The Palo Alto High School debate team earned invitations to major upcoming tournaments following strong performances last weekend both in Texas and at home.

Palo Alto High School sophomore Travis Chen secured the debate team’s first Tournament of Champions bid this season at the St. Marks’ tournament in Texas, which took place from Friday, Oct. 14, to Sunday Oct. 16.

Meanwhile, seniors Gregory Dunn and Nassim Fedel went 4-0 at a local California Forensics League tournament, securing an invitation to the qualifying tournament for the state championships in public forum debate.

Chen, who also received a bid last year as a freshman, made it to the last 16 of a field of over 100 debaters, knocking out No. 1-seeded Ryan Fink of the Meadows School in the process. Paly debate head coach Jennie Savage called Chen’s victory over Fink “the upset of the tournament.”

Chen’s TOC bid is the first this year for Paly debate, after senior Alex Carter narrowly failed to earn one at Yale two weeks before.

While Chen earned a bid in Lincoln-Douglas debate, public forum debaters Fedel and Dunn went undefeated to earn themselves a wildcard to the qualification tourney.

“There are two main types of debate: persuasive debate, which is generally what you think of, and technical debate. There are separate tournaments for each, the Tournament of Champions for technical and the National Forensics League, or national forensics league for persuasive,” Savage said, adding that an invitation to either is prestigious.

While Fedel and Dunn did not receive an invitation to the NFL based on their performance last weekend, they now have the opportunity to participate in the state tournament and perhaps earn an invitation to the NFL.

The Tournament of Champions is arguably the biggest tournament on the debate calendar, with the best technical debaters in the nation qualifying based on their performances at other tournaments throughout the year.

Chen’s bid was particularly prestigious, Savage said, because it came in a tournament where one is required to reach the octafinals (last 16) to receive a bid.

“Only four or five tournaments are awarded an octafinals bid level,” Savage said. “The bid level is awarded based on the number of people and the strength of seeds. The lower the bid level the most prestigious the tournament.”

St. Marks’ is a national tournament with the lowest possible bid level, making Chen’s accomplishment all the more noteworthy.

His [Chen’s] bid means that he may qualify to the tournament, where he and possibly a few others who earn the necessary two bids will ensure that Paly is represented on the national circuit for the seventh time in the last eight years.

Last year, Paly debaters earned a total of three bids, with Chen earning one at the Alta tournament.

The next big tournament takes place in two weeks in Minnesota, with more bids at stake. Chen and others will be competing.