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N.M.I.M.T.   BILLY AARDD'S CLUB
Straight Rail Handicapped Ladder
-- Rules and Regulations

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Last updated:
URL: http://www.nmt.edu/~billiard/public_html/Ladders/straight-rail/rules_regs.html

Contents:

1. Introduction
2. Straight Rail Ladder Specifics
3. Handicapping
4. Challenge Matches
5. Scoring

Except as noted (or contradicted) below, the General Ladder Rules and Regulations will apply to this ladder.

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.

1. A copy of the Billy Aardd's Club Carom Billiards rules will be in the magazine rack by the attendant's counter.  They, the Billy Aardd's Club General Rules of Carom Billiards , and the Tournament Rules and Regulations , will apply except where indicated otherwise.
2. Each match will be consist of one, equal innings, game of 45 innings or 100 points.  The handicap will have one player starting closer to final game score than the other (who will start at zero).  The winner of the match will be the person finishing closest to (or exceeding) 100% of the points they needed to get for the win. (e.g. 32/40 beats 78/100)
3. In matters pertaining to the Ladder (argument of fouls, clarification of rules, etc.), the Ladder Director's (LD) decision will be final.
4. Each player must pay for their share of the table time (based on the current league-rate).

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 blank 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 0.150 will be used.

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

Example:

Here is an example of how to determine each player's starting score for a match.

The formula for finding the starting score is:   100 - Ceiling (PPI * 53)

Example:   Starting scores
Player	PPI	Starting Score
A. Low	0.430	72
B. High	0.780	58

Starting with round 42 the above formula was based on 53 innings instead of 45.   The games are still limited to 45 innings though.

Example:

Here is an example (with the match limited to 25 innings) of how to determine each player's starting score for a match.  The formula for finding the starting score is:

  Spot = ((High_PPI * 25) / Low_PPI) - 25

The minimum for spot calculations is 0.300 PPI.   Spots are limited to a maximum of 50.

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 LBPI 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 LBPI will earn him one challenge position in the next round.

   As an example, if Ed shoots 1.57% of his rated LBPI 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 LBPI 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 LBPI 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.

Billy Aardd.