Straight Pool League
at Slate Street Billiards,
in Rio Rancho, NM

Handicapped 14.1 Tournament
November 9-10, 2024.

P R E L I M I N A R Y

Contents:

1. Tournament Overview.
2. Reminders.
3. Divisions ('A' and 'B').
   • 'A' Match schedule.
   • 'A' Modified Single Elim bracket.
   • 'B' Match schedule.
   • 'B' Modified Single Elim bracket.
4. Entry fee and Donations.
5. Payouts.
6. Time Management.  (Shot Clock Fouls)
7. List of Players.  (W/L Records)
8. Tracking Match Results.
9. TOURNAMENT RESULTS.

Since the tournament pertains to the Handicapped 14.1 League players must have played at least 5 matches in league play (not counting any conditional matches for setting their initial LBPI).

This tournament will use a Modified Single Elimination (MSE) format, instead of Double Elimination (DE), so we can get these long matches done in a couple of days.  The MSE will pair players who lost their first round match with winners on the other side of the bracket for the second round matches.  That will give everybody at least two matches to get going (without all the additional overhead of a DE).

A major constraint is to finish the tournament in two days.   There must be a minimum of 7 players for a division to run with the MSE format.  Each division will be limited to 16 players.

As there is a limit to the number of players please get your entry in early.  Contact the Ladder Director (Ray) to let them know you want to play in the tournament.

If a division has 6 or fewer players the format may change to a Round Robin (RR), or a RR & SE scheme to maximize the number of games played (and stay at, or under, 5 rounds).

The tournament will be seeded based on a player's league win-loss ranking (see List of Players).

Handicaps will be calculated at 80% (the league matches use 90%).  The spots are much less than league play (as shown under 'Divisions').  The spotting player will be starting negative.  Unlike league play no player will start with a positive score.

Doors will open at 9:00 AM.  Matches are planned to start at 9:45 AM.

Some reminders are in order before the tournament begins (some may need to be repeated as it's going along too).

• The tournament will use the following rule sets (please take the time to read them).
  • Tournament Rules and Regulations.
  • The General Rules of Pocket Billiards.
  • The league Straight Pool rules.
• Here are some things to be aware of that might get missed in reading the above rule sets.
• Keep a clip-board for Tournament Director(s) use to write down any decisions or rulings made by an official in case the same situation comes up again.

  That will help with giving consistent rulings.  It can also help with future tournaments.

• It's best if the players do not have to score their own match.  That way their concentration can stay on their play.
• Players who are not in a match may be asked to be a score keeper or a referee.
• Be sure both to record both the Start and Finish times for the match.  This will be useful when it comes to planning the next tournament.
• Score keepers will function as referee if a referee is not assigned to the match.
• Getting to match score does not end a match if the winner wants to continue their run.  It could help in winning either the HR or the best T/C (for a non-placing player) prizes.

  For players in a Round-Robin going to a Single Elim continuing the run may boost a player's T/C number enough to get them into the SE if they didn't place at the top of their RR group.

• Two divisions ('A', and 'B') will be run if there are enough players in each.  Each division will be limited to 16 players.
• There must be a minimum of six players for a division to run a Modified Single Elimination (MSE) format.

  If a division has 6 or fewer players the format may change to a Round Robin (RR), or a RR & SE scheme to maximize the number of games played (and stay at, or under, 5 rounds).

• Players with a Career LBPI (CLBPI) of at least a 2.000 will play in 'A'.  Players with a CLBPI of less than a 2.000 will be placed in 'B' unless they say they want to play in 'A'.  The Tournament Director reserves the right to move players between divisions (e.g. somebody with a low CLBPI but a high W/L probably belongs in 'A').

  The CLBPI mark dividing 'A' and 'B' divisions may be shifted a bit to balance the number of players between divisions if more than 16 players show up for one division while less than 16 are in the other.

• 'A' will play to 75 points with a maximum spot of 50 points.  That leaves a possible max of 125 points for the spotter.
• 'B' will play to 45 points with a maximum spot of 30 points.  That leaves a possible max of 75 points for the spotter.

Each division will have an entry fee of $50.  Entry fee needs to be paid, tournament day, before 9:45 AM.

Donations can be made (to either division) to cover prizes: like best T/C, or highest run (above a set number of balls).

Donations can also be made to increase the place money for the top finishers.

• The Place Prizes are currently based on entry fees.  It can go higher with additional donations to the "place" pots.
  $100 has been added, per division.

  Modified Single Elimination (MSE) brackets of 8, or fewer, players will be paid as follows.  First: 50%, Second: 30%, and Third: 20%.

  Modified Single Elimination (MSE) brackets of more than 8 players will be paid as follows.  First: 45%, Second: 30%, Third: 15%, and Fourth: 10%.

  In Round Robin formats (with or without an SE followup) the following payout schedule will be used.  First at 50%, Second at 30% and Third at 20%.

• Each division will have a High Run prize.  The 'A' prize is for highest run over 45-balls. The 'B' prize is for highest run at or over 25-balls.

  The payout on each High Run prize will be $200.  It can go higher with additional donations to the "HR" pots.

• Each division will also have a best T/C prize (the highest ratio of Tournament-LBPI over Career-LBPI).
  • For Single Elimination brackets it will be for those players not winning "place" or "High Run" money.
  • For Round Robin brackets all players will be eligible.

  The payout for best T/C prize will be $75.   Specified donations for this can push it higher.
  Now at $100, per division.

• Note that posted match start times will rarely be precise.

  Also note that the posted times are subject to change as the tournament progresses.  Be sure to periodically check for updates.

  To help the tournament run smoothly please be ready to play at least 15-minutes before the time shown for your match.   If no time is shown (most likely to happen for all but the first matches) the players should be in ear-shout for when their match is called.

• Each player is allowed one 5-minute break per match.

• In matches where slow play occurs a 40-second shot clock will be imposed for the remainder of the match.  This decision must be made by the TD.  (The referee, or score-keeper/referee, can pause the match to discuss this with the TD.)

  Shot clock violations will count as a foul (balls will stay in position, and player's turn will end).  Shot clock fouls will be treated as normal fouls and so count towards a Major Foul.  Record them as TF on the score sheet.

  For the current shooter the clock starts when all balls stop moving.  For a new shooter the clock starts when the previous shooter has left the table and the new shooter is at the table with no balls moving (ready to shoot or checking out what to shoot).

  When a player's shot clock has expired the referee will say "time" to let the player know they need to: execute the shot, ask for an extension, or be charged with a shot clock foul.   (An alternative approach is to announce "5-seconds". If the player chooses to execute the shot this allows them to do so in a less rushed way.)

  If the shooter is down on a shot and the clock runs out a TF (shot clock foul) will not be called unless they stand up off the shot (in which case they will have a TF even if they get back down on the same shot).

• Each player is allowed one 20-second extension (to the 40-second shot clock) per inning.  These are limited to 2 per rack.  NOTE: The extension is not automatic.  The player must notify the referee they want an extension (saying "extension" will work).

  Score Keeper NOTE: Time extensions are to be recorded on the score sheet  (in margin of rack where they were used).   Write them as XT.  This will help in managing the two extension limit per rack.

Lists player's Win/Loss number.  Also gives info on their Career LBPI.

Two hunks of paperwork will keep track of match results.  The primary one ('A' and 'B' divisions tracked separately) is going to be the "Match Schedule and Results" form shown below.  It has match times and starting scores on it as well as noting which table was used.  The results recorded on it will be transferred to the "Match Summary" form.

The Match Summary form will be used to figure payouts related to prize categories other than final placing in the tournament (e.g. Highest Run over 25 balls, and best T/C for those not placing First, Second, Third, or Fourth).

It's best to update both forms as soon as a match's score sheet is brought.  That will reduce the madness of the rush when people want know how things are shaking out (it's just easier to do that as the sheets come in rather than wade through a bunch of them in a hurried fashion).

— Examples of these forms are shown below. —

Match Schedule and Results
 (for 16 player Single-Elim).

• Tracks who plays who, and where.
• Determines 1^st through 4^th places.

Note that posted match start times will rarely be precise.

Also note that the posted times are subject to change as the tournament progresses.  Be sure to periodically check for updates.

To help the tournament run smoothly please be ready to play at least 15-minutes before the time shown for your match.  If no time is shown please be in ear-shout for when your match is called.

P R E L I M I N A R Y

P R E L I M I N A R Y

P R E L I M I N A R Y