Billy Aardd's Club
General Ladder Rules and Regulations

Contents:

1. Introduction
2. Joining the Ladder
3. Withdrawing from the Ladder
4. The Ladder Matches and Ladder Movement
5. Setting Up Matches
6. Score Keeping

The Billy Aardd's Club ladders are continuously running ladder tournaments sponsored by Billy Aardd's Club.   As tournaments they are subject to our Tournament Rules and Regulations.

There are no prizes. Unlike most pool tournaments, the players are handicapped so that both opponents in a match have an equal chance of winning.

1. Print ADD next to your: name (first and last), phone number, and email address (preferably a Tech one) on the rungs sheet for the current round of the ladder you want to join.   It is a good idea to number which addition to the ladder you'd be for the next round.
2. Find somebody to who knows how to handicap for the ladder and will take you through the handicapping process (i.e. establish a: Skill Rating (S.R.), LBPI, or PPI depending on which ladder you are entering -- see the Handicapping section of the ladder you are interested in for more info).
3. Use of a pre-printed handicapping (or score) sheet is preferred, but any readable record of points and innings will work.
4. The handicap value established above is needed by the Ladder Director (LD) so he can figure the spot on your first match.   That value will be only be used for your first played matched.
5. To re-enter the Ladder if you have been in it before, notify the LD by writing ADD followed by your name and contact information on the current Round Sheet.   You will be entered in the next round of play at the bottom of the Ladder.   You will retain your last rating (LBPI, PPI, or S-R) unless the LD thinks you should set a new one.   If you had a player number it will remain the same.

Last updated: Tuesday, 27-Mar-2007 14:45:23 MDT
URL: http://www.nmt.edu/~billiard/public_html/Ladders/joining.html

1. A player may voluntarily withdraw from the Ladder by writing DROP by his name on the Round Sheet and signing the request.
2. A player will be withdrawn from the Ladder by the LD after forfeiting matches in two successive rounds and must sit out at least one round before re-entering.
3. A player may be removed from the Ladder by the LD for play or conduct detrimental to the fair running of the Ladder.   Re-entry to the ladder is then at the discretion of the LD.   The decision of the LD is final.

Last updated: Tuesday, 27-Mar-2007 14:45:23 MDT
URL: http://www.nmt.edu/~billiard/public_html/Ladders/withdrawing.html

1. The Ladder is a list of positions, with each position occupied by one player. Position 1 is at the top of the Ladder. The positions are arranged in a series of rungs with two players per rung. If there is an odd number of players (an Odd Ladder), the player in position 1 is placed alone on the first rung of the Ladder and the second rung is occupied by the players in positions 2 and 3. The list of rungs is called the Round Sheet. The next round is generated as a result of match play in this round, plus changes due to players adding and dropping.

2. Regular Matches

   1. The two players on a rung have each other as opponents for their required regular match. In an Odd Ladder the winner of the second rung may play the player at the top of the Ladder as an additional regular match (called the Odd match).
   2. The winner of a regular match will advance in position while the loser will decline in position.

      EXAMPLE:
      The players in positions 5 and 6 are scheduled to play a regular match. The winner will advance to position 4 while the loser retreats to position 7 (provided no one drops or challenges past either one of them).

      This can be patterned as the winner of a match moving up a rung to the right-most position, while the looser moves down a rung to the left-most position. (This should be done before any adds or drops are figured in.)

      The winner of the top rung will go to the first (highest) position on the Ladder. The loser of the bottom rung will go to the last (lowest) position on the Ladder.

   3. If it is an Odd Ladder, the player in position 1 (the title defender) might play a regular match against the winner of the regular match between positions 2 and 3. If he wins, he will remain in position 1. If his opponent wins, they will go to position 1, and the title defender will fall to position 2.

3. Challenge Matches

   1. The right to challenge during a round is awarded to players who shot well in their regular match from the previous round. Only by winning their regular match and shooting a specified amount above their rating in the previous round can a player obtain challenge positions.

   2. Players are not required to issue or accept challenges.

   3. A player can issue only one challenge per round.

   4. A player may issue a challenge at any time during the round, but if he forfeits his regular match, then that player will not receive the benefits of a successful challenge, even though the statistics and the change in rating will be counted in the round.

   5. A player must have played at least five matches before he can earn challenge positions. (Some ladders may have a different requirement.)

   6. A player will be awarded the option to challenge 1 position for each 10% over his handicap (for LBPI, and PPI ratings) that he shot during the previous round. For example, 1 position for 12% over, 2 positions for 27% over, and so on. You may not challenge for more positions than are above you on the Ladder (the player in position 5 may not challenge for more than 4 positions, etc.).

   7. A player who has the option to challenge is not required to issue a challenge for all the positions he has earned, but may challenge for a lesser number at his discretion. For example, a player with 3 positions may issue a challenge for 1,2 or 3 positions.

   8. A player who has decided to challenge for X positions may challenge anyone X positions or more above him in the Ladder, except for his regular match opponent.

   9. The player accepting the challenge will have the handicap slanted in his favor. The slant increases with the number of positions challenged.

   10. Should the challenger win the match, he will jump up the Ladder in the next round by the number of positions challenged. For example, a player is in position 9 as the result of regular match play but has won a challenge for 3 positions. He will move up to position 6 while the players in positions 6, 7, and 8 will move down 1 position each. Should the challenger lose, nothing will happen. If either player forfeits during a challenge match then the match is not counted. A challenge match must be played to completion in order to have any bearing on a possible change in position for the challenging player.

   11. If there should be more than one successful challenge in a round the challenge positions will be awarded in the order of match start time.

   12. Challenge positions will only be earned by regular match play. If a person forfeits to his opponent during their regular match, the opponent is declared the winner of the match and may earn challenge positions based upon his performance in that match.

   13. If a player forfeits his regular match, he may still play his challenge match, but should he win, he will not be awarded the usual positional advancement in the next round.

Last updated: Tuesday, 27-Mar-2007 14:45:23 MDT
URL: http://www.nmt.edu/~billiard/public_html/Ladders/move_two.html

1. The players themselves are responsible for scheduling their matches before the deadline shown at the top of the Round Sheet. They are also responsible for the score keeping duties. (It is highly recommended that a third person keep score when stroke-by-stroke scoring is required. This reduces score keeping errors and lets the players focus on playing the match.)
2. The center area of the second white board, on the south wall of the, game room is the official area for scheduling of matches. The left wing of that white board is for trying to contact opponents in order to schedule matches.
3. Should no attempt be made by either player of a Regular Match to set up a match time, the player on the left side of the rung shall forfeit the match.
4. If one player in a Regular match tries to set up a match time and their opponent does not reply, the opponent will forfeit the match.
5. If both players try but are unable to set up a match time, the LD may forfeit the match to one of the players by random selection (e.g. a coin-toss).
6. If an opponent is more than 15-minutes late for a match, the present player may claim a forfeit or, at his discretion, try to reschedule.
7. Should any player prove exceptionally difficult in setting up a match, the LD may forfeit that player's match at his discretion.

Last updated: Tuesday, 27-Mar-2007 14:45:23 MDT
URL: http://www.nmt.edu/~billiard/public_html/Ladders/scheduling.html

1. Each player must know how to keep score using the notation and form developed for the ladder.

2. A written record, in ink, is required for each match.   The results of each set (of a match) must be recorded on an official score sheet.

3. Score sheets can be found on the Billy Aardd's Club clipboard for the ladder.   (If the clip board doesn't seem to be around ask the attendant to check the Billy Aardd's Club drawer at the game room attendant's counter.)

4. After a match, write the score of the match beside the players' names on the Round Sheet, and put the completed score sheet underneath the blank ones.

5. The score keeper has been granted the power of referee for the purposes of match play.   He has the ability to call fouls, assess conduct penalties and insure the fairness of a match.   While Ladder players are usually good about calling their fouls, the score keeper should be alert for their occurrence, and call them if the player (for whatever reason) does not.
   1. The score keeper may assess a referee penalty (of between 0 and 15 points - for PPI based ladders; or a game, of a set, forfeit - for SR based ladders) if he feels that some action by a player is counter to the rules of conduct during a match.   This may be a physical action, verbal abuse, interference or any other unsportsmanlike act which goes contrary to fair play.   The referee penalty may occur at any time, and can be charged to a player even if they are not presently in an inning at the table.

   2. If at any time a score keeper feels that a penalty of more than 15 points is warranted, he has the ability to charge the offending player with a forfeit.

   3. A player has the right to question a rule call (can not question judgement) by a score keeper except where there has been a clear violation of the rules.   If a player wishes to argue a call during a match, he must inform the score keeper of his intention, so that match play may be suspended while the call is reviewed.   If for some reason the spirit of the call is still in question, the player arguing it may play the remainder of the match under protest (the score sheet should be indicate where and why the protest occurred), and upon completion of the match, bring the matter to the attention of the LD, who may then choose a fair course of action.

   4. No calls may be argued after a match is completed (except for matches under protest).

6. Score Keepers should be on constant guard for errors.   If a score keeper should find an error during a match, he should halt match play until the error can be corrected, as best he can.   If the error is not caught until after the match, the score keeper should make a note of it so that the LD can correct it.   Score keeping errors discovered after the match is over will be corrected by the LD, as best as he can.

Last updated: Tuesday, 27-Mar-2007 14:45:23 MDT
URL: http://www.nmt.edu/~billiard/public_html/Ladders/scoring.html

Last updated: Tuesday, 27-Mar-2007 14:45:23 MDT
URL: http://www.nmt.edu/~billiard/public_html/ladder/ladderregs.html