St Albans Croquet Club

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 (from 2023 - will be updated with competition draw)

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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