How Many People Can Play in One Game of Knowledge Bowl?

How Many People Are Allowed?

The question of how many people can be allowed to play in a single game of Knowledge Bowl might be more complicated than you would think. In actuality, the answer varies from state to state, school to school, and region to region. Usually, the number of people also differs based on if the round being participated in is an oral round (OR) or a written round (WR).

Sitting Out

In most states, five people are allowed to participate in the written round per team, and four in an oral round. Because there are three teams per room, this means that a maximum of twelve people can compete in a single Knowledge Bowl oral round. This varies from state to state, however, as in some states, six people are allowed in the written round, and in others, only four. In all versions of Knowledge Bowl, teams are not required to have that exact amount, but that is set as a hard maximum. This means that teams of three and two can and do exist, though they usually don’t perform as well as it becomes harder to distribute academic subjects. In almost all versions of Knowledge Bowl, teams of one are never allowed.

Strategizing Who to Sit Out

Because one person needs to sit out for every oral round in a group of five, it can be difficult to decide who needs to sit out, especially if each member thinks they are doing well and doesn’t want to sit out. It is generally a good idea to gage how everyone is doing the day of the meet after the written round and decide then, as people will be most honest with themselves and you’ll be able to see how focused and attentive everyone is. If a certain player “isn’t feeling it” at a certain round, just sit them out. It is usually best to play it by ear.