Sun City Billiards Competition Committee
Club Competition RulesEd. 4/23/2014
The SCA Anthem Billiards Club operates tournaments and leaguesonly with the approval of the Lifestyle Committee. The Club has control of the room and four tables during the hours of tournament play. It has control of the room and up to six tables during league play. Flight leaders have full derivative authority to control play in the room, including on which tables to play the tournament, the type of competition, and issues of decorum.
TOURNAMENT COMPETITION
- New Member Evaluation Procedures
- Evaluation Request
During new member orientation by an officer or flight leader, the SCBCC recommends that the new member, at his or her request, be offered the opportunity to be placed in a competitive flight based on an evaluation of their play. If not, they go to the bottom of the last flight and use normal challenge and tournament methods to reach an appropriate level of play.
A new member may be placed in the Social Flight upon request.
- Evaluation Process
Receiving such a request, an officer, flight leader or designated club member will rate a new member after a reasonable length of observation and recommend placing the new member at the bottom of the appropriate flight.
- Re-Evaluation
In the event that the assigned Flight Leader believes the member’s level of play is not consistent with the assigned flight assignment, a re-evaluation may be requested. The re-evaluation will be conducted by the requesting Flight Leader and two other club representatives comprised of flight leaders, league officers or other members not involved in the initial evaluation. The re-evaluation team shall observe the member’s play and jointly come to a recommendation to reassign the member or confirm the original flight assignment. The member will be assigned to the bottom of the designated flight.
- General Challenge Rules
A. Challenge Penalties
In regular Ladder challenges only, an unsuccessful challenger will drop back one spot. There will be no penalty for unsuccessful tournament challenges arranged by flight leaders.
B. Minimum Games
All challenge matches shall consist of a minimum 2 of 3. It may be greater on agreement of the parties or at the direction of tournament leaders.
C. Challenges and Subsequent Rankings Change
When a challenge is accepted (despite any subsequent change in the rankings before the match is actually played), the challenge will stand, the match played and the successful challenger moves to the currently held ranking of the loser.
D. Opting Out of Challenge Play
A member, not otherwise covered by Rule IV., may opt out of the regular challenge process,but will be included in flight tournament challenges,by notifying his or her flight leader. Such exemptions are at the discretion of the flight leader. An asterisk will be placed next to their name on the rankings list, signifying they are accepting no challenges. Their ranking may fall subject to the movement of other ranked players in the flight.
Also, a member who is unable or unwilling to take part in tournament play during any quarter may, at the discretion the flight leader, be assigned to the Social flight, consistent with IV. A,p.2.
E. Leave of Absence from Competition.
If expected to be absent for at least 60 days because of vacation, personal business or illness, a member may request their ranking be reserved by notice to their flight leader. They will be placed in the Social flight with their last ranking in parenthesis. Should the LOA exceed a year, the rank reservation expires and replaced by a flight designation only. Any subsequent return to competition will be at the bottom of the flight.
They must notify their flight leader immediately upon return. They resume competition as close to the rank their rating has fallen to in their absence.
F. Re-challenge Rule
The loser of a challenge match, including tourney challenges, shall wait a minimum of seven (7) days before issuing a re-challenge.
III. Regular Challenges
A. Refusals
After a second unsuccessful attempt to set up a challenge match, the challenger should contact the flight leader for assistance. The flight leader should call the challenged member and explain the consequences of a third refusal. Either a match is arranged then or the challenged member loses the spot to the challenger.
See Exception, II. D
- Challenge Levels
An A flight member can challenge up to three (3) spots ahead; B four (4); C five (5); D six (6).
IV.Flight Tourney Regulations
A.Winner’s reward
Winner(s) of a tourney moves up three spots from the place he or she previously held; 2nd place finisher(s) moves up two spots. Third place moves up one. The third place finisher gets moved up first; second place finisher gets moved up next and then the winner is moved up three spots. (See limitations for six-person shoot outs and four-person tournaments.)
If this results in movement to the next higher flight, there is no option to the player. They must accept the rewarded assignment or move to the Social Flight for a minimum of 60 days. They retain their final flight ranking in parenthesis as a reference. If and when they choose to return to competition, they will be placed as close as possible in that spot.
B. Tourney Challenges
First round challenges set up by flight leaders are at their discretion, but must meet the provisions of Sec. II. B. These challenges during tourney play carry no penalty for losing the challenge. Subsequent round challenges are at the players’ discretion.
- Flight Leaders Authority
Flight leaders have sole discretion how tournaments are run, including the number of games, type of game, challenges, speed of matches, and finals format.
- Minimum Players
There must be a minimum four (4) players for tournament results to count.
- Time Limits
Players have a maximum of five (5) minutes to begin their scheduled match or they forfeit the match.
- Rules
1.The club uses BCA rules with the following exceptions:
2.The unintentional movement of any ball except the cue is not a foul. The opposing player may respot the moved ball(s)or leave them where they came to rest.
3.The opening game of each match begins with a lag or coin-flip, by player agreement.
4.The winner of each game wins the break; the loser racks.
5.In all flights, the final match will require the loser bracket winner to win three times before the winner bracket winner wins twice. In the event of time constraints or by agreement of the players the flight leader may shorten this requirement to two and one.
6.In singles, any individual who forfeits after having reached a placing (2nd or 3rd), will be given the point advancement for that level completed and play continues without a replacement. If a player quits before the placement round, no replacements will be used and byes will be declared.
7.In Doubles, if a player quits after reaching the placement round (2nd or 3rd) both partners will be given the point advancement and play continues without a replacement. If a player quits before the placement round, any eligible replacement can be made to complete the team. If that team places, all advancement points will go the replacement - the forfeiting player gets none.
- Flight Structures
Size, number and designations of Flights
There will be 5 flights: AA, A, B, C, and D. A,B,C,D will be as equal in size as possible. AA flight will be approximately 25% the size of all flights combined.
Notwithstanding the above, the committee may at its discretion change the number of flights or the numbers of players in a flight until overall numbers dictate a return to normal flight schedules.
LEAGUE PLAY
The Tuesday Night League operates under BCA rules with these exceptions:
- Use of a coin-flip or lag to establish which player breaks
- On subsequent breaks, the winner breaks and the loser racks.
- The unintentional movement of any ball except the cue is not a foul. The opposing player may re-spot the moved ball(s)or leave them where they came to rest.
Additionally, the League operates under its own handicap and scoring rules fully outlined on its website.
The SCBCC committee will remain an integral part of the club structure. As competitive matters arise or as club size growsthe ongoing existence of the SCBCC committee will allow the Club to quickly address and deal effectively with such issues.
Chuck Boxwell, Chair. Rex Weddle, Cheryl Kraft, and Dan Kovac, members.