I can’t quite make out the board. Would you take 2 pictures, each one half of the board, so I can get a better view?
Did your group okay getting outside advice for an active game? If not, then I cannot help you as that would be unethical.
Yea you can fit like 4-5 AA41 games in a day or just 2 AA42. So in terms of determining a winner in a single elimination tournament, AA41 is a much better choice. Then you graduate to AA42 in say semi and Global for final.
That brings alot more people into the fold since AA41 is meant to draw new people into the game and you got them playing 4-5 games. Tournaments should cater to getting new blood into AA and if the intimidation of say playing global or AA50 keeps people away, AA41 is the cure bringing everybody into the lowest common denominator of the AA franchise.