The 2025 USBCs have now been scheduled. Each of the four USBCs will select 2 teams for the 2025 World Championships. The player eligibility rules have been modified for next year to a compromise between the rules in 2021 and the rules in 2023 & 2024 (in 2022 there was only an Open USBC). In 2025, players may enter more than one event and if they do so, they must declare which event they will play in if they qualify for more than one (including second choice if they enter 3 events). A player who qualifies for the event they have designated as their preferred World Championship event is not eligible to play in a subsequent USBC. If a player has entered 3 events and qualifies in their second choice event, they are not eligible to play in their third choice event.
In addition, the Board slightly modified the rule regarding when a team that qualified in a USBC is eligible for the World Championship. That rule has been that 4 players from the USBC team must play in the World Championship. For 2025, 4 players from a 5 or 6 person qualified team must playin the World Championship, but a 4 person team needs only 3 continuing players to be eligible for the World Championship.
The Open USBC will start on April 24, 2025 and end on May 5, 2025. Face to face stages will be USA1 Round Robin or Round of 16, Quarterfinal, Semifinal, and Final, and USA2 Stage 1, Stage 2, Quarterfinal, Semifinal, and Final. The losing USA1 Finalist will drop into the USA2 Semifinal and choose their opponent for the Semifinal. All stages will be 2 days long. If more than 16 teams enter, there will be an online stage among some number of the lowest seeded teams to reduce the field to 16 for face to face play. All face to face teams will play for at least 4 days.
The Beth Palmer Women's USBC will start on Wednesday, April 30th if 3 or 4 teams have entered, or on Monday, April 28th if 5-8 teams have entered. If there are 3 or 4 teams, face to face stages will be 2 day USA1 Semifinal (KO or RR); 2 day USA1 Final and USA2 Semifinal (if only 3 teams entered the event this stage won't take place); 2 day USA2 Final. If there are 5-8 teams, the first 2 days will be a Round Robin to qualify 4 teams; the next 6 days will be the same as for 4 teams.
The Mixed USBC will start on Wednesday, May 7th and end on Friday, May 16th. Face to Face stages will be USA1 Round Robin or Round of 16, Quarterfinal, Semifinal, and Final, all 2 days long. USA2 stages will be Stage 1 (2 day Round Robin or KO opposite the USA1 Quarterfinal), Stage 2 (1 day KO opposite first day of USA1 Semifinal), Stage 3 (1 day KO opposite day 2 of the USA1 Semifinal), Quarterfinal (1 day KO opposite day 1 of the USA1 Final), Semifinal (1 day KO opposite day 2 of the USA1 Final), and Final (2 day KO). The losing USA1 Finalist will drop into the USA2 Final. If more than 16 teams enter, there will be an online stage among some number of the lowest seeded teams to reduce the field to 16 for face to face play. All face to face teams will play for at least 4 days.
The Senior USBC will start on Saturday, May 17th and end on Monday, May 26th. Face to Face stages will be USA1 Round Robin or Round of 16, Quarterfinal, Semifinal, and Final, all 2 days long. USA2 stages will be Stage 1 (2 day Round Robin or KO opposite the USA1 Quarterfinal), Stage 2 (1 day KO opposite first day of USA1 Semifinal), Stage 3 (1 day KO opposite day 2 of the USA1 Semifinal), Quarterfinal (1 day KO opposite day 1 of the USA1 Final), Semifinal (1 day KO opposite day 2 of the USA1 Final), and Final (2 day KO). The losing USA1 Finalist will drop into the USA2 Final. If more than 16 teams enter, there will be an online stage among some number of the lowest seeded teams to reduce the field to 16 for face to face play. All face to face teams will play for at least 4 days.
For those of you who think a picture is worth 1000 words, here'a a calendar of the full tournament:
