18.2 Balkline (Handicapped)
Billy Aardd's Club,
NMT, Socorro, NM.

Last updated: March 2, 2016.

Contents:

1. Introduction
2. Handicapping
3. Challenge Matches
4. Scoring

The handicapping for this ladder is based on the number of points a player scores per inning (over his last five games).  Stroke by stroke score keeping will be used to get these numbers and allow some statistics about the matches and player's performance.

If you've not played on the ladder before, or if it's been a long time and you'd like to establish a new PPI, you will need to shoot a qualifying game of 20-innings.  If any five inning stretch (of innings 1-5, 6-10, 11-15, or 16-20) is scoreless then shoot another five innings (only once).

Handicaps for the matches are based on a player's performance over their last five matches.  Their performance is measured as the number of points made each time at the table (points-per-inning, PPI).

For calculation of initial scores a minimum PPI of 0.300 will be used.

Each match should take no more than about an hour (there is no time limit though).

Example:

Here is an example (with the match limited to 25 innings) of how to determine the spot for the match.  The formula for finding the starting score of the spotter is:

  Spot = Ceiling [((High_PPI / Low_PPI) - 1) * 25]
 "Ceiling" is just saying round up to the closest whole number.

The player with the higher PPI will be starting negative.  Spots are limited to a maximum of 50.

On the rungs listing (shows who plays who) a negative sign in front of the spot says the player on the right is spotting (otherwise it's the player on the left).

1. If a challenge match is arranged and then can not be played it will be ignored (as if it was never arranged).  Challenge matches will never become an IMMEDIATE forfeit.  Though after play has started they can be become an INPLAY forfeit.
2. Challenge positions, used in challenge matches, are earned when a player shoots at least ten percent over his PPI for the round and wins his scheduled (regular or odd) match (challenge positions can not be earned from the play of a challenge match).   Each ten percent shot over a player's rated PPI will earn him one challenge position in the next round.

   As an example, if Ed shoots 1.57% of his rated PPI in a round then in the next round he will be awarded five challenge positions.

3. The challenge handicap depends on the number of positions challenged and will decrease the PPI of the challenged player to a fraction of normal for the challenge match.   The fraction is 0.90 for 1 position, 0.85 for 2 positions, 0.80 for 3, etc.  The minimum allowable fraction is 0.05 (18 positions).  The challenge handicap is generated by the players of the match.   The PPI of the challenged player is multiplied by the fraction and then a modified handicap is calculated using the handicap formula above.

No more than 10 innings will be recorded per line.  Leave a noticeable space after the end of the fifth inning of each line for better readability.

DO NOT deduct a point for any foul.  In carom billiards there aren't point deductions for fouls – they simply end a player's turn.