The practice round is also an important opportunity for both fellows on each team to try out the buzzer and identify who has the faster fingers. Be honest with yourself; if your teammate is an avid video gamer or professional pianist, it’s probably best to leave the frantic buzzer pressing to them. Decide on a dedicated buzzer operator based on who does best in the practice round, and come up with a code so the other members of the team can quickly signal for the buzzer to be hit if they know the answer. Just make sure the code doesn’t involve yelling out the answer for the other teams to hear.
Have thresholds to answer questions. To optimize your buzzer strategy, you need to know when to hit it, and more importantly, when to leave it alone. Every incorrect answer leads to a loss of points. More often than not, this means hitting the buzzer is only worth the risk if you are confident you know the answer.
Questions occasionally appear easy at first glance, but subtleties can make them significantly more challenging. Take the time to really think through your answer before hitting the buzzer. This is especially important if you are in the lead. If you are trailing the other teams, then the gamble may be occasionally worth the risk. You should always be aware of your points in comparison to other teams, and that should largely factor into your calculation of the risk:benefit ratio of answering each question.
Finally, recognize that much of Knowledge Bowl success comes down to luck and focus. Each round features different categories, and each team has its own set of strengths and weaknesses. Once a team is on a winning streak, the adrenaline kicks in and more points follow. If you’re enjoying the streak, don’t let it get to your head. You still have to work for each point. For the other teams, maintaining optimism and team spirit is critical to turn the tide.
Engage in good sportsmanship. We get it: Everyone wants to win. The Knowledge Bowl has gotten more prestigious over the years, and it can feel like there’s a lot riding on your performance, especially if you have a robust cheering section. But nothing is more important than engaging in good sportsmanship. Respect the hosts, judges and competitors as colleagues. When differences in opinion arise, they can be voiced in ways that are collegial. Cheering sections should be counseled to bring positive energy to the competition. After all, the Knowledge Bowl is more than just numbers and medals. It’s about the thrill of the game. Many friendships have been made on stage, arising from mutual respect.
