They will assign each poem a score of 0.0-10.0. Judges use only one decimal point. The scorekeeper will drop the high and low scores for the round and tally the other three judges' scores for round's cumulative score. The Sign up list is randomized to determine the First Round order. Poets who read 1st and 2nd in the first round have a choice to select their reading spot during the next slam in which they participate.
All poets read in first round.
8 poets will read in the second round. The host may chose to extend the pool of finalists to 6, if the contending poets come within the tenths of a point to the fourth place. Finalists are determined by a cumulative score. In case 8 or less poets sign up, all poets read in all three rounds. Every round, each poet can read one poem of their own, original creation, in any style and on any subject.