Introduction.

This is a set of guide lines is to help teams understand what the Britannia Pool League is all about. They help the reader to understand the Blackball Rules, our league format and league meetings, also how to sponsor the league as well. The league structure is made up of three people, they are;

1. Pat Moyles. League Chair. Duties include league referee, chairing league meetings, fixture lists, finals day and presentation evening.
2. Gary Smith. League Webmaster. Duties include preparing and building the league website, collating all the results to form the league tables, assisting with online and meeting disputes and the up keep of the website.
3. Peter Steniford. League Treasurer. Duties include collecting and managing the leagues finances, assisting on league disputes and preparing the leagues annual financial accounts.

We have been online now for six years and are very proud of our website. Unlike conventional leagues who hand out league tables all ours our done on line on our web site, http://britannia-pool.net. The web site is also designed to allow you to input your match result, check on the personal performance of your opposition players (handy tip for captains selecting team strategy) locate all the pubs taking part in the league with their contact details, a calendar to check on the up and coming league meetings and fixtures and also chat on line. We do not have strict and argent rules that you must obey, we have guide lines which are always open to discussion at our league meetings. League captains/a team representative set the guide lines at the beginning of the season at our AGM and if any are unrealistic or un- workable we discuss and try to improve them at our monthly meetings.

Black Ball Rules.

In the pool packs is a set of black ball rules which were pulled from an official black ball website.

These rules are a recognised set of rules by the worlds governing bodies.

The website above has the best explanation of the rules and has a page showing you specific shots. They are a lot different from the old EPA pub rules which many people still play today. Please read them carefully and practise them to get used to them as it is the only rules we play. If you need any assistance in learning them please do not hesitate in contacting the league Chair who will be only to willing to help.

Tuesday Night League Match Format.

Home team responsibilities.

• The home team must supply a suitable venue to play pool.
• The home team must have a minimum of four players to commence the match.
• There must be a reasonable kept pool table with sufficient lighting and space around it.
• They must supply food on the night for both teams, hot or cold for around the half way point of the match.
• They pay for the cost of the table for the duration of the match.
• The home team captain offers the table to their opposite number at 8.15pm for practise.
• The match starts around 8.30pm.
• The home team referee the first frame. Alternate there after.
• Keep any banter friendly and enjoy the evening.
• Matches must be completed on the night.
• If you as a home team have problems where your venue landlord is insisting the match must be completed and the venue cleared by 11.30pm, please respect this. Ring your opposing captain as early as possible before match day to explain this, perhaps arrange the match to start a little earlier. If there are two tables in the venue commence another frame on that table. Do not stop frames during the food break. If play is progressing too slowly introduce the one minute per shot rule. We are not trying to lose the licensee their livelihood.

Away team responsibilities.

• The away team must arrive at the venue by around 8.15pm.
• Depending on the discretion of the licensee/captain, if late, you may forfeit your practise time on the table.
• If you are running late, please show common decency by ringing ahead to the venue you are visiting to let them know.
• If you are struggling to field a team and you know this days before you are due to play, ring a league representative and again please ring the venue as soon as you cannot assemble a side. Remember food will be prepared and fellow league players will be expecting a match.
• Please show respect to your opponents and their venue.
• Keep any banter friendly and enjoy the evening.
• Please leave the venue respecting the local community.

The Match.

The match consists of twelve single frames.

A maximum of twelve players can represent a team on a match night, however most teams field six and play them twice. A minimum of four players are required to start a match. If you only have four players turn up for an away match you must contact a member of the league committee (Pat Moyles or Gary Smith) to ask for dispensation to play your away match with four players. If dispensation is granted you play the first four frames and then the opposing captain randomly selects (i.e. with say cards 1-6) two of your players to finish the first set of six frames .The team with four players automatically lose frames seven and eight and then the remaining four frames are played to complete the match. .If you have five players then the same system applies. You play the first five frames; the opposing captain does a random draw to pick who plays frame six. You forfeit frame seven and then complete the match to its conclusion .In summary if you play a match with four players you are automatically down 2-0, if you play a match with five players you are automatically down 1-0 before the matches start. This rule strictly applies to an away match only. No teams will be granted dispensation for a match at home. Player of the year stats will only be given to the first frame played in each set of six. No randomly selected players can gain points for the player of the year. If you have players that are running late and they do not arrive in time to play their frame, then that frame is forfeited. They will still be allowed to play in the second set of frames. (You can recruit players within your own venue on the night to commence a match if you cannot field four). Every frame is worth one point for your team and is recorded towards your players’ statistics through the season. Two bonus points are awarded for a match win. Every frame played by your players is recorded, put on the website and shown in a league format. Each player who tops their respective league table wins the prestigious player of the year award. The home team captain puts down their first six players names on the match sheet first and then gives the match sheet to their opposite number. No player can play both their frames in any set of the six frames. (If the home team captain has any players they wish to play in the second half of the match who are not shown in the first six, they must fill in their names at the bottom of the sheet before handing it to their opposing captain). The away captain matches up their first six players and again any reserve players are put at the bottom of the match sheet. The match commences around 8.30pm. To secure the break a lag takes place between the players on every frame. The home team referees the first frame and alternate referees between home and away players after that. After the first six frames (depending on how the match is progressing time wise) a food break is introduced. After the first set of six frames the home team captain puts their next set of six players down (adding reserves if necessary) and then hands the sheet to the opposing side that do the same. If the match ends in a six all draw, then the captains pick one of their players to have a one frame play off. The play off frame is just to decide who gets the two bonus points for winning the match. It does not count as a point and does not count for the player of the year stats. Please use common sense in deciding your team order. If you have players who are arriving late, put them down the order or in the reserve section for the second set of six frames and explain the situation to your opponents. If you have players who need to leave early, again put them on earlier. It is the responsibility of the winning captain to put forward the result. There is a number they can text the result to at the bottom of the match sheet. Please text the result as oppose to ringing it through. Text the result on the night, post the result on the website site the following day (if possible) or post the match sheet to the address at the bottom of the match sheet. The match sheet arriving or the inputting of the result via the results page on the website, automatically will record your team player stats. If you have no internet access please text this along with the result and tick the box on the match card that states this. NO SHOW. If you fail to show up to a match (without an notification to the league) the opposing team is awarded an 8-0 win plus two bonus points for the win, giving them ten points in total. PLAYER TRANSFER. Players as a rule cannot transfer from one team to another during the course of the season. If a team drops out and some of the players wish to play for another team then this is discussed at the Sunday meetings and voted on by all who are present. All other possible circumstances for a player wanting to transfer are dealt with in the same manner.

Competition Formats and Trophy Allocation.

League Divisions.

The Britannia pool league is split into divisions. The number of divisions depends on how many teams enter every season. The number of league matches played is again dependant on how many teams are in each division. The points within the divisions are awarded exactly the same across the board. One point per frame won and two points for a match won. Draws are decided by each team being awarded six points each and the two bonus points being awarded to the team who win the play off frame. The league winners are decided in the following way. The team who collects the most points. If the frames for column are equal then the team that has the best frame difference wins. If two teams finish on the same frame difference then the team who has the most frames for wins. If this is equal then it goes on the results of the head to head matches between the two teams. If all this is equal then a playoff will be played on finals day to establish the league champions.

The same standards of trophies are awarded in each division to the winners and runners up on presentation evening.

Divisional Cups.

A Knock-Out cup is played within each division. An open draw is held at the league meetings. It is played to a different format to the league matches, but still played to Black ball rules. The cup consists of six single frames and three scotch doubles. The winning team is the first to reach six frames. Once a team reaches this milestone the match is over. If a match finishes five frames to four then the captains choose two players to play a maximum of two single play-off frames to decide the result. The final is held on finals day at the end of the season.

The same standards of trophies are awarded in each division to the winners and runners up on presentation evening.

League Cup.

On occasion when the divisions are split into different numbers a league cup is introduced to ensure both divisions end the league at the same time. The format will be exactly the same as a league match and the two teams finishing top of the mini league within that cup format will play the final on finals day.

Singles.

The singles tournament is divisional. Only players from the second division will be allowed to cross divisions and enter the first division singles competition if they put that on the singles entry form. Failing to give notice before the draw is done means you have missed that option and must play in the second division competition. Every Player’s name that appears on a Team's registration form is entered into the singles tournament. A computer generated draw is done by the webmaster for the first round, an open draw at league meetings there after. Thirty two tables are selected from across all the venues for the first round of the singles. A minimum of eight players will be drawn at each table. A best of three knockout competition will be drawn amongst the players. Team captains are drawn at their own venue to supervise the draw. The two finalists on the night will go through. This will give us the last thirty two players in each division. This format is continued onto finals day. A permanent trophy and an annual trophy along with £100 are given to the winner. A permanent trophy along with £50 pounds is given to the runner up.

Scotch Doubles.

The singles is divisional. Only players from the second division will be allowed to cross divisions and enter the first division singles competition if they put that on the singles entry form. Failing to give notice before the draw is done means you have missed that option and must play in the second division competition. Teams must put forward their team doubles selection to the league as soon as possible. A computer generated draw is done for the first round only, and depending on how many entrants will decided on how many go through, (usually sixteen). The doubles is played with two people taking alternating shots as opposed to alternating visits. This means you break pot a ball your partner takes the next shot and pots a ball you take the next shot and so on until one of you misses. Then it’s your opponents turn to take alternating shots. Once you have touched the table on your visit, no more conferring. An open draw is done at league meetings, up to finals day. Permanent trophies are awarded to the winners and runners up.

Player of the year.

All players frame wins and loses are recorded on the player of the year statistics published on the web site. A permanent trophy is given to the top ranked player in each division.

Sponsorship.

The Britannia Pool League is a non profit organisation and spends out what it receives in revenue. The cost of the trophies, website, champagne, engraving and administration is all used by using the entrant fees. Every season we look for venues to sponsor the league. 2010 season is sponsored by the United Services Club, Fore Street Snooker Club and the Cock Tavern. The sponsorship raised was £300. All the match cards advertise the sponsors on them; the sponsor venues hold all the monthly meetings and presentation evening. If your venue wish to bid for sponsorship this is done at our AGM. The decision is made by not who sponsors the most money but by a vote by all present at the AGM. The venue location, size and entertainment being provided for presentation evening are all considered in the vote. All bids are considered and discussed. Please remember when making a bid that meetings are held once a month in the venue on a Sunday morning at 11am.

Penalty Points.

Penalty points can be deducted from your league score for the following ways.

1. Failure to have a team representative at a monthly league meeting.
2. Failure to send in a result.

Both situations mean a minimum of two points are deducted from your score. Any other disciplinary actions are discussed at league meetings and those present vote on the outcome.