The tournament is open to everyone from the age of 12 to 99 and the entry fee is $20.  The tournament is double elimination and is a head to head seeded competition and is expected to go late into the night before the Champion Hero is crowned.  The winner of the contest will receive a $2000 scholarship and $500 in gaming gift certificates from various stores.  The winner will also be sent to Austin next October for the Texas State Championship and receive free transportation, motel room, and $200 spending money.

Second and third place prizes include new guitars, game disks, t-shirts, and gift certificates to local restaurants.  Last year’s winner, Calvin Griffis, is expected to make another run for the prize, though it is believed that this year there will be more than 200 contestants, compared to 96 last year.

“This is good, wholesome fun with great music and is a true event.  Who knows, maybe som many people will want to play that we’ll have to do it in Raven’s Stadium next year,” said ETU President Nelson.  “I invite everyone to come out, bring your family, and have fun.”

This article is taken from a story by Shane Lacy Hensley entitled Guitar Zero in the Buried Tales of Pinebox, Texas Anthology.  Shane is a writer, designer, and video game developer in the sunny state of Arizona.  He’s best known for creating Deadlands: The Weird West and a host of other game systems and worlds.  The powers that be blessed him with a wonderful wife, Michell, and two incredible boys, Caden and Ronan.