Certamen
The game
Certamen is a buzzer quiz on the ancient world — language, literature, history, myth, daily life. A question is read out, whoever buzzes first gets to answer it, and answering it right opens two more questions that belong to your team and nobody else.
The course of play
One question to everyone, then two that belong to whoever took it.
The toss-up
One question goes to every team at once and the first player to buzz may answer it. No conferring. Buzzing early risks the question; waiting risks the other team.
The first bonus
The team that took the toss-up is asked a further question on its own, usually tied to the first, and this time you may confer before answering.
The second bonus
A second question follows on the same thread, usually harder than the one before it, and again it belongs to that team alone.
A round runs through a fixed set of toss-ups and the bonuses they open. Teams are usually grouped by level, so first-year players are not drawn against fourth-year ones.