Friday 21 May 2021

Quizzing in Lockdown: Online Quiz League


The Online Quiz League was launched a few weeks into the first Lockdown and had the first week of the first season in April 2020. Over a year later, and over 1000 matches later, the league continues to grow and is certainly something that will outlast lockdown. Full information on the league can be found HERE


The league was created as the brainchild of Jon Stitcher and since that initial launch has expanded into what I think, its the largest quiz league on the planet. The divisions keep growing, the player talent keeps increasing and some of the countries finest quizzers line up every Wednesday to compete! I was placed together with a scratch team, initially in Division 1 but dropping off to Division 2 for the past few seasons, and we have since gone on to enter several other events together. 


On a personal level, the league has given me access to a style of quiz I simply don't have locally. The 4v4 individual question format is something I have always wanted to be part of, but the local league here in Sunderland is a bit different and not to my tastes, so after leaving that I had given up hope of league quizzing for the forseeable. But OQL changed that....


The format does take some adjusting too, especially in Season 1 when it was a No-Free-Guess rule, but after played dozens of games now in the format it has became second nature. There are friendlies available every week and usually loads of post quiz action going on, so the social aspect of the league is just as important as the main quiz!


Every online quiz format is going to face challenges when normality fully returns, but I think OQL has built up such a loyal and committed userbase that it should continue to grow and grow. It has long been one of the highlights of my week, and the fact you can log in, compete in a high quality quiz against the best players in the country, from the comfort of your own home is something that will hopefully never lose its appeal.







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