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Dumfries Singles Snooker League Rules


Section 1: General Rules.

Entry Fee is to be charged at £25 for the season. (For players entering the Quads Team Cup £5 of entry fee will be used to pay for trophies, players who do not enter this will have the £5 transferred to their match fee balance)

Players are required to pay a £3.00 match fee for every league fixture and share the table hire cost with their opponent.

All match fee payments should be made before playing your fixture (where possible).
Payments can be made by Bank Transfer. Account Details on Request. The match fee goes towards end of season prize money for leagues and cups (not including the Dumfries (Scratch) Cup as this will be by separate entry fee). (Records of accounts can be shared upon request and will be published at close of season).

There will be NO match fee for the Dumfries Cup, Memorial Cup, League 1 Cup, League 2 Cup and Quads Team Cup matches.

Players who play a third league match without clearing their outstanding match fee balance will be deducted 1pt per week until cleared below -£9. (First point will be deducted 7 days after 3rd unpaid match has been played) Players will receive a text reminder of the date funds need cleared by after that it is the players responsibility to rectify.

It is advised that players keep match fee balance topped up, this can be topped up anytime.

A box will be left in the Sands Snooker Club if players wish to top up balance by cash (box will only be emptied on Sunday evenings, preferred method of payment is Bank Transfer, money left in the box is done so at players own risk).

Players will have 7 days to play each weekly fixture.

All weekly matches will have until Midnight on Sundays to complete the fixture for each match week.

Where possible players are asked to post the date/time of arranged matches in the WhatsApp league chat so that if our local referee is available, he can come along and referee some for the players (also making the league organiser aware of when to expect results for the purpose of updating the website).

The onus is on both players to arrange a suitable date/time to play fixture. If a day cannot be agreed either player can postpone the fixture, giving an additional 28 days to arrange a suitable date/time from the end of that match week. Postponed matches will appear under the league tables with the new play by date. (This also applies to Memorial Cup group stage matches; however, all matches must be played before the date set for commencement of the knockout stages).

Future league matches can be played early if agreement reached between both players concerned and we encourage you to get ahead with fixtures, however this must be done in order as best as possible. The league organiser must be informed of any matches being played early.

The Home player is responsible for sending in the result and breaks over 40.

Players will play a home and away fixture. Players with the home fixture have the choice of table and can opt to play with their own set of balls should they have one. This is non-negotiable (there is no home player for cup matches).

League Matches will consist of 4-frames. With 1pt scored per frame won. (This is also the scoring system for Memorial Cup group stage matches).

Century Break Prize will be £20 per 100+ break made.

Maximum Break Prize will be £50 and a medal.

During match play, you are the referee. You should call out the break as it occurs, replacing colours as they are potted. The scoreboard should be checked by each player after the latest score has been added to both players agreement before the next shot is played (once the next shot has been played scores cannot be altered). The ref’s decision is final.

Players who leave the league before its completion will have their previous played fixtures marked as "Void". Points will be removed from players for these fixtures. Future fixtures will be marked "Free Week" with no points available. (If the leaving player has completed all fixtures from the first half of league matches or more, the first half results will remain, and the rest will be void) All void fixtures match fees will be refunded to players match fee balance)

If a player leaves the league when they have played 25% of league fixtures or fewer, we will look to try and find a replacement, the replacement will be required to be in place before 25% of the season’s calendar has been completed. The new player will need to replay fixtures that the leaving player had already completed and will be given time to catch up.

There is no miss rule in this league. The only exemption to this will be where a qualified referee is officiating a match, then he/she will use the miss rule to his/her discretion. (This will most likely only be during cup semi-finals and finals)

There will be 4 promotion/relegation places. (Note - there will be no promotion/relegation in the 24/25 season as there will only be 1 league)

If players finish the season level on points positions will then be decided on the following count back criteria:

1)     Matches won

2)     Matches drawn

3)     Head-to-head

4)     Best of 3 Play-off (this will only be for 1st and 2nd places, also for any tied relegation/promotion places where a player out with the relegation/promotion zone is tied with someone from within. All other tied placings will split the prize money equally)

The same count back will be used for tied placings in the Memorial Cup group stage.

Section 2: Player Penalties.

If neither player postpones a match before midnight Sunday of that match week, both players will forfeit the match scoring 0pts (This also applies to Memorial Cup group matches).

The player found responsible for a postponed match being unsuccessfully played within the additional 21-day period will lose the fixture 4-0, if unable to determine which player is at fault, the match will be void and both players receive 0pts.

Match fees are still applied to void league fixtures.

All cup competition knockout rounds will have play by dates which must be adhered to, any matches unplayed by the play by date will be void with both players exiting the competition (unless proof can be shown that one player has made efforts to arrange the game with the other player unwilling to arrange). Dumfries Cup group fixtures will also be giving dates to play by and it is desirable to play each fixture within the given dates and in the correct order, however if you would like to get ahead with matches this is okay to do so. All group matches need played by the end date for the group stages and any left unplayed will be marked void with both players receiving 0pts. As always exceptional circumstances will be considered.

Any player failing to attend their match by the time arranged by both players will forfeit the first frame after 30 minutes then subsequent frames every 10mins thereafter. Waiting players must remain in the club until the maximum 4 frames time has lapsed to receive the full match points. (1HR). For Dumfries Cup group games first frame will be forfeit after 30mins, then subsequent frames every 15mins thereafter resulting in a 3-0 loss after the 1HR of waiting has elapsed. In all the cup competitions knockout rounds the 1st frame forfeited after 30mins with second frame lost after the next 15mins, the match is then forfeit after the full 1HR of waiting has elapsed.

Players failing to play their fixture by giving the match / frame or frames away to their opponent will receive a -1pt penalty. This also includes No Shows.

Cancellations of matches can be done no later than 2 hours prior to the agreed match time. (Extreme circumstances will be considered) Failing to do so will result in losing the match.

Players can only cancel each individual match once, when rearranging please make sure it is a time you can make. (Extreme circumstances will be considered) Exceeding this will result in losing the match.

There will be 2 strikes and you’re out policy implemented for players who quit the league before completing a season without having paid the full match fees for that season. Players will always be giving a 2nd chance but if dropping out mid-season a 2nd time that player will not be allowed to renter the league. Exceptional circumstances around the need to drop out the league however would be considered.

Section 3: Handicaps.

If playing 2 matches or more on the same day, you must contact one of the league organisers before commencing the 2nd match to ensure your handicap is not due to change after the result from your first match that day (ensuring each match is played of the correct handicap).

Players are responsible for knowing and playing off their correct handicap. Playing off an incorrect handicap will "void" the match and it will need to be replayed.

Handicaps will be adjusted after every block of 2 matches (1st and 2nd matches played, then 3rd and 4th matches played and so on). League matches and Memorial Cup group matches are included for each block.

After each block of 2 matches handicaps will increase +5pts where 0, 1 or 2 frames have been won, handicaps will remain the same where 3, 4 or 5 frames have been won and handicaps will decrease -5pts where 6, 7 or 8 frames have been won.

Handicaps will be capped at -20 to +80 and cannot go higher or lower than this.

The maximum start any player may receive is 60pts.

Matches won/lost that have not been played, but instead the result has come from a player being penalised will have NO impact on the handicap and will NOT affect any changes made.

All cup matches will have NO effect on handicaps except Memorial Cup group stage fixtures.

At the start of every new season player’s handicap can be adjusted accordingly within the first 6 league matches in cases where the handicap is deemed incorrect (during these 6 games players are required to take note of final frame scores after the last ball was potted/ the frame conceded). Match sheets to be filled in are kept behind the bar in the club. No change can be made to handicaps after 6 league games have passed other than the normal changes made by the automated system.

Handicaps will be reevaluated after each player has played the first half of their league fixtures, if no change deemed necessary at this point, then all further changes will again be left to the automated handicap system.

Handicaps will also be reevaluated at the end of each league season in preparation for the season after.

Handicaps are given to players in good faith and in the spirit that they will be used by a player to mark improvements in their own game and allow them to compete on an equal basis with better competitors – not to gain an unfair advantage.

Section 4: The Dumfries (Scratch) Cup

Group matches will consist of 4 frames, 3pts a win 1pt for a draw. Match is over at 3-0.

If players finish the group stage level on points positions will then be decided on the following count back criteria:

1)     Matches won

2)     Frame difference

3)     Head-to-head

4)     Blue Baw Shootout (this will consist of 5 alternating attempts each at potting the blue off the spot from the white anywhere within the D, you require to nominate a pocket and a fluke shot does not count, if tied after 5 attempts the shootout moves into sudden death)

 

Final Note

This is a gentleman’s sport, please be respectful of your opponent and always conduct yourself in an orderly manner.

Avoid standing in the line of your opponent’s shot or chalking your cue whilst your opponent is at the table and please avoid excessive swearing.