Urban Open Ladyblades + Urban Madness

Skills Event Rules

Skills will take place on Friday evening, January 17th following the Ladyblades ABC Marathon League. We'll be offering individual, doubles, and team skills, with a wide variety of skill throws and match formats represented.

Lucky 7's 1.5 Rotation blackjack

This is an individual Skill open to Ladyblades competitors only. In Blackjack, the object of the game is to score as close to, or exactly, 21 points without going over, also known as “busting”.

• Competitors will have 7 throws to get as close to 21 as possible.  Competitors must throw all 7 throws UNLESS they hit Lucky 7 Jackpot described below.
• On the first throw all throwers MUST throw for Clutch.  If a player misses Clutch, Clutch is closed for the remainder of the game.  If player hits Clutch successfully, they can choose to go for Clutch again, or go back to the target.
• If a player chooses to go for clutch again and hits it successfully on their second AND third throw, they have hit the Lucky 7’s jackpot. They do not need to complete the rest of their throws and may remain safe at 21.  If either clutch is missed, clutch is closed immediately for the remainder of the game.
• All throws must be overhand and 1.5 rotation.  This type of throw should be thrown with one hand, but throwers may choose to throw it two handed at their own risk.
• Clutches thrown after clutch is closed will NOT be counted (i.e. they will count for 0 points). Clutch does not need to be called on the first throw but must be called on 2nd or 3rd throw if the thrower hits their first throw Clutch and chooses to go for it.
• Any thrown axe that does not stick in the target receives a score of negative four (-4)
• As opposed to standard competition there is no device used, rather, the only throws that score points must be 100% in a single point area.
• All clutches will be judged by Standard Clutch rules, NOT Premier Clutch rules.
• Paint is still in your favor:

• Zeros will be awarded accordingly for axes stuck either between two-point areas or successfully stuck in a zero-point area on the 2”x 10”
• Axes that may stick in the plywood backboard outside of the 2”x10” target boards will receive a score of negative four (-4) similar to a dropped axe
• If a player busts by breaking the score of 21, they are automatically disqualified at that time. This means they cannot follow up with a deliberate dropped axe to score negative four (-4) after they have busted to bring their score back below 21. You bust, you're out!
• Dropping an axe deliberately while approaching a score of 21 to score a negative four (-4), however, is allowed

Tie Breaker

When a winner must be determined in the case of multiple competitors finishing with a tied high score, a 1.5 rotation tie breaker will take place.  Each player competing in the tie breaker must throw 3 throws to get as close to 7 as possible without busting.    

All the same scoring rules apply to the tie breaker as in standard Blackjack competition.  Clutch is open on the third and final tie breaker throw and does not need to be called. Accidental Clutches thrown on throws 1 & 2 will NOT count. Accidental Clutches thrown on the 3rd throw WILL count, without being called.

The game will be played in heats of 3 or 4 throwers, advancing 1 or 2 players from each round as appropriate. Tie breakers are only required if breaking the tie will decide who advances and who is eliminated. If the tie is between two advancing throwers or two throwers who will not be advancing, no tie breaker is needed.

Urban Rules Doubles

In Urban Rules Doubles, teams of two players throw at the same target simultaneously and receive the combined score of both throws. At least one Ladyblades competitor must be included in each Doubles team. Teams will compete in head-to-head, best 3-of-5 matches, in a random-seeded, single-elimination bracket. Throwers must provide their own hatchet and Big Axe for Doubles.

Urban Rule Doubles will be scored by our updated Urban Rules format. A full description of the current ruleset and example photos can be found at urbanaxes.com/blog/urbanrules.

Match Format

• Teams receive 3 practice throws before their first match.

• Matches are made up of 5 throw rounds with up to 5 rounds in a match.

  • Matches are best 3 of 5 rounds, with a Big Axe tiebreaker for each tied match.

  • If a round is out of reach, play moves immediately to the next round, regardless of how many axes have been thrown in the round.

  • A round becomes ‘out of reach’ if a team has greater than a 14-point lead moving into the 5th throw or greater than a 25-point lead moving into the 4th throw.

    • i.e., it is the 5th axe of a round and Team A is up by 15 points. Team B cannot tie, so the round is over and players move on to the next round.

  • If a match is out of reach, the remainder of the match is not played, regardless of how many rounds have been thrown in the match.

    • i.e., in a best 3 of 5 match where Team A has won the first 3 rounds, the last 2 rounds are not played as Team B cannot win the match.

• If one teammate throws their axe and it hits the target before the other teammate has let go of their axe, it is an illegal throw, and no points are awarded.

  • This call is in the hands of the active referee and not their opponents.

• All axes that stick in the target are awarded points accordingly:

  • e.g., Team A throws their first throw at the same time, one axe lands in the 3 and one axe lands in the 5, giving them a combined score of 8 for that throw.

• Clutches can always be called on the 5th throw of a round.

• One or both teammates may call Clutch on the fifth throw.

  • e.g., Player 1 calls and throws for Clutch and Player 2 throws a point value within the standard target, or both Player 1 and Player 2 call and throw for Clutch.

• Highest total score for each team wins the 5-throw round.

• On the final throw of the round, teams follow normal IATF procedure when determining which team will throw first and whether or not Clutch calls are made.

• If one of the two axes thrown sticks into the handle of the other, known as a ‘Robin Hood’, the thrower is rewarded the points scored by the axe their blade is stuck into.

Tie Breaker

When teams tie all 5 rounds or each win two rounds and tie the fifth round, there will be a Big Axe tie breaker to determine the winner of the match. In a Doubles Big Axe tiebreaker, both throwers must throw their Big Axe at the same time at the same target for each throw.

• Teams receive one Big Axe practice throw on their first tie breaker of the night and no practice throws in subsequent Big Axe tie breakers.

• All axes that stick in the target are awarded points accordingly:

  • e.g., Team A throws their first throw at the same time. One axe lands in the 3 and one axe lands in the 5, giving them a combined score of 8 for that throw.

• Points are live on every throw.

  • Team A scores a combined score of 8 on their first throw.

  • Team B scores a combined score of 6 on their first throw.

    • Team A wins that match.

  • Team A and Team B both score 6 on their first throw, the match is still tied and both teams throw again.

• Each team member must “bull-in” before Clutch can be called.

  • e.g., Player 1 hits a bull & Player 2 hits a 3.

  • Player 1 is then eligible to call Clutch on Throw 2.

  • Player 2 must aim for the bullseye again as they have not “bulled-in.”

    • Once Player 2 hits a bullseye, Clutch is then available to both throwers.

  • After “bulling-in,” Player 1 may call Clutch even if Player 2 has not bulled in.

• If one of the two axes thrown sticks into the handle of the other, known as a ‘Robin Hood’, the thrower is awarded the points scored by the axe it is stuck into.

Team Challenge

Urban Axes' Team Challenge is an annual competition where teams of 4 competitors take part in three Skill games: Press Your Clutch, Variety Show Yahtzee, and Team Big Axe Around the World. Each team of 4 must include at least 2 Ladyblades competitors. Teams are awarded points based on their performance in each Skill game. The two teams with the highest total scores after all 3 events will face off in the Team Challenge Finals, with the victors winning the honor of displaying the Team Challenge Cup at their home venue!

Press Your Clutch (No Whammies)

Teams will throw to accumulate and multiply points. Each round the possible points goes up, but so does the risk of losing all of your points. Teams must decide to press their luck, or “cash out” with all the points scored. The team must determine the order of throwers before the game starts and the order will stay the same for each round. (Max Score: 440)

• Round 1: 

  • Each thrower will take a turn aiming for the board to establish the “Point”. Clutches are not live or valid “Point” scores. Once the Point is set, all other throwers will then throw for Clutch to try to multiple the Point by 1+ the number of Clutches hit. For example, for 1 Clutch hit after the Point is established, the Point is multiplied by 2. For 2 Clutches hit, the Point is multiplied by 3, up to a max of a 4x multiplier if all 3 Clutches are hit. The point times by the multiplier is the score for that thrower’s turn.

  • This continues until all 4 throwers have had a turn in Round 1, so there will be a maximum of 16 total throws for each team in Round 1 (4 throws per person)

  • If the thrower scores a zero or the axe drops, the other 3 throwers do not throw that turn, and no points are awarded for that thrower’s turn.

• Round 2:

  • Play is the same as round 1 EXCEPT:

    • On any turn if ALL throwers miss the clutch, the turn is awarded no points AND your team points resets to zero.

    • The multiplier increases to 2+ the number of clutches hit, for a max of 5x multiplier.

• Round 3: 

  • Play is the same as Round 2 EXCEPT:

    • On any turn if TWO throwers miss the clutch, the turn is awarded no points AND your team points reset to zero. 

    • The multiplier increases to 3+ the number of clutches hit, for a max of 6x multiplier. 

• Round 4: 

  • Play is the same as round 3 EXCEPT:

    • On any turn if ANY throwers miss the clutch, the turn is awarded no points AND your team points reset to zero. 

    • The multiplier increases to 4+ the number of clutches hit, for a max of 7x multiplier. 

• At the end of any turn, the team can choose to bank their points and “cash out.” At that point, “Press Your Clutch” is over for that team.

  • Teams can cash out mid-round, i.e. before all 4 throwers have taken their turn setting the point value for the round.

Once a turn is started, it must be finished. The team cannot elect to stop throwing mid-turn, when, for example, when a point has been set and two throwers have already missed their clutches.

Variety Show Yahtzee

Yahtzee is a four-player team competition in which all throwers must accomplish set throwing goals to receive points. Throwers will sign up for Variety Show Yahtzee as a team. Scores will be divided by ten for a final score (Max Score: 3200/10 = 320)

• Standard device and board change rules apply, clutches are live throughout.

• Throwers select their lane amongst each other and must stay in that lane for the duration of the competition.

• Throwers select the type of throw they will be doing amongst each other and must continue with that throw for the duration of the competition.

  • One thrower will throw premier hatchet.

  • One thrower will throw 1.5 rotation.

  • One thrower will throw underhand.

  • One thrower will throw Big Axe.

• In Yahtzee, there is a three-attempt rule, meaning, throwers will have three attempts to accomplish each throwing goal:

  • Each throwing goal has a maximum point value that is only awarded if every thrower hits their goal on their first attempt:

    • Every individual missed attempt will be a ten-point (-10) deduction regardless of whether the team completes the throwing goal or not.

• The throwing goals are as follows:

  • 1’s - Each thrower must stick the axe in the 1-point area, worth 100-points;

  • 3’s - Each thrower must stick the axe in the 3-point area, worth 300-points;

  • Bulls - Each thrower must stick the axe in the 5-point area, worth 500-points;

  • Zeros – Each thrower must stick the axe in a 0-point area, worth 600-points:

    • The 0-point area is any area worth zero points, but stuck into the 2x10 target boards:

      • A reminder that Clutches are live and will not count as a zero-point area.

  • Straight – Each thrower selects one of the following point areas for which to throw: 1, 3, 5 or Clutch, worth 700-points;

  • Clutches – Each thrower must stick the axe in the Clutch, worth 1000-points.

Scoring

The following are examples of how Yahtzee scoring works:

• Teams cumulative score through all six throwing goals is divided by 10 and added to their team total.

Team Big Axe Around the World

Teams of 4 throwers rotate in a set order, throwing Big Axe one at a time. (Max Score: 320)

• Teams must select their thrower order before their round begins and may not change their order after they have begun to throw.

• Teams attempt to hit the following sequence of targets in order:

  • Bullseye

  • Left Clutch

  • Left 1

  • Left 3

  • Bull

  • Right 3

  • Right 1

  • Right Clutch

• If a team member hits their intended target, the next thrower moves on to the next point value.

• If the thrower misses their intended target, the next thrower must throw for the same value.

• Teams start with a score of 320 points.

  • 20 points are deducted for each missed throw.

  • If a team's score reaches zero, their round is over.

  • This gives each team a maximum of 16 missed throws.

  • If a team reaches and scores Right Clutch, the remaining points of their score are added to their team total.