The Jazzy Circuit is a grassroots tournament series for one of the most beloved fighting games of all time: Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike.

Jazzy was born in 2018 when a group of independent organizers came up with a plan to commemorate the 20th anniversary of 3rd Strike. Inspired by grassroots efforts such as the Tournament of Legends for Super Street Fighter II Turbo and The Curleh Circuit for Marvel vs. Capcom, a series of tournaments were held all across the United States, culminating in the first-ever Jazzy Finale in New York City.

Now in its seventh season, the Jazzy Circuit continues to work with the Fighting Game Community (FGC) on keeping the spirit of arcade culture alive so that we may deepen our appreciation of video gaming's rich history of bringing people together.

FAQ

What is the Jazzy Circuit?

The Jazzy Circuit is a grassroots tournament series for Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike.

What is the point of the Jazzy Circuit?

To build a strong, diverse, and inclusive 3rd Strike community.

How does the Jazzy Circuit do that?

By incentivizing people to take part in more 3rd Strike events.

What is the incentive to join the Jazzy Circuit?

Aside from learning a really good game and meeting some really good people, everyone who competes in Jazzy Circuit sanctioned 3s events has a chance to qualify for the Jazzy Finale at the end of every season.

How does a player qualify for the Jazzy Finale?

Players can qualify for the Jazzy Finale by winning Auto-Qualifier tournaments scheduled throughout the season. The winner of an Auto-Qualifier automatically earns a spot in the Jazzy Finale. In the event that a player who has already qualified should win another qualifier, that spot will go to 2nd place and so on.

Additional spots in the Jazzy Finale are awarded to players who earn the most points by competing in non-Auto-Qualifier tournaments sanctioned by the Jazzy Circuit. These tournaments are called Ranking Events. Auto-Qualifiers count as Ranking Events, so players who don’t win an Auto-Qualifier can still earn points.

Jazzy also awards spots to players who earn the most points competing in sanctioned online tournaments. These tournaments are called Online Events and they have a separate point system from Ranking (offline) events.

Finally, a Last Chance Qualifier takes place at Jazzy Finale Weekend—a 3-day event celebrating 3rd Strike, arcade culture, and fighting games— to determine who will fill the remaining in the Jazzy Finale.

How do I compete in a Jazzy Ranking Event?

The Jazzy Circuit is an open tournament series that invites independent organizers to run their own Jazzy Ranking Events as long as they meet certain requirements. For a schedule of current Jazzy Ranking Events and a complete list of requirements for hosting one, visit jazzycircuit.org.

My local scene runs 3rd Strike events but I don't think they're sanctioned. What should I do?

If you're a competitor, the best thing to do is to contact your local tournament organizer and tell them about the Jazzy Circuit! The point of the tournament series is not only to draw new players but to also foster a new generation of grassroots organizers passionate about creating community spaces that are safe and open to all walks of life.

There is no 3s scene where I live. Can the Jazzy Circuit help me build one?

Short answer: Yes!

Long answer: The Jazzy Circuit offers instructional support to anyone interested in running fighting game events including Jazzy Ranking Events in their own communities. The level of support varies depending on your knowledge of organizing events. However, most of the support we offer usually comes in the form of promotion and general advice on running a fighting game event. In the meantime, contact us through our social media outlets with any questions you might have regarding your attempts to build your own scene. Help us help you!

Isn't 3s considered a poverty game? How do you afford all of this?

The Jazzy Circuit Tournament Series is run by Jazzy Circuit Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit whose mission is to further the appreciation of video game culture through cooperation and competition.

Founded by a group of independent organizers from the fighting game community, Jazzy engages in various fundraising activities to help cover the costs of operating the tournament series. Jazzy also relies on the hard work, dedication and generosity of others in the FGC who are willing to volunteer their time and resources to keep the game alive.

I have a question or concern that isn't covered by this FAQ. What should I do?

Message us on X (@TheJazzyCircuit), Discord (thejazzycircuit) and Instagram (@jazzy_circuit). You can also email us at jazzycircuit@jazzycircuit.org. We look forward to hearing from you soon, and remember, play 3s! It's a good game!

The Jazzy Circuit

Culture. Cooperation. Competition.