1st Annual Criterion Invitational

1st Annual Criterion Invitational

January 17-19, 2026

criterion.tabroom.com | criterionhelp@gmail.com

We are thrilled to cordially invite you to attend the 1st Annual Criterion Invitational, an online national invitational tournament hosted by Infinite Loop Labs, from January 17-19, 2026. We view this tournament as an opportunity to provide a service to the speech and debate community, and hope that our professionalism and commitment to operating a top quality tournament is apparent throughout this event.

The Criterion Invitational offers competition in nearly all debate events, including Lincoln-Douglas, Public Forum (2 divisions), Policy Debate, Big Questions, and Congress.

Please take care of your tournament registration and all other arrangements as soon as possible so that we may accommodate all of your students who wish to compete. This will ensure a pleasant and trouble-free tournament for everyone, and allow us to host you in the way you deserve!

Registration for the Criterion Invitational will be done via Tabroom at criterion.tabroom.com. Questions about the Criterion Invitational should be directed to the tournament directors by emailing criterionhelp@gmail.com.

We've designed this tournament to be a groundbreaking and accessible event for the entire debate community. Here's what sets us apart:

• No Judge Obligation: To make participation as easy as possible, we are not requiring schools to provide judges for any debate event, with the exception of Congress.
• Low Entry Fees: We are proud to offer a flat entry fee of just $10 per entry, making our tournament an affordable option for programs of all sizes.
• Unique Awards: In additional to trophies, top competitors will be rewarded with fun awards, including certificates, Apple gift cards, and premium subscriptions to Criterion.
• Prep Night: On the evening before the tournament begins, we will host an interactive online session for all competitors and coaches. This session will feature a discussion on the possibilities of AI in speech and debate, as well as a demo of Criterion, the AI that will be used to judge rounds. Afterward, anyone can stay in the room to prep or practise for the tournament the next day.
• AI-Powered Adjudication: All debate rounds (LD, PF, Policy, and BQ) will be judged by Criterion - a custom-trained AI designed to evaluate arguments based on logic and evidence. This system provides unbiased and instantaneous feedback, allowing debaters to focus purely on the strength of their argumentation. To provide a diverse competitive experience, Congress will still be judged by experienced human judges.

Best regards,

Vihaan Anand & Shriyaan Chatterjee

Tournament Directors