How to earn Regional Colours.

Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA), being the largest member based gaming organisation in South Africa, continually promotes its Regional Championships as a way to further promote growth and development in all the disciplines and games of which it  is the national federation.

MSSA is thus the only organisation that ventures out of the major cities to promote board gaming, esports, wargames and so forth.

Regional colours are seen by MSSA to be the first step in obtaining colours, and allows a greater number of people to obtain colours in the 56 regions that exist in South Africa - see: https://esportscommentator.blogspot.co.za/2017/07/more-about-regions-in-south-africa.html

In order to obtain Regional Colours, all a registered player and/or team has to do is win a Regional Championship.

By winning such championship, such registered player and/or team also automatically qualifies to participate in the annual National Team Trials (NTT).

Why is the Free State Championship important?

Gamers in action.

MSSA's 14th MSSA Free State Championships shall be held at Fakkel School, 20 Jan Smuts Ave., Sasolburg, on 24 & 25 June 2017.

But why the fuss? What is so important about the Free State championships?

Does not the championship have exactly the same status as other provincial championships?

While the Free State Championships has exactly the same status as other provincial championships, it is for that reason that it attains a greater significance.

The reasoning behind the above statement is that the championship counts towards team selection for the 2018 National Team Trials.

As such, it is a good way to get an early qualification, and by doing so, it allows players and/or teams to experiment in order to improve their standard as the pressure to qualify has been removed.

Teams are able, over the year, to get a greater number of players to qualify for 'Trials' in order to improve the depth of talent for 'Trials', and individual gamers are able to use new and different tactics in order to improve their personal game-play.

An early qualification also enables gamers pleanty of time to sort  out their own paperwork, such as ensuring that they have a  valid passport, unabridged birth certificates (if applicable), and so forth.

Not only that, but MSSA's 14th MSSA Free State Championships to be held at Fakkel School, 20 Jan Smuts Ave., Sasolburg, on 24 & 25 June 2017 also enables clubs to generate content for MSSA's Channel on Tuluntulu. Such content will allow the club to offer more to its sponsors, and hopefully attract bigger and better sponsorships.

Many readers already know that the channel is screened 24/7 and has a number of viewers right around the world - even in the heart of gaming - South Korea. 

MSSA's 2017 Free State LAN Championships - 24 & 25 June 2017

Gaming at MSSA's 13^th Free State Championships

The 14^th Free State Championships shall be played on 24 & 25 June 2017. Registrations are thus open for MSSA's 14^th Free State LAN Championships.

The championship also counts as a qualifier for the MSSA's National Team Trials, and counts towards MSSA's 2018 esports trials.

Registrations will close on the 19 June 2017. Players who wish  to compete in any of MSSA's Championships are advised to complete their annual registration forms so that they may registered as Registered Players as soon as possible. Late entries will be accepted in exceptional circumstances.

All gamers are reminded that MSSA's 14^th Free State LAN Championships is an open championship.In other words any registered player is entitled to enter the championship – no matter where they live, or their category of membership. If you have any queries, please contact the MSSA.

Championship Details:

Hosting Club: Fakkel School, Sasolburg

• Venue: Fakkel School, 20 Jan Smuts Ave., Sasolburg
• Date: 24 & 25 June 2017
• Entry Fees: R60.00 per Registered Player per Period
• Entries: Clubs must use the entry form on Google Drive to enter their teams/players.
• Computers: Bring your own. Please ensure that all game updates are done prior to arrival. No updates shall be done at the event.
• Schedule: The LAN Schedule for all Provincial events in 2017 is:

SATURDAY
Time	StarCraft II	PES (Pro Evolution Soccer)	Battlefield 1	Hearthstone	Ultimate Street Fighter V	Counter Strike GO
09H00	Round 1 Starts	Round 1 Starts	Round 1 Starts	Round 1 Starts	Round 1 Starts	Round 1 Starts
09H45	Round 2 Starts	Round 1 Continues	Round 1 Continues	Round 1 Continues	Round 2 Starts	Round 1 Continues
10H30	Round 3 Starts	Round 2 Starts	Round 2 Starts	Round 2 Starts	Round 3 Starts	Round 2 Starts
11H15	Round 4 Starts	Round 2 Continues	Round 2 Continues	Round 2 Continues	Round 4 Starts	Round 2 Continues
12H00	Round 5 Starts	Round 3 Starts	Round 3 Starts	Round 3 Starts	Round 5 Starts	Round 3 Starts
12H45		Round 3 Continues	Round 3 Continues	Round3 Continues		Round 3 Continues
13H00	LUNCH
Time	TEKKEN 7	PES (continued)	Battlefield 1	Hearthstone (continued)		Counter Strike GO (continued)
14H00	Round 1 Starts	Round 4 Starts	Round 4 Starts	Round 4 Starts		Round 4 Starts
14H45	Round 2 Starts	Round 4 Continues	Round 4 Continues	Round 4 Continues		Round 4 Continues
15H30	Round 3 Starts	Round 5 Starts	Round 5 Starts	Round 5 Starts		Round 5 Starts
16H15	Round 4 Starts	Round 5 Continues	Round 5 Continues	Round 5 Continues		Round 5 Continues
17H00	Round 5 Starts
18H00	Awards Ceremony
19H00	Doors Close
SUNDAY:
Time	DotA 2	League of Legends (LoL)	FIFA '17	Mortal Kombat X	VainGlory
09H00	Round 1 Starts	Round 1 Starts	Round 1 Starts	Round 1 Starts	Round 1 Starts
09H45	Round 1 Continues	Round 1 Continues	Round 2 Starts	Round 2 Starts	Round 2 Starts
10H30	Round 2 Starts	Round 2 Starts	Round 3 Starts	Round 3 Starts	Round 3 Starts
11H15	Round 2 Continues	Round 2 Continues		Round 4 Starts	Round 4 Starts
12H00	Round 3 Starts	Round 3 Starts		Round 5 Starts	Round 5 Starts
12H45	Round 3 Continues
13H00	LUNCH
Time	DotA 2 (continued)	LoL (continued)	FIFA '17 (continued)	Mortal Kombat X (continued)
14H00	Round 4 Starts	Round 4 Starts	Round 4 Starts	Round 4 Starts
14H45	Round 4 Continues	Round 4 Continues	Round 4 Continues	Round 4 Continues
15H30	Round 5 Starts	Round 5 Starts	Round 5 Starts	Round 5 Starts
16H15	Round 5 Continues	Round 5 Continues	Round 5 Continues	Round 5 Continues
17H00
18H00	Awards Ceremony
19H00	Doors Close

Rules and Regulations: All Rules and Regulations pertaining to esports are available from the MSSA. Players are strongly advised to familiarise themselves with the LAN League Bylaws and all Period Specific Rules. If any Player wishes to provide advice regarding the drafting of the Period Specific Rules they are encouraged to contact the eSBoC who will take all comments into account.

The following Medals may be awarded at the Championship:

• PREMIER: Medals shall be awarded to the first three players who are registered players.
• SCHOLARS: Medals shall be awarded to the first three high school scholars, provided they have not received any Premier medals.
• UNIVERSITY:Medals shall be awarded to the first three players who are currently registered at any officially recognised University, provided the players have not received any Premier Medals.
• WOMEN: Women will be awarded medals as per the same basis as above, that is in all three categories.

Colours and National Team Trials:

• National Colours: All Players that win all of their Matches at a National Championship will earn National Colours.
• Provincial Colours: All Players that win all of their Matches at a Provincial Championship will earn Provincial Colours. All Players who score within the top 50% in a specific Period at a Provincial Championship, and who also score within the top 50% at a National Championship in the same period and in the same year, will earn Provincial Colours.
• National Team Trials: All Players that score within the top 20% or top three places, whichever is greater, in a specific Period at a Provincial or National Championship will earn an invitation to National Team Trials. National Team Trials shall be held in the event that a National Team must be selected to represent South Africa when competing in such Period in an International Championship.

Please note that times may be changed to take into account load-shedding.

Issued by:

Colin Webster
General Secretary
Mind Sports South Africa
P O Box 19275
FISHER'S HILL
1408
Tel: 011 828 4994
Fax: 086 672 1911
Cell: 073 593 9451
e-mail: mindsportssa@iafrica.com
URL: http://www.mindsportsa.co.za
Twitter: @mindsportssa
Skype: colin.webster4
Blog: http://esportscommentator.blogspot.co.za

Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) is an affiliate of the South African Confederation of Sport and Olympic Committee.

The MSSA is responsible for the good governance and promotion of Board games (such as Backgammon, Diplomacy, Checkers, Draughts, Morabaraba, etc), eSports (whether they are played on 'cell phones, Sony® PSP?s, personal computers or similar), and Historical figure games (also known as wargames).

TEKKEN 7 to be played at IeSF's 9th Esports World Championship - Busan

The International e-Sports Federation (IeSF) has now disclosed the third official game title and the first individual game title of 'IeSF's 9th Esports World Championship - Busan' to be played on 8 to 12 November 2017.

The title is none other than: "Tekken 7"

Tekken was first played at 2012 World Championship in Cheonan (Korea), and also was the official title during 2013 World Championship Bucharest (Romania) and 2014 World Championship Baku (Azerbaijan).

Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) sent players for all previous events at which TEKKEN was played, being:

Date	Venue	Players
2012	Cheonan (Korea)	Vittorio Puissa, Lyrene Kühn
2013	Bucharest (Romania)	Lyrene Kühn
2014	Baku (Azerbaijan)	Morizane Boyes

All of the above named players served South Africa well.

Players who have also qualified for the other game titles within the same genre (Street Fighter V and Mortal Kombat X) may also compete in TEKKEN at the National Team Trials on 3 & 4 June 2017 at Roedean School .

Update on MSSA's Calendar of Events.

Hannes Esterhuizen of Curro Klerksdorp

St Conrads Brothers Christian College in Klerksdorp has been acquired by the Curro family of schools from 1 July 2016. 

The school is now referred to as Curro Klerksdorp. 

Curro Klerksdorp shall be hosting the 21^st NORTH WEST Championships on 25 & 26 March 2017.

Such event counts as a qualifier for National Team Trials to be held later on in the year.

The updated Calendar of Events is as follows:

Date	Event	Discipline	Venue
11 FEBRUARY	On-line Inter-school Provincial Championships	CS:GO, DotA, FIFA, LOL, SC II, TTT II, VainGlory	On-line
4 & 5 FEBRUARY	25th Old Edwardian Summer Championships	Ancients, Checkers, FIFA ‘17, Morabaraba	Old Edwardian Society, 11 Ninth Ave., Lower Houghton
25 & 26 FEBRUARY	34th GAUTENG Championships	Board games, Card games, eSports, wargames	Jeppe High for Boys, Cnr Roberts Avenue & Good Hope Street, Kensington, Johannesburg
25 & 26 MARCH	21st NORTH WEST Championships	Board games, Card games, eSports, wargames	Curro Klerksdorp, 22 Elm St, Klerksdorp
22 APRIL	Provincial Online Championships	Dota 2, CounterStrike GO, League of Legends, Street Fighter V	On-line
29 & 30 APRIL	Provincial School Championships	Board and Figure games	TBA
27 & 28 MAY	16th MPUMALANGA Championships	Board games, Card games, eSports, wargames	TBA
27 MAY	FINANCIAL AGM	Meeting	TBA
4 JUNE	Esports National Team Trials	TBD	TBA
25 & 26 JUNE	14th FREE STATE Championships	Board games, Card games, eSports, wargames	TBA
8 & 9 JULY	23rd KWAZULU NATAL Championships	Board games, Card games, eSports, wargames	TBA
29 & 30 JULY	SA School Championships	Board, Figure and eSports	TBA
12 AUGUST	StarCraft II, Hearthstone	eSports (PC)	On-line
26 & 27 AUGUST	22nd WESTERN CAPE Championships	Board games, Card games, eSports, wargames	TBA
TBA	Indigenous Games	Morabaraba	To be determined by SRSA
23 & 24 SEPTEMBER	16th EASTERN CAPE Championships	Board games, Card games, eSports, wargames	TBA
28 & 29 OCTOBER	6th LIMPOPO Championships	Board games, Card games, eSports, wargames	TBA
1 NOVEMBER	Submit nominations of office-bearers	Admin	N/A
2 & 3 DECEMBER	30th S A NATIONAL Championships	Board games, Card games, eSports, wargames	TBA
3 DECEMBER	33rd NATIONAL CONVENTION	Annual General Meeting	As per 30th S A NATIONAL Championships
TBA	SRSA's S A Schools Championships	Morabaraba	To be determined by SRSA

Notes:

1. International events still need to be included.
2. Inter-Provincial events need to be included
3. Inter-regional events need to be included
4. Club events need to be included
5. Regional Championships need to be included.
6. Free State is moved to earlier in the year.
7. National Team Trials still need to be included