ari sees that Balance is already on the board. Ari may place Ari beside it, place Bea beside it, place a different game somewhere else, or build a matchup anywhere else on the bracket.

Finish with the reserved names

Continue drafting until every game slot is full and every nonreserved name is on the board.
Set aside any game cards that were not drafted.
Release the reserved names and continue the same snake order.
Place only names until every entry slot is filled.

If the only legal space puts a name against itself, place it there. That matchup becomes a bye during play.

Play the bracket

Start outside. Move inward.

A ready matchup plays the game card at its junction. The winner advances to the next slot toward the center of the bracket.

1
Find a ready matchup.
Begin with games at the outside edge. Independent matchups may happen at the same time.
2
Play the listed game.
Only the two names entering that junction compete. Use the same setup and win condition for both.
3
Advance the winner.
Write or move the winning name into the next bracket slot immediately. Only the losing name-card path is out.
4
Keep moving inward.
Start each new matchup as soon as both sides are ready. The bracket never reseeds.

When the same name meets itself

Do not play the game. That name advances by bye. Other copies of the name elsewhere on the bracket are unchanged.

Players may report obvious results themselves. For a close finish or judgment call, ask the host or an impartial observer to decide.

End of the game

Win the final.

When one name reaches each side of the final, those players compete in the final's game. The winner is the Field Day champion.

If the same person reaches both sides of the final, that person wins immediately. No final game is needed.

Optional third place

Send the two semifinal losers to the third-place game. This match is for recognition only and does not affect the champion.

No event score

A game decides only its own matchup. Points, times, and margins never carry into another game.

Host reference

Keep the day moving.

If this happens	Do this
A matchup is tied	Use that game's sudden death or equal extra attempts. If the tie remains, flip a coin.
A name meets itself	Advance that name by bye.
An entry slot is blank	Advance the name on the other path by bye.
A player concedes or leaves	There are no substitutions. Cross out that player's remaining name cards and treat those paths as byes.
A game cannot be played	Adapt it for both players or replace it with one unused approved game. Weather, equipment, safety, access, or venue trouble is not a player forfeit.
A result is too close to call	The host decides or names an impartial observer. If the host is playing, someone else decides.
A draft placement is illegal	Return the card to the available pool. The player loses that turn.
Another question comes up	The host makes a simple ruling for the day, applies it consistently, and play continues.

Before people arrive

Confirm the player count, bracket, and third-place choice.
Make the name cards, byes, game pool, and bracket.
Test every game and prepare a few simple replacements.
Check the venue, weather, equipment, water, and cleanup plan.

Before the draft

Show everyone the outside entry slots and game junctions.
Explain the snake order and the reserved-name finish.
Place any byes and set one copy of every name aside.
Read the one-sentence turn rule aloud.

During play

Point out ready matchups and run games in parallel.
Record each winner immediately.
Use an impartial observer when needed.
Replace any game that no longer works.

Access and safety

Venue and emergency rules always come first.
Check whether each contest relies on running, standing, balance, throwing, bending, fine motor control, seeing, hearing, reading, memory, or quick reactions.
Adjust the setup for both players or replace the game. An inaccessible game is never a forfeit.
Keep running, throwing, water, and swing areas separate. Stop when equipment or the area becomes unsafe.
No game requires alcohol. Water Pong uses water and does not involve drinking.
A player may stop or concede without explaining why.

Starter game cards

Ten games for the pool.

Use these as written or change ordinary distances and equipment for your group. Both players in a matchup always use the same setup.

Balance

Set upBoth players stand on one leg. Keep the raised foot above the standing knee without touching the standing leg.

WinStart together. The first player whose raised foot drops below the knee or touches the standing leg loses.

Use a flat, clear surface. Replace this game if balancing on one leg does not work for either player.

Water Pong

Set upGive each player one or three water-filled target cups. Players alternate table-tennis-ball throws and remove a cup after a make.

WinThe first player to clear the other side wins. If you use a time limit, more cleared cups wins; flip a coin if still tied.

The water only steadies the cups. Nobody drinks it.

Mini-Golf

Set upBuild one short backyard course. Give each player a ball and have both players use the same obstacles and start line.

WinThe player who completes the course in fewer strokes wins.

Keep the course short enough to finish in about five minutes.

Yard-Tool Mini-Golf

Set upUse the Mini-Golf rules with several clean, intact, unpowered yard tools instead of putters. Use every tool once before reusing one.

WinThe player who completes the course in fewer strokes wins.

Keep everyone outside the swing area. Never use powered equipment.

Cornhole Sprint

Set upSet up ordinary cornhole equipment at a distance that works for the group. Give both players equal throws in each round.

WinThe first player to reach three points after equal throws wins. If tied, play another equal round.

Mark the throwing line and keep the landing area clear.

Egg-and-Spoon Race

Set upEach player balances a hard-boiled or artificial egg on a spoon and starts at point A.

WinThe first player to reach point B with the egg on the spoon wins. If it drops, replace it where it fell and continue.

Use a clear route. An artificial egg is a good option when cleanup or allergies are a concern.

Ring Toss Rally

Set upGive each player five rings. Players alternate throws at the same peg or bottle from the same line.

WinThe player who lands more rings wins. If tied, take equal sudden-death throws until one player leads.

Move the line or allow seated throws for both players when helpful.

Cup Stack Sprint

Set upGive each player six matching cups. On go, build a 3–2–1 pyramid, then collapse it into one stack.

WinThe first player to finish a standing pyramid and a clean final stack wins.

Use a stable table with room for both players.

Target Roll

Set upMark a target line and give each player three tennis balls. Players alternate rolls from the same start line.

WinThe ball closest to the target line wins, whether it stops before or after the line. Use equal extra rolls for an exact tie.

A shorter lane, seated roll, or simple ramp can be used for both players.

Sponge Transfer

Set upGive each player a source bucket, a sponge, and a marked finish container. Move one sponge-load at a time between the containers.

WinThe first player to reach the fill line wins. At five minutes, the higher water level wins; flip a coin if still tied.

Use a clear route, do not run, and clean spills as they happen.

Make your own game card

Name the game and list the equipment.
Write the setup both players will use.
Write one clear way to win, including a tie-breaker.
Aim for five minutes or less.
Note any important access or safety needs.

Complete worked example

Eight players. Sixteen entries.

This compact fictional example is smaller than the recommended 32-entry game, but every rule works the same way.

Players: Ari, Bea, Chen, Drew, Eli, Fran, Gio, Hope
Name cards: Two each; one copy of every name is reserved
Board: Sixteen entries, no byes, third place included
Game pool: Twenty-four offered; sixteen drafted
Draft order: Ari → Bea → Chen → Drew → Eli → Fran → Gio → Hope

How the draft begins

Pick	Drafter	Card chosen	Placed at
1	Ari	Ari	N01
2	Bea	Backyard Mini-Golf	R1-M1
3	Chen	Chen	N16
4	Drew	Cornhole Sprint	Final
5	Eli	Bea	N02
6	Fran	Paper-Airplane Distance	R1-M8
7	Gio	Gio	N09
8	Hope	Sponge Transfer	SF2

Hope has two consecutive turns at the end of this first pass, then the draft runs back toward Ari. The first 24 picks fill every game slot and place one copy of every name. The final eight picks place the reserved names.

Full 32-pick draft record +

Pick	Drafter	Card	Slot
1	Ari	Ari	N01
2	Bea	Backyard Mini-Golf	R1-M1
3	Chen	Chen	N16
4	Drew	Cornhole Sprint	Final
5	Eli	Bea	N02
6	Fran	Paper-Airplane Distance	R1-M8
7	Gio	Gio	N09
8	Hope	Sponge Transfer	SF2
9	Hope	Ring Toss	R1-M2
10	Gio	Drew	N15
11	Fran	Target Roll	QF1
12	Eli	Fran	N03
13	Drew	Egg-and-Spoon	R1-M7
14	Chen	Pattern Match	QF4
15	Bea	Hope	N10
16	Ari	Three-Cup Water Pong	SF1
17	Ari	Cup Stack	R1-M3
18	Bea	Eli	N14
19	Chen	Beanbag Bullseye	R1-M6
20	Drew	Coin Slide	QF2
21	Eli	Dice Target 21	R1-M4
22	Fran	Balance	R1-M5
23	Gio	Cup Curling	QF3
24	Hope	Target Toss Grid	Third
25	Hope	Eli	N04
26	Gio	Hope	N05
27	Fran	Ari	N06
28	Eli	Drew	N07
29	Drew	Chen	N08
30	Chen	Fran	N11
31	Bea	Gio	N12
32	Ari	Bea	N13

Eight game cards remain undrafted and are available as replacements.

How the bracket ends

Completed bracketEli is champion · Fran is third

Match	Game	Result	Moves on
R1-M1	Backyard Mini-Golf	Bea beats Ari	Bea
R1-M2	Ring Toss	Fran beats Eli	Fran
R1-M3	Cup Stack	Ari beats Hope	Ari
R1-M4	Dice Target 21	Chen beats Drew	Chen
R1-M5	Balance	Gio beats Hope	Gio
R1-M6	Beanbag Bullseye	Gio beats Fran	Gio
R1-M7	Cup Slide replacement	Eli beats Bea	Eli
R1-M8	Paper-Airplane Distance	Drew beats Chen	Drew
QF1	Target Roll	Fran beats Bea	Fran
QF2	Coin Slide	Ari beats Chen	Ari
QF3	Cup Curling	Gio meets Gio — bye	Gio
QF4	Pattern Match	Eli beats Drew	Eli
SF1	Three-Cup Water Pong	Ari beats Fran	Ari / Fran to third
SF2	Sponge Transfer	Eli beats Gio	Eli / Gio to third
Third	Target Toss Grid	Fran beats Gio	Fran is third
Final	Cornhole Sprint	Eli beats Ari, 3–2	Eli is champion

Egg-and-Spoon became unsafe, so the host replaced it with undrafted Cup Slide for both players. Two Gio paths met in QF3, so Gio advanced by bye. No score carried into another matchup.

Player aid

Field Day quick reference

Set up

Choose a bracket and make equal name-card sets.
Place byes.
Reserve one copy of every name.
Offer about eight extra game cards.
Shuffle names now or roll d20s on game day.

Draft

Follow the snake order.
Place one name or game each turn.
Names go outside; games go at junctions.
Legal cards never move.
Finish with the reserved names.

Play

Start any ready outside matchup.
Play the game at the junction.
Move the winner inward.
Same-name matchups are byes.
Run independent games in parallel.

Finish

The final winner is champion.
If one name reaches both final sides, that person wins.
Semifinal losers may play for third.
No scores carry between games.
The host resolves ordinary questions.

Complete rules: bluegreygames.com/games/field-day/rules

Players	Entry slots	Name cards each	Byes	Games placed	Games to prepare
6	32	5	2	32	40
7	16	2	2	16	24
8	32	4	0	32	40
9	32	3	5	32	40
10	32	3	2	32	40
11	32	2	10	32	40
12	32	2	8	32	40

Players	Entry slots	Name cards each	Byes	Games placed	Games to prepare
6	32	5	2	32	40
7	16	2	2	16	24
8	32	4	0	32	40
9	32	3	5	32	40
10	32	3	2	32	40
11	32	2	10	32	40
12	32	2	8	32	40

Players	Entry slots	Name cards each	Byes	Games placed	Games to prepare
6	32	5	2	32	40
7	16	2	2	16	24
8	32	4	0	32	40
9	32	3	5	32	40
10	32	3	2	32	40
11	32	2	10	32	40
12	32	2	8	32	40