My view is that the luck of the draw is part and parcel of the 1v1 ladder. It can help people be upwardly mobile every once in a while, and you can't permanently lose anything as a result of a loss (rechallenge after 3 days, challenge someone else, no dramas)
However, in a knockout competition, I don't really like the idea of luck playing such an imporant part. (I'm still smarting over drawing the wrong end of the Star against Ace in the ASW semi
)
So here are my thoughts on how to make Domino's challenge more "fair".
Option 1: Play best of 3. I don't like this because a) it takes too much time and b) luck could still come into it - just one favourable draw would give one player the edge
Option 2: Play a return leg as suggested by Blackbeard. I also don't really support this one, mainly because I think that the playing style might need change significantly if the goal is points minimax rather than just a win. For example, the Star guarantees an (often narrow) win: this might not be ideal in a return leg scenario. It's not that this isn't necessarily a good thing, but it doesn't reflect the playing style of the ladder just far. It also takes a bit more time
Option 3: The "least balanced" draws - Asia v Russia and Africa v Europe - could be automatically excluded, and rerolled
Option 3a: Each player has one chance to demand a reroll of territories, regardless of the draw. This is "fair" but there is still an element of luck (albeit only about 1% change of being on the receiving end of the Star)
So Option 3a is probably my preferred option - Perhaps ynbniar would like to set up a poll?
Cheers, Tripper
Seriously though, even I could end up as Russia against Asia. 
