See the regulations for all AC leagues
Variable sized teams
When a team is entered, the size of the team (in the range 2 to 4) must be specified. In any match between two teams the actual number of games played will be the lesser of the declared team sizes.
Scheduling
Other than any finals, results of all games of all league matches must be submitted by 23:59 on the 15th September. Any results submitted after this date without the agreement of the Leagues Manager, will not be counted for league calculations.
Handicap cards and ordering of team members
At each match all players must produce their current handicap card, properly signed off. All singles games must be recorded on the players’ handicap cards. Prior to the start of play, the captains shall determine the ordering of their team members first by handicap and then by the choice of the captain. The handicaps will be recorded as part of the results reporting. If it turns out that someone played off an incorrectly high handicap then the game will be recorded as 26-0 against that player and the result should be crossed off from the handicap card.
Game format and time limits
Games hall be 26 point handicap or advanced level play depending upon the league.
Time limits shall be at the discretion of the competing team captains. The limit will normally be two and a half hours for level play and 3 hours for handicap play with an extra quarter of an hour if double banked. If a shorter time limit is chosen the number of hoops to be played should be reduced by four for every half hour down to the minimum of a 14 point game. For handicap play allocation of bisques must also be adjusted according to the Schedule of Bisques at the end of the laws book.
The A-level league is level singles play with no restriction on handicaps
For the B-level league, which is level play, the minimum handicap of a player shall be zero at the end of that day which is seven days prior to the match.
For the C-level league, which is level play the minimum handicap of a player shall be seven at the end of that day which is seven days prior to the match.
There are no handicap restrictions for the handicap league.
Fixture Making
It is the responsibility of the two clubs involved in each match to get the set of games played between them. Matches may be arranged with home and away games or in any way that suits those playing.
Changes to fixture dates
These rules are intended to penalise those clubs with players who do not communicate effectively or otherwise behave unreasonably.
For any game or set of games played at the same venue on the same date and in the same league then somebody from each side must be in charge and must be contactable by the person in charge from the other side. This might be the captain.
All messages that are not known to have been received must be assumed to have been lost. The person sending the message is responsible for delivery of the message.
A club must provide 72 hours notice if it needs to reschedule a game without a valid reason. Valid reasons include: serious occurrences within the family, Illness of the player, injury to the player or the inability of the player to travel. Contraventions must be reported to the league manager within seven days. If a player (or his substitute) fails to turn up at a scheduled game without a valid reason then again the league manager should be informed of the incident. Even if 72 hours notice has been given a captain may report excessive changes to the league manager.
If the league manager determines that a claim is correct then each game involved will be recorded as 26-0 to the non-offending team. The offending team will lose a point for the first offence, two for the second etc. The count is cleared at the end of the season.
End of Season
If there are unplayed games which could have affected the outcome and one side is, in the opinion of the AC leagues manager, (based on reports received) at fault then the unplayed games will be recorded as 26-0 in favour of the non-offending side.
In the event that both sides appear to be at fault the game will be unrecorded.
For incomplete matches, if the result could not have been affected had the remaining games been played, then the match result will be recorded; otherwise no result will be recorded for that match.
If a team or teams has more unrecorded matches than any other team in that league and has more than one unrecorded match then it, or they, shall be eliminated from that league. This process is repeated until no team is eligible to be eliminated. For example consider teams A, B, C, D and E:
- If A vs B, A vs C, D vs B are not recorded then A and B have both missed two, C and D have missed one and other teams have missed none: so A and B are eliminated. After this there are no missing games.
- If A vs B is not played then A and B have both missed one and other teams have missed none. No team is eliminated as A and B have only missed one match.
- Instead if A vs B, A vs C, D vs E are not played then A has missed two, B,C,D and E have missed one and other teams have missed none so A is eliminated. After this missing games are D vs E. No further team is eliminated as D and E have then only missed one game.
Determination of the winner of a league or division of a league
See note on choosing a block winer
Match points are assigned 2 for a win and 1 for a draw
Team size for a match is the lower of the declared team size for the two teams
Scaled net games for a team is sum (games won – games lost) / (team size)
Scaled net hoops for a team is sum (hoops – hoops lost) / (team size)
The winner is the team with most match points. If this fails to produce a single winner then the top equal teams are considered and steps as listed below are followed to reduce the set of top equal teams. Each time a team is eliminated at any step then start from the top again.
- Most match points
- Most scaled net games
- Most scaled net hoops
Finals
A large league may be split into a North and South division in which case a final must be arranged. This will be hosted by the Northern club in odd numbered years and by the Southern club in even numbered years.
The games of the final should be played as early as possible and in time for the the qualification date for the next CA event to which the federation would put them forward. If possible all games should be played on the same day. One game is defined as the deciding game. This is the game between the two number one players of those games played on the last day. A number one player is the lowest handicapped player or in case of equality as selected by the captain as described above..
Abandonment mid-game
In the event that the a game has to be abandoned, it shall be treated as if it never took place.
Recording results
Results will be entered using an online form by one of the persons in charge of each side (as defined above). Results should normally be submitted by the winning side.
The URL of the form will not be advertised, but just passed down via captains.
When the form is processed the results are sent to the website, to the opposing captain and to the AC handicapper. The results are also sent to be entered into the rankings system for all Level play games.
When submitting results please ensure that they are accurate.