St Albans Croquet Club

FINAL - Stuart Stafford bt Sarah Nicholls 7-3, 7-5 (adjustment -2:+0 so 9-3, 9-5 before adjustment)

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Note the scores in the GC competition are displayed as follows:

• If the players handicaps are the same the score is displayed followed by the hoop difference (e.g. 7-2 (+5))

• If the players handicaps are different then the first score is the net score after advantage (i.e. the winner will have a score of 7 hoops).  The second number (on the top row) is the hoop difference.  The second row shows the advantage (i.e the starting score as the game begins) and the actual number of hoops run.

This is slightly different to the format used in 2022.

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Additional Guidance

Please make your own arrangements with your opponent to play each game, and please make sure that you record the results of each game on the sheet in the hut. At the AGM we were requested to get all the games played sooner than was possible last year – ideally by the end of August at the latest. Then we can arrange the finals day and trophy presentation in September.

 

Please remember to check both your handicaps before the play starts so that you can determine the correct number of bisques to use. Agree the result, and it is then the winner’s responsibility to record the score. Also, for AC competitions, please agree at the start of the game if there will be a time limit imposed, or not. The preference is for games to be unlimited in time, but if you do want a time limit then the minimum time limits are:

• Verulam Cup 26 point -  3 hours      

• Kitson Cup - 18 point  - 2 hours

• Mahoney Shield - 14 point  - 1.5 hours   (half-lawn Short Croquet)

 

For GC matches, if handicaps are different, play using the Advantage rules.  The person with the lowest handicap is responsible for understanding (and explaining!) the Advantage system. Record the score as the winning margin (e.g. +3).  The winning player is the first to 7 hoops (after any advantage adjustment).  So, for a game where both players have the same handicap this is just the hoop difference – e.g. +3 – would means that the game finished 7-4.  In a game where there is a difference in handicaps the advantage adjustment needs to be taken into account.  In a game where handicaps mean the starting score is -1:2, the stronger play has a starting score of -1 so needs to win 8 hoops to get to 7, and the weaker player’s starting score is 2 so only needs to win 5 hoops to get to 7).  In this case if the stronger player runs 8 hoops and the weaker play runs 2 hoops, the adjusted score is 7-4 so would be recorded as +3 (to the stronger player).  In the case where the stronger player runs 5 hoops and the weaker player runs 5 hoops the adjusted score is 4-7 so would be recorded as -3 to the stronger player and +3 to the weaker player.  If that’s confusing then ask the stronger player to explain.

 

For all games, remember to use the coloured clips as you proceed. And remember that a drawn game is not an acceptable result.  Every game must produce a winner.  Matches within the blocks are played as a single game (the final will be best of 3 games).

 

When all the games have been played, the winner in each block will go forward to the final play-off (apart from the Kitson where there is only one block). Should there be a tie in the number of games won in a block, then the following steps will be followed until a single winner is determined:

 

AC competitions:

• Number of games won

• Number of games won by pegging out (i.e. games where you peg out are worth ‘more’ than games you win in time)

• “Who beat who” out of those that tied

• A tie-break after that at the discretion of the organiser

 

GC competition:

• Number of games won

• “Who beat who” out of those that tied

• Difference in the number of (adjusted) hoops won

• A tie-break after that at the discretion of the organiser

 

 

Good luck everyone

Keith Eaton

8 May 2023

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Speed Croquet Competition - 24th June 2023

We held the first Speed Croquet tournament since 2021, last year's event having been abandoned because of the poor lawn condition. In a change of format (thanks, Chris), the two less-experienced players played doubles games, while the remaining 4 played 2 singles and 2 doubles games. This ensured that the less-experienced always had advice on which shot to play (and occasionally how to play it and how quickly!). 25 min were available to each team to play all their shots. This was long enough for over half of the games to finish, ie for one side to get both balls to peg.

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The entrants were: Mike Hann, Brian Johns, David Levy, Roger Bowman, Gill Armstrong and Ross Raftery. The weather was kind, ie there was thin cloud leading to sunny intervals, so it was not an exhaustingly hot day. We started play at 10am and finished at 2:30pm. Gill and Ross, the two newcomers to the game, picked up the idea quickly, entering into the spirit with gusto. When Gill had to leave, Ross's friend Louise kindly took over Gill's place for the last doubles game. Louise had a tendency to overhit, but astonished with her hoop running.

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Of the doubles-only players, Ross won 3 out of 4 and took that prize. Of the singles-and-doubles players, both Mike and Roger won 3 games, but Mike won more games within time, so took that prize. It was notable that Mike made great progress when his opponent(s) had run out of time.

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Overall, it was an enjoyable day in which many more shots than usual were played, giving everyone plenty of play experience. It is hoped to hold another such event in September.