Go tournament

The game of Go 囲碁 has four nice features. Tens of millions people play it. Humans still play better than computers, so one does not (yet!) need to worry about too much about cheating. Games are guaranteed to have a decisive result (with suitable application of a Super-Ko rule): no draws (tied games).

It is a game of perfect and complete information, so we don't have to worry about defective random-number generators or hacking to see your opponent's cards like poker.

All these features are favorable for an internet-based single-elimination knockout tournament with a cash prize for the winner.

No prize for second place thwarts collusion: helping someone else just hurts your chances of winning the first-place prize. It also lessens the importance of seeding.

All games of a round should be run simultaneously to thwart (but not entirely prevent) people from entering the tournament twice under different names.

I'd also make it rapid play with the tournament being run frequently, perhaps every week. One bad move, or one misbehaving internet connection, and you just have to wait until next week. Rapid play single elimination also levels the playing field somewhat: All the people better than you might make a mistake.

Consecutive tournaments could overlap, a the latter stages of the tournament involve only a small percentage of the original participants.

1024 players, $1 entry fee, $1024 prize and the tournament might just pay for itself. Otherwise we seek a sponsor of about $52000 a year.

It could run on the existing infrastructure of Go servers.