Warm Up Schedule

Policy students: the NDCA Novice Packet is where the files live.
The National Debate Coaches Association publishes a full novice evidence packet and curriculum for this year's Healthcare resolution, with Affirmative and Negative files, the NFHS novice case limits and curriculum videos. Everything our Policy sessions refer to today comes from it, and it is free. Open the NDCA novice resources

Tri-State Debate League Warm Up

Saturday 10 October 2026 · The Brearley School, 590 East 83rd Street, New York

Doors open and breakfast is served from 8:30am, the welcome is at 9:00am, teaching sessions run from 9:20am to 1:45pm, lunch is provided, and the demonstration debate closes the day. We are finished by 4:30pm. Pick one track and stay in it for the day.

Come to 590 East 83rd Street. That is the Brearley building we are using all day. The main Brearley building at 610 East 83rd Street is the one a search turns up; students and judges should not go there.

Intro Policy A is in Room 1005 and Intro Policy B is in Room 1008 all day. The PF CX Hybrid is in Room 1009 for its Session 1 lecture and in the Performance Hall after lunch. The Performance Hall also takes Session 4 with every track together, and the Demonstration Debate. Scrimmage rooms are 1111 and 1112, and go up on Tabroom with the pairings. Scrimmages run on their own schedule, set out at the bottom of this page.

Wi-Fi
Network: Tri-State Debate
Password: dialogue926

Tracks

Intro Policy A

For students new to debate, or with middle school experience, who plan to compete in Policy Debate.

Intro Policy B

For students with some debate experience, or extensive middle school experience, who plan to compete in Policy Debate.

PF CX Hybrid

For students new to debate, or with middle school experience, who plan to compete in Public Forum. The track has its own topic lecture in Session 1 and its own session after lunch, both in the Performance Hall; in Sessions 2 and 3 it joins Intro Policy A, and in Session 4 every track is together.

Scrimmages · PF and CX

For varsity Public Forum and Policy students who want competitive rounds rather than instruction. The scrimmages have their own schedule, below, and do not follow the teaching sessions.

Teaching sessions

Breakfast · 8:30am to 9:00am

Welcome · 9:00am to 9:10am · All attendees, Cafeteria

Session 1 · 9:20am to 9:55am

Intro Policy A · Healthcare Topic Lecture · Room 1005

An introduction to this year's Policy resolution on Healthcare. Students will learn the history and central controversies of the topic, the core affirmative approaches, and the shape of the negative ground. Led by Callum Theiding, Brian Cai and Tatum Zolkin.

Intro Policy B · Disadvantages and Answering DAs · Room 1008

Disadvantages are the most common negative position in Policy Debate. Students will learn the structure of a disadvantage, how to answer one from the affirmative, and how judges weigh them when deciding a round. Led by Sohail Jouya.

PF CX Hybrid · Data Centers Topic Lecture · Room 1009

An introduction to this year's Public Forum resolution on Data Centers. Students will learn the history and central controversies of the topic and the main arguments on both sides. Led by David Levin.

Session 2 · 10:05am to 10:40am

Intro Policy A · Introduction to CX / Policy Debate · Room 1005

Learn the basics of Policy Debate: the mechanics of the event, how a round is structured, the roles of each speech, and what evidence and cards are. Led by Avery Dover. The PF CX Hybrid track joins this session.

Intro Policy B · Intro to Counterplans · Room 1008

Counterplans give the Negative an option beyond defending the status quo. Debaters will learn how to apply opportunity cost and competition to a new type of argument against affirmatives. Led by Tatum Zolkin.

Session 3 · 10:50am to 11:25am

Intro Policy A · Flowing Tutorial · Room 1005

Debates are tracked using a flowsheet, or "flow", and this is the basis on which rounds are evaluated. Students will learn how to keep track of arguments and why every argument must be answered. Led by Avery Dover. The PF CX Hybrid track joins this session.

Intro Policy B · Intro to the Capitalism Kritik and Answering Them · Room 1008

Kritiks argue that the assumptions behind a plan matter as much as the plan itself. Students will learn the structure of the Capitalism Kritik, what the link and the alternative are doing, and how the Affirmative answers one. Led by Izzy Lee.

Session 4 · 11:35am to 12:10pm · All tracks, Performance Hall

Intro to Topicality

Topicality is the Negative's argument that the Affirmative plan is not what the resolution calls for. Students will learn the structure of a topicality argument, how to answer one, and why definitions and fair ground decide the way a judge votes. Policy A, Policy B and the PF CX Hybrid take this session together in the Performance Hall. Led by Brian Cai and Tatum Zolkin.

Lunch · 12:10pm to 1:00pm

Session 5 · 1:10pm to 1:45pm

Intro Policy A · Disadvantages and Answering DAs · Room 1005

The disadvantages session Policy B had in Session 1: the structure of a disadvantage, how to answer one from the affirmative, and how judges weigh them. Led by Sohail Jouya.

Intro Policy B · Flowing Tutorial · Room 1008

The flowing session Policy A had in Session 3: how to keep track of arguments across a debate, and why every argument must be answered. Led by Avery Dover.

PF CX Hybrid · Healthcare Topic Lecture · Performance Hall

The Policy topic lecture for the Hybrid track, covering the history and central controversies of the Healthcare resolution, the core affirmative approaches and the shape of the negative ground. Led by Brian Cai and Tatum Zolkin.

Demonstration Debate · 2:00pm to 4:00pm · Performance Hall

A full demonstration round with a question and answer session afterwards, moderated by Sohail Jouya. Affirmative: Callum Theiding and Tatum Zolkin. Negative: Brian Cai and Avery Dover. It is for everyone who is not in a scrimmage; debaters in the later rounds join as soon as they finish.

Scrimmages

Scrimmages run to their own schedule and do not line up with the teaching sessions. Pairings go up on Tabroom 30 minutes before each round. Scrimmages use Rooms 1111 and 1112; check the pairing for yours, and arrive prepared to debate.

Public Forum Scrimmages

Round 1 · Pairings 10:45am, Round 11:15am
Round 2 · Pairings 12:45pm, Round 1:15pm
Round 3 · Pairings 3:00pm, Round 3:30pm, alongside the demonstration debate

Policy Scrimmages

Round 1 · Pairings 8:30am with breakfast, Round 9:00am
Round 2 · Pairings 11:00am, Round 11:30am
Round 3 · Pairings 2:00pm, Round 2:30pm, alongside the demonstration debate

Policy Practice Round · 1:10pm to 4:00pm

A full practice round for varsity Policy students who want a complete round rather than a scrimmage. Requested by Collegiate and open to any school's varsity Policy debaters. Check Tabroom for which round you are in.

Questions? Contact us at info@tristatedebate.com