Host a tournament

We’re here to help you do it, for free. Fill out the form below and we’ll send you all the information you need to run a Fermi Poker tournament, including questions and tips on writing your own. We may even be able to cover the cost of things like poker chips, dry-erase markers and small prizes.

Tell us about your tournament

Would you like us to sponsor your tournament? We may be able to cover the cost of things like poker chips, dry-erase markers and small prizes. The sponsorship amount depends on the number of players, and tournaments we sponsor must be free to enter.

Prefer email? Write us at contact@fermi.org.

Step by step

  1. 1. Fill out the form

    Tell us about your tournament using the form above. We’ll email you Fermi questions and tips for running it, and we’re here to help along the way. We’ll also let you know whether we can sponsor it, and for how much.

  2. 2. Organize a room

    Ideally, find a room with round tables that seat six players each, with enough space between them so everyone can write down their guesses in secret. Other tables work too, and so do four or five players per table.

  3. 3. Spread the word

    What works depends on where you host it. At a math summer camp, an announcement may be all you need. At a school or university, you could put up posters, announce it in class, or use your club’s channels. Consider a sign-up list, so you know how many players to expect.

  4. 4. Get poker chips and something to write on

    Plan about 20 chips per player: a standard 500-chip poker set, around $60, is enough for 25 players. For writing down the guesses, notepads and pens work, as do mini-whiteboards or erasable cards with dry-erase markers.

  5. 5. Print the materials

    Print one rule sheet per table, then print the question, hint and answer cards on 150 gsm paper and cut them out. Thicker paper works too, but isn’t necessary. Consider putting each question in its own envelope, along with its two hints and the answer. It looks more professional, and the cards don’t get mixed up or lost. The cards are about 9.4 × 6.7 cm (3.7 × 2.7 inches), so look for envelopes that fit.

  6. 6. Find prizes

    Optional, but they add to the excitement. You could ask a local business to sponsor prizes, such as gift cards, some of its products, or cash. In some cases, we may also help pay for prizes. If we ever organize regional tournaments, the winner may be invited to one.

  7. 7. Plan the ante

    The ante is the mandatory bet everyone makes before each question. It should go up over time. Otherwise, players could simply wait for questions they’re completely sure about, and the tournament would take far too long. Decide how big it starts and how often it goes up, for example every 20 minutes. We can recommend a schedule based on how long you want the tournament to take. If the tournament looks on track to run too long, raise the ante faster.

  8. 8. Get water and snacks

    Optional, but welcome during a 2 to 3 hour tournament.

  9. 9. Run the tournament

    Open with a 2–3 minute introduction to Enrico Fermi and his life, explain the rules, and play. As players drop out, close tables when you can and move their players to the others, until only the final table is left.

  10. 10. Tell us how it went

    Send us a few photos, how many played and who won.