Apparatus, system and methods for ranking tournament players are
disclosed. The apparatus includes a RFID tournament detection system
coupled to a server. The server is provided with game data as one or more
tournaments proceed. According to tournament rules, player activity may
result in a player being eliminated. When a player is eliminated, the
server or detection system records the time and date coupled to each
player's identification and may rank each player on an on-going basis or
at the end of the tournament. Players do not need to compete at the same
site, but may be ranked according to a player's current status within the
tournament as captured by the tournament detection system and recorded by
the server, which receives data from each game table participating in the
tournament.