CHIT 2026

CERTIFICATION

The Capital Halloween Invitational Tournament (CHIT) 2026 tournament is an International Gay Bowling Organization (IGBO) tournament and is a mixed handicap competition open to men, women and all other gender identities. CHIT 2026 is an invitation-only event, and the CHIT Executive Committee reserves the right to refuse any application.
CHIT 2026 will not sanction with USBC; however, we will use their rules as guidance for the tournament.
All bowlers MUST be members of the International Gay Bowling Organization (IGBO) during the 2026 calendar year in any of IGBO membership categories. Associate Membership will be available with registration, if needed.
Professional bowlers – defined as card carrying members of any professional bowling team or organization – who currently are or were a member within the past 48 months, will only be allowed to bowl in CHIT if they are already an IGBO member in any of its classes at the start of the CHIT tournament. Only 1 professional bowler will be allowed per team.

EVENT PARTICIPATION

The tournament events shall be handicap events and are as follows: Singles, Doubles and Team.
Each participant shall bowl 3 games per event and must enter all 3 events. Teams will consist of 4 members. Everyone will compete on an equal basis, regardless of gender identity.
Each participant may bowl only once per event.

AWARDS AND PRIZES

All cash awards shall be based on the total pins plus assigned handicap for each event (with exception of the Optional Scratch Competition).
Awards will be given, in the handicap division, for the best singles, doubles, team, and individual all events. Individual all events is defined as the nine-game total plus handicap of an individual bowler.
The award ratio for the singles, doubles, team and all events handicap events shall be a minimum of 1:10.
Prizes will be distributed via either check or electronic payment service payable in U.S. currency within 30 days of the completion of the tournament, barring any protest. A tie in any position will result in the sum of the prizes being aggregated for the tied positions and divided equally by the number of ties for that place.

ENTERING AVERAGES

Any bowler entering CHIT 2026 must establish a ten-pin average. The following rules shall be used to determine the entering average in precedence order:
- If the bowler has a 21 game IGBO Tournament average as of Sept 30, 2026, this average will be used, without consideration to higher or lower than league average.
- If the above is not available, the 2025-26 composite book average (minimum 21 games) will be used. If the bowler competed in more than one league, the bowler will use the composite average of all leagues bowled, even if a league has less than 21 games bowled.
  - Composite average is the total pinfall from all leagues bowled (including as a substitute), divided by the total number of games bowled. USBC, www.bowl.com, has composite averages for completed seasons.
  - Example – Bowler bowled in 2 leagues and subbed in 1. League 1 pinfall is 10,250 across 60 games. League 2 pinfall is 12,581 across 75 games. League 3 pinfall is 750 across 6 games. Composite average is (10,250 + 12,581 + 750) divided by (60 + 75 + 6) for a 167 composite average (23,581/141 = 167).
- If the above is not available, use the highest 2026 summer league final average, minimum 21 games.
- If none of the above is available, use the composite 2024-25 season final average, minimum 21 games.
- If none of the above is available, use the highest current average as of October 18, 2026, minimum of 21 games.
- If none of the above is available, entering average shall be 230.
  The above averages must be verified by the use of:
  - Online league verification sheet, or
  - League standing sheet, signed and dated by a league officer, or
  - Letter from league president or secretary
The handicap for the tournament shall be 90% of the difference between the bowler’s entering average (as determined above) and 230. Negative handicaps shall not apply.
USBC Rule 319a.2, regarding the 10-pin increase in average from 2025-26 season, and Rule 319d. regarding reporting of prize winnings shall not apply.
The Tournament Director has the authority to adjust the entering average of any bowler. Average adjustments will be applied as set forth under USBC rules. All average adjustments will be completed prior to the start of each event, if necessary. A bowler unwilling to accept an average adjustment is entitled to a full refund of any un-bowled event, within 30 days.
USBC rules regarding the bowler’s responsibility to verify the accuracy of their entering average, whether submitted by the bowler, the team captain, or other, applies to all bowlers. If the submitted average is lower than required and results in a lower classification or more handicap, the bowler’s score is disqualified. If the submitted average is higher than required, prize winnings will be based on the submitted average.

ATTENDANCE AND SUBSTITUTES

It is the bowler’s responsibility to be present at the assigned lanes at the time of bowling. Mechanical failures, transportation irregularities, improper directions and related reasons do not alter the application of rules 18 and 19 below. (USBC rules will apply)
Doubles and team entrants must be present for bowling each event. If a team member is not present, the team may use an authorized substitute (Rule 20). If no substitute is available, a zero score will be used for the missing bowler(s).
Late bowlers will begin bowling in the frame in which they are ready, with prior frames being scored as zero. No practice balls will be allowed for late bowlers.
Substitutes may bowl at the discretion of the Tournament Director(s). Their entering averages must comply with rules above regarding averages. Substitutes must complete a substitute entry form. IGBO membership fees must be paid, if applicable.
Participants will be allowed to practice ten (10) minutes prior to each event.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

All entries and corresponding payments must be received by October 15, 2026. The entry fee is payable in U.S. funds electronically through Zelle (chitdc@gmail.com) or PayPal payable to Capital Halloween Invitational Tournament or CHIT 2026. Entry fee is $135. The entry fee breakdown is $36 lineage, $46 banquet, $48 prize fund and $5 for IGBO and administrative fees.
All entries must be submitted online via www.chitdc.org.
An entry is not complete until payment is received. Entries paid after September 30, 2026 will incur a $10 late fee.
The tournament can accommodate 38 teams, up to 152 bowlers. Acceptance of entries will be based on the order in which received.
Partial team entries will be permitted and the Director(s) will make every effort to fill vacancies.

PROTESTS

Any claims of errors or disputes must be submitted in writing to the Tournament Director or his appointed representative(s) within 48 hours of the conclusion of the bowling events at CHIT 2026. The protesting bowler(s) or team and the Director shall settle the dispute according to CHIT 2026 and USBC tournament rules. Protests may only be submitted by a registered bowling participant of CHIT 2026.

OTHER

All other USBC rules will apply, with the exception of their Gender Classification Policy.
Any person attending and needing special accommodation must notify the Tournament Director(s) in writing by October 15, 2026.
Bowlers must provide their own transportation to all CHIT 2026 events.

OPTIONAL SCRATCH COMPETITION

Optional Scratch Competition will be offered to all participants using 5 divisions as determined by entering average (see Rule 12). An additional fee is required.
The Optional Scratch divisions shall be as follows:
- Division A: Averages 200 and above
- Division B: Averages 180 to 199
- Division C: Averages 160 to 179
- Division D: Averages 140 to 159
- Division E: Averages 139 and below
Scores used for the Optional Scratch Competition shall be those games (without handicap) as bowled in the handicap events of the tournament.
Awards in each Optional Scratch Competition division shall be given for the best single game (from any of the events), best 3-game series (from any of the events), and best all events (nine-game total).
The award ratio for the Optional Scratch Competition shall be at a minimum of at least 1:10 per division.
100% of the prize fund from each division in the Optional Scratch Competition shall be returned to that division.