Summer League

Competition Rules

Adapted from the General Rules of the Manchester Snooker League

            GENERAL

1          No player shall take part in any league match, until their name has been registered with the record secretary and a handicap has been allotted.

All registrations are accepted subject to the discretion of the GP Committee.

2          A match fee of £10 will be payable by each team each week

3          Provided that all parties concerned are in agreement a player may transfer his registration from one club to another, subject to the approval of the match secretary.

4          For the purposes of League matches each player shall be allotted an individual handicap at the commencement of each season.

5          Handicaps shall be revised, monthly, during the season and amendments together with the dates from which these shall be effective shall be notified to the teams by the secretary or G.P. Committee, whose decision, in the event of any query, shall be final. Handicaps shall be adjusted in steps of + or- 5 based on results. The lowest handicap being -60 and the highest +25

The GP committee reserves the right to alter individual handicaps by any amount deemed appropriate in the interests of the league.

6          The league is open to Professional and amateur players.

7          In all matches the handicap of the players concerned shall be entered on the scoreboard before play commences.

           The onus shall be on each individual player to ensure that they play off the correct handicap.  Failure to do so shall result in the loss of the frame plus sixty points.

8          All games shall be played in accordance with the laws of the Billiards and Snooker Control Council.

9          Any player, team or club, having cause for complaint, regarding the conduct of a match should contact the match secretary at the time of the issue arising for a ruling. In some cases issues may be referred to the GP Committee for review and a final decision.

10       Gamesmanship, bad sportsmanship, abusive language, drug abuse or threatening behavior of any kind will not be tolerated. Proven complaints of this nature against any player will be severely dealt with by the committee, whose decision shall be final..

11        In all games, the order of play shall be decided by the toss of a coin at the start of each frame, the correct caller having choice of 'break'.

12       Foul and Miss Rule                           

           The Foul and a Miss is mandatory in the following situations.

1.      The cue‑ball is snookered, but there is still a direct path to a part of the ball on.

(a) The striker MUST hit a ball regardless of any difficulty that is present.

(b) if the striker fails to hit a ball on, the referee MUST call a `Foul and a Miss'

If a Foul and a Miss is called in all of the above situations the opponent will have THREE options.

(a) To play himself from the position left.

(b) Ask the offender to play from the position left.

(c) Ask the referee to replace the ball/s disturbed to their original position and the offender to play the stroke again.

2.      When there is a clear path in a straight line from the cue‑ball to any ball that is on, or could be on, such that CENTRAL, ball contact can be made.

(a) failure to hit a ball on, a Foul and a Miss MUST be called.

(b) Should the opponent ask for the ball/s to be replaced and a further failure to hit a ball on, another Foul and a Miss must be called.

(c) If again the opponent should ask for the ball/s to be replaced, then the referee will replace the balls to the satisfaction of both players. He will then WARN the striker that a failure to hit a ball on with this next shot will result in the frame being awarded to the opponent.

(d) In this situation (Central ball striking) if a snooker is required as a result of a Foul and a Miss being called on the second stroke then it does not cancel the Miss call.

(e) After a ball/s have been replaced and a WARNING given, should then the striker foul any ball a Foul and A Miss will not be called but the referee will tell the striker that the WARNING still counts.

• A Foul and a Miss should never be called if either player requires snookers either before or as result of the stroke played providing the referee is satisfied that the miss was NOT INTEN­TIONAL!

(f) After a miss and a request by the next player to replace the cue‑ball, any object balls disturbed will remain where they are unless the referee considers the offending player would or could gain an advantage. In the latter case, any or all disturbed balls may be replaced to the referee's satis­faction and in either case, colours incorrectly off the table will be spotted or replaced as appro­priate.

(g) When any ball is being replaced after a miss, both the offender and the next player will be consulted as to its position, after which the referee's decision shall be final.

(h) During such consultation, if either player should touch any ball in play, he shall be penalised as if he were‑‑the striker, without affecting the order of play. The ball touched shall be replaced by the referee, to his satisfaction, if necessary even If it was picked up.

(i) The next player may ask if the referee intends to replace balls other than the cueball in the event that he should ask for the stroke to be played from the original position, and the referee shall state his intentions.

13        Teams shall consist of five players.

14        The Championship shall be won by the team scoring the highest number of points from matches. In the case of a tie, the GP Committee shall arrange for a match, or matches, to determine the champion team.

15        Prizes shall be awarded to the Champions, Runners-up and other placed teams as determined at the start of the competition.

16        A fixture list shall be issued at the start of each season.

Fixtures shall not be re-arranged without the consent of the Match-Secretary, and shall, in any case, be played within one calendar month of the original, published, date; otherwise the match shall be declared void, and all points forfeited, at the discretion of the GP Committee.

NOTE!    When a postponed match is actually played all players taking part must have been registered and eligible to play at the original date of the fixture, and handicaps at that original date shall apply.

17        Matches shall commence at 8.00 p.m. prompt. Any team failing to be present on time shall forfeit the first frame and sixty points at 8.05 p.m. and shall forfeit the match at 8.40 p.m.

            A minimum of 3 players per team shall be required to constitute a match. Under such circumstances matches shall be rearranged at the discretion of the delegates committee. Offending teams shall be subject to a match fine of £10.00.

Any team unable to field a full side for a rearranged fixture shall receive a fine of £20. The ongoing league membership of such teams shall also be subject to review.

The opposing team will receive points based on an average of their performance during the previous ten matches.  Averages awarded will be rounded up to the nearest point i.e. 4.7 points will become 5.

The Committee shall have the power to insist that a match be played where the best interests of the League are being served.

18        The total points at stake in each match shall be seven, consisting of one point for each frame won, and two points for the highest aggregate score (including handicaps) over he five frames.  Should the aggregate scores be equal, one point shall be awarded to each team.

19        At the start of the match, the home captain shall openly nominate his first player (and his handicap) so that the visiting captain shall have the advantage of knowing his opponent before he selects his first player.  For the second frame, the visitors shall nominate first, and for the third frame the home captain shall again make the first nomination. After the third frame, each captain shall, without the knowledge of the other, enter the names and handicaps of his fourth and fifth players on the match-card so that neither side shall derive any advantage.

Once a players name has been recorded on the match-card neither captain shall be allowed to change his nomination.

20        The penalty for each absent player shall be his frame and sixty points.

21        In the absence of a neutral referee, the home team shall provide a referee for three frames and the visitors for two frames. The scorer for each frame shall be from the side not providing the referee. The referee's decision, on all matters concerning the frame shall be final and he shall exact the appropriate penalties for infringements without waiting for players to claim.

22        At the conclusion of each match, both captains shall sign the match-card and it shall be the duty of the home team to ensure that the card is received by the Records-Secretary.

            The home team shall be responsible for telephoning or emailing the final points score of the match, to the Match-Secretary on the Friday evening following the date of the match.