Bury Billiards League: League Rules

League Rules of the Bury Billiards League

General

1. The ‘Bury Billiards League’ will play billiards according to the ‘Rules of the Game of English Billiards’. Copies are available on the League website.

2. For delegates meetings and postal reasons, the Bury Billiards League will be based at the following address:

Seedfield Bowling Club,
Parkinson Street,
Bury,
BL9 6NY.

3. The League website (www.burybilliards.co.uk ) is managed by the Press Secretary plus two other League members.

4. The League is open to amateur players only, and all teams must be based within a 10 mile radius of Bury town centre.

5. All players must be a paid-up member of the club they represent and must be registered with the League Press Secretary and be given a provisional handicap before they play.

6. All League matches are generally played on a Tuesday evening commencing at 7:30pm and will comprise three players per team. Certain teams may opt for an 8:00pm start. No player can play more than one game in each match. Matches may be played using either one or two tables as available.

7. The General committee shall comprise of the league officials plus one delegate per club. A minimum of 5 shall comprise a quorum.

8. League Fees are set by the General Committee and comprise a team fee plus a players’ levy. League Fees will include entry to the Team KO competition. There is no players levy for the Team KO competition.

9. The league will run subsidiary Individual Merit and Doubles competitions. Entry Fees for these competitions are set by the General Committee.

10. Throughout the season there will be a number of delegates meetings to discuss League affairs and payment of league fees. Each team MUST send a delegate to these meetings or a fine may be imposed.

11. The president shall be able to attend any meeting, but he may not vote.

12. Following the end of each League season and before the start of the next, the League will hold an Annual General Meeting (AGM) that will be open to all League members.

13. Any proposals to be brought before the AGM must be sent in writing to the League Secretary 4 weeks before the AGM. Any new proposals will be voted on by the delegates from each team - only one vote per team. In the event of a tied vote the League Chairman will have the deciding vote.

Handicaps

14. Handicaps are set for all players before the start of the league season by the handicapping committee. The handicapping committee comprises the league president, league chairman, vice-chairman, press secretary, general secretary and two other delegates. The handicapping committee have authority to amend any players’ handicap as and when necessary throughout the season.

15. Each player will be given an individual handicap according their playing ability, but these will change throughout the league season. A player’s handicap cannot exceed +60.

16. After each match, a player’s handicap will be self-regulating. A players handicap will increase by 3 should they lose, and decrease by 3 should they win. However, if the losing players score falls within the region of 124-116 there is to be no handicap adjustment.

i.e. An adjustment of ±3 is only made when the losing player has scored 115 and below.

17. Any player that plays off an incorrect handicap and wins, will lose the match point and 25 aggregate game points.

· e.g. If a Team A player’s handicap was 20 and wins, then next match plays off 20 again instead of 17 and wins again, then 1 match point and 25 aggregate points will go to other team.

18. Any player that plays off an incorrect handicap but loses the game, then 25 aggregate points will be given to other team.

· e.g. If a Team A player’s handicap was 20 and wins, then next match plays off 20 again instead of 17 but loses, then 25 aggregate points will be given to the other team. The player’s handicap for the next match will return to 17

19. Any player not used during the season will go back to original handicap for start of next season.

League Match Play

20. For League Matches ONLY. The Home team captain should announce the name of each player prior to the start of each League game. This does not apply to the Team KO matches.

21. All games are to be played to 125 up with individual handicaps being put on to the scoreboard at the commencement of each game. It is the responsibility of the team captains (and each individual player) to ensure the correct handicaps for both players are correct, BEFORE THE START of all games. Once any game has started it is too late to adjust the scoreboard and the scores should not be altered.

22. At the start of each League game, the Home player will spot off using the Yellow ball. However, for individual/doubles finals, were neutral tables will be used, then the players will string or toss a coin to decide who goes first and also have choice of cue ball.

23. One point is awarded to the winner of each League game with two further points for the aggregate. If the aggregate is tied, then each team gets one match point.

24. The home team captain to pass the result to the Press Secretary by phone, text or email on Wednesday following the match. Failure to do so may result in a fine or a deduction of points. Details to include individual scores, handicaps and any breaks of 30 or over. The Press Secretary will record all results and the statistics will be used to assess the individual handicaps.

25. If a team is short of a player, the game will be awarded to the other team with a score of 125-0. However, for statistical reasons, the individual’s results will be recorded as 125-124 to avoid effecting their League average. This result will have no effect on the player’s handicap.

26. Fixtures may be rearranged during the season by agreement between the captains. Rearranged fixtures must be played as soon as possible and certainly by the date of the final league matches.

27. Any disputes about matches will be decided by the delegates at the next delegates meeting.

28. Final league positions for both the league and the round robin stage of the team knock out competition will be sorted as follows: -

1)    Total points
2)    Matches won
3)    Frames won
4)    Head-to-head result
5)    Play-off at a neutral venue

29. During a doubles match, partners may confer during a game but not whilst one is the striker and has approached the table until the break has ended with a non-scoring stroke or foul (See Rule 17b of the ‘Rules of the Game of English Billiards’). This principle shall also apply in games between individual players that form part of a team match.

30. When a Club enters more than one team, then three players must be allocated to each team with all other players will be registered in the Club Pool of players. Players allocated to the A team CANNOT play for the B team and vice-versa. Pool players may play for any of the club teams subject to the limitations of Rule 31 below.

31. Any Club Pool player that has played more than five games, or a quarter of the league fixtures, for one particular team will be tied to that particular team for the remainder of the season and CANNOT play for the other team(s).

32. There will be a prize (determined by the general committee) for the team that records the most league points from the last 5 games of the season. Those teams eligible for prize money due to their finishing position in the league will not be eligible for this prize. Should there be a tie for the most league points from the last five games, the prize shall be awarded according to the following conditions: -

1)    Matches won
2)    Frames Won
3)    Head-to-head result (if applicable)
4)    Play-off at a neutral venue

33. Further to the ‘Rules of the Game of English Billiards’ - Game Rules 14 and 15 ‘Fouls’ and ‘Actions after a Foul’.
If the referee fails to notice when a foul occurs then the opponent, and only the opponent, may bring the details to the attention of the referee. Spectators must not get involved. Similarly, the referee must not inform the player he is about to commit a foul stroke.

· e.g. Neither the referee nor any spectator should tell the striker he is about to play the wrong ball. Only the opponent can bring the details to the attention of the striker if he chooses to do so.

Team KO Play

34. For Team KO Matches ONLY. The Home team captain should announce the names of all three players in the order of play prior to the start of a Team KO match. There is no necessity for the Away team to announce their team at this stage.

35. For Team KO matches ONLY. Each individual player’s handicap will be that which was applicable after the final league match of the season and will not change throughout the competition.

36. For Team KO matches, each team will be allocated a team handicap, according to their final league position, which will be added to the aggregate scores at the end of each match. Team KO matches will be decided on an aggregate basis, if the aggregate is level then the team winning most games will win.

37. For a player to be eligible to play in the team knock out competition, they must have played a minimum of 4 league matches.