You must compete in one of at least six preliminary bouts between August and February before or during Super Slam Week to qualify for the Grand Slam at the end of the week. The top winning teams and/or individuals of the Houston Grand Slam may win cash prizes to be claimed upon returning from the National Poetry Slam. The winning poets will officially represent Houston at the National Poetry Slam . The highest ranking individual winner will be declared the Houston Individual Slam Champion and may officially represent Houston at the Individual World Poetry Slam. The highest ranking individual female may represent Houston at The Women of the World Slam.
The basic rules for ALL Poetry Slam Incorporated certified slam contestants:
1. Write and compete with your own poems up to three minutes long using: no props, no costumes, no musical accompaniment. At 3:10:01 you start losing .5 of a point for every 10 seconds you go over after 3:10.
2. You will be judged by 5 judges who may be picked out of the audience. The judges will score you Olympic style 0 to 10 points judging such criteria as performance, originality, and content.
Go to Poetry Slam Incorporated for detailed info on these basic rules.
Here are the local qualifying rules and the local format for the Houston Slam Team open season between August and February. Register yourself or your team (no more than two poets)online or in person at a slam. There is a registration fee. You may sign up in person to compete in any bout or special venue if no one has registered before you.
1. The format for qualifying slams is no elimination, no more than three bouts per night (maximum eight contestants).
2. For qualifying slams the first two bouts will be head -to-head match-ups in three rounds. Three differently colored flags assigned a certain point value will be used by three judges to chose a poet as winner. The poet with the most flags wins the round. The first poet to win two rounds wins the match.
3. The last bout will consist of 4 contestants (individuals and/or teams), 4 rounds, individual scores are added together each round. Random order in the first round during qualifying slams. Set alphabetical rotation in succeeding rounds, like this:
Round 1:ABCD (random)
Round 2:CADB
Round 3:DCBA
Round 4:BDAC
4. In head-to-head matchups, ranking points are determined by contestants winning placing as follows, with scores determining lead within a ranking group:
Placing 1st earns four ranking points.
Placing 2nd earns two ranking points.
5. In 4×4 bouts, winners receive cash prizes totaling $101 and ranking points determined by contestants winning placing as follows, with scores determining lead within a ranking group:
Placing 1st earns four ranking points and $70.
Placing 2nd earns three ranking points and $20.
Placing 3rd earns two ranking points and $10
Placing 4th earns one ranking point and $1.
6. A grand slam will be held with no less than 4 contestants.
7. There will be no tiebreakers during preliminaries. Ties within any ranking group will force a semifinal.
8.There will be NO random draw for the first round of any semi-final or championship bout. Rotations of semi-final and championship slams will be alphabetical rotation, with the top ranked poet earning the right to choose his rotation.
9. The format for semifinal slams is no elimination in possibly two nights, no more than two bouts per night (maximum 16 contestants overall) with 4 contestants per bout (individuals and/or teams), 4 rounds per bout, individual scores are added together each round. Top two contestants in each bout advance to final.
10. The format for the Grand Slam Final is no elimination, no more than two bouts (maximum eight contestants) with 4 contestants per bout (individuals and/or teams), 4 rounds per bout, individual scores are added together each round. Top two contestants from each bout become the Houston Slam Team.
11. Teams may send individual members on stage to perform or may perform a group piece at any time during prelims, semifinals, or finals – but teams must perform at least one team piece during Super Slam Week.
12. Individual poets cannot be on more than one team, and teams may not share poets.
The mission of Houston Poetry Slam is to promote poetry slam as one tool to help organize a nurturing, vibrant local poetry community. Therefore, stern policies have been implemented to discourage the involvement in our events of self indulgent, egotistical poets whose actions serve only their own personal advancement and the advancement of their small cliques. We cannot and will not tolerate poets who seek to subvert the concepts of teamwork and good sportsmanship.
The Slammaster reserves the right to clarify these rules throughout the season, make additions or changes as needed – all at his discretion. If you wish to protest these rules or their alleged violation or manipulation, notify the Slammaster in writing. Your protest will be decided by the Slammaster. You may appeal decisions not to your liking to the Wrighter’s Ink Executive Committee, and then if necessary to the Wrighter’s Ink Board of Directors.
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