"OFF THE SPOT" OPEN

It varies, but on average, four.

We used both Tarratts (4) and AEBBA tables (8) for the Sussex Open last month which is how we accomodated 108 players.

In previous years the Tarratts' shortfall has been made up by free loan of privately-owned tables (eg KT's; Nigel's; Ros's) - as well as the chosen venue's permanent table (sometimes 2).

[BB Warrior]

Some very interesting contributions from a number of people...... 8-)

Personally, I think that Mary has made some very valid points about either playing the competition at Reading...... possibly on the same weekend as an existing Tournament......

Jul 2, 2010 10:21:14 GMT MID said:

Do you think its fare to ask of another week end away from family/work fall on Dave and Simon's shoulders during the busy time. The reason for me saying to run the comp from Reading is its fairly central and the tables are there. I know the pressures that can arise from alot of deliveries over a short period of time.

So on the delivery side of things, poss would be better to tag on to the Redhill Ladies event but not in April...

..... or, arranging for it to be played on the same weekend as an existing Competition where the tables would have been delivered anyway, which would surely help with regards to costs etc. ;)

I think that the idea to revive the "off the spot" competition is a very good one and I am sure that it could be a great sucess. I was interested to see that SirKT was also looking at......

Jul 2, 2010 9:05:36 GMT SirKT said:

I will be putting a motion forward at the Sussex AGM about having a Sussex Ladies open, also in the summer, as I feel there aren`t enough competitions for the Ladies.

..... and..... changing the subject slightly..... wondered whether the Ladies would prefer to play in their own Ladies Only Competitions to be played on the same days & venues as the current "Opens" that are held during the course of the year. ???

Obviously, Ladies could choose whether they wanted to play in either the "Open" or the "Ladies Only" Competition and the separate competition would have to be subject to sufficient number of ladies (possibly 16 for a knock-out with a Plate Competition, or 8 if played as a Round Robin in 2 groups of 4) taking part.

The Ladies have supported the Opens well, Oxon (12), Portsmouth (10), Surrey (22) and Sussex (20) so far this season, however maybe having their own competition to play at these could encourage more Ladies to take part in the Tournaments, which could boost the overall numbers. 8-)

Ranking Points could be awarded during the course of the season with the top players taking part in the Ladies Grand Prix at the end of the season, as present.

I don't know if this has ever been done or suggested before and it's only a thought...... but I would be interested to hear peoples views on the subject (especially from the Ladies here on the Forum) as to whether anybody thinks this is a good idea... or not? ???

[JB]

A definate "or not" from me

A slight analogy for you all.............

Think of the present bar billiards calendar as a beautiful lily, which with lots of nurturing has attained 99% perfection.

KT wishes to gild the lily, fair enough.

But let's not knock the petals off by trying to re-pot it when it doesn't need doing.

(All right, I've had a few drinks). ;D ;D ;D

[Pete S]

I will put a more lengthy reply later, But, please bear in mind that the Kent open is one of the poorest in terms of support. 70 entries this year. We are fortunate enough to have sponsorship, however, this will probably be the last time. We would need a lot more entries next year to keep it viable. If you have an off the spot comp in late June would it affect our entry levels.

[4timeschamp]

wow. have just logged in for the first time in a while. K.T's idea of an off the spot competition really caught my eye. I did tell Kevin that the loss of the pre-Jersey off the spot competition was a shame because i think off the spot is a hard enough game without changing it to a game that involves triangles and no break shot. Albeit i realise that this tournament is very popular and simply because of this the competition MUST stay. I think it would be fantastic if the o.t.s comp. can be arranged and will keep checking the forum to see if this is going to be possible.

[SirKT]

Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this discussion.

I put a questionaire out at the Kent open, just to get some idea of the players` feelings towards the subject.
I received about 30 completed forms back and well over half were interested in a new competition, rather than change one of the opens to Off the Spot (that would be down to the organisers anyway, if they decided to change their rules).
Also, the majority said to keep the Alternative rules open, but most people agreed that there should be a new trophy for it , freeing the NBBA cup to be used as it should be.

Quite a few said they would like it played in October because of the practice for Jersey. This would mean the Alt. rules being moved to possibly January.
Both comps. being played at Reading as the tables are already there, thus not making more work for the drivers.

As there are a lot more players around that obviously didn`t attend the Kent open, I would like to put the questionaire on this site, so that we can get a wider audience.
I`m not sure how to set this up, so perhaps Tommo could do this for me ;D

Here is Sir KT's questionnaire, more appropriate to keep on this thread rather than in 'poll' form.................

QUESTIONAIRE REGARDING AN " OFF THE SPOT" OPEN

1. Do you like playing Off the Spot ? ___________________________________
If yes, do you prefer the normal rules
or the Alternative rules, or both ? ___________________________________

2. Would you like to see more Off the Spot competitions ? ___________________
If yes, do you think any of the Opens should
change to Off the Spot or should there be
a new competition ? _______________________________________

3. If there was an Off the Spot open,
would you enter it if you were free ? ____________________________________

4. What time of year would you like
to see an Off the Spot competition ? ___________________________________

5. Obviously, nobody wants to travel too far
for any competition, is there any area that
you would or wouldn`t like to go to in BB world? __________________________

6. This one maybe a bit controversial, If the All England association started up the
NBBA singles again, should there be a new trophy introduced for the Alternative
Rules open ? __________________________________________

[barneybear]

QUESTIONAIRE REGARDING AN " OFF THE SPOT" OPEN

1. Do you like playing Off the Spot ? Love it
If yes, do you prefer the normal rules
or the Alternative rules, or both ? Normal rules would be fine - have never played alternative rules

2. Would you like to see more Off the Spot competitions ? Yes
If yes, do you think any of the Opens should
change to Off the Spot or should there be
a new competition ? Yes - all of them

3. If there was an Off the Spot open,
would you enter it if you were free ? Yes - as long as it didn't clash with a Spurs match

4. What time of year would you like
to see an Off the Spot competition ? cricket season

5. Obviously, nobody wants to travel too far
for any competition, is there any area that
you would or wouldn`t like to go to in BB world? No

6. This one maybe a bit controversial, If the All England association started up the
NBBA singles again, should there be a new trophy introduced for the Alternative
Rules open ? No idea

[colinm]

1. Do you like playing Off the Spot ? _Yes
If yes, do you prefer the normal rules
or the Alternative rules, or both ? _Havent played alternative rules, but prefer the normal off the spot rules_

2. Would you like to see more Off the Spot competitions ? _Yes_
If yes, do you think any of the Opens should
change to Off the Spot or should there be
a new competition ? _A new competition_

3. If there was an Off the Spot open,
would you enter it if you were free ? _Yes _

4. What time of year would you like
to see an Off the Spot competition ? _Sept/Oct_

5. Obviously, nobody wants to travel too far
for any competition, is there any area that
you would or wouldn`t like to go to in BB world? _No, Reading would be ideal for me_

6. This one maybe a bit controversial, If the All England association started up the
NBBA singles again, should there be a new trophy introduced for the Alternative
Rules open ? _Yes_

[David.G]

Hi all. WOW wot a great response for a new comp? Makes great reading don't it.

A lot has been said about the time & place for this new comp. so I thought I'd better add something to this discussion.

It seems as though a lot of people are bored with the Post Office Venue in Reading. Whist i can understand you reluctanse to travel to Reading it is in fact the most central venue we have. However I believe we have scope for holding some AEBBA comps away from Reading.

Going on this years calender events, to hold the comp in May/June would not be impossible but would be a nightmare as there are only Two weekends available out of a possible Nine. Delivering tables on seven weekends is OK by me but my "better half" wishes to see me at some point during these months.

My proposal would be to bring forward the "Alternate Rules" to a weekend between Bournemouth (First weekend in March) and Portsmouth (Second weekend in April) at Reading

Put the "Off The Spot" comp on the weekend before Jersey. As Reading is not the favoured venue I would like to see Portsmouth or Kent hold the event as the tables are there only once during the year

[BFG]

The WSBBL Emsworth club is really nice......and cheap! 8-)

[BFG]

Jul 23, 2010 22:11:12 GMT BFG said:

The WSBBL Emsworth club is really nice......and cheap! 8-)

And the home table in the snooker room is actually an off the spot Jersey table..............

[Q]

or maybe even in ..... Cornwall

we never have the tables down here.... and its very central for me 8-)

[Pete S]

As Dave has published the date I can confirm that the entry forms will be available at this years Kent Open

[milko]

It's great to see that this competition will be going ahead next year and applaud Kent for organizing and running the event but to give it more appeal and to keep the interest going could it not be played in a different County every year, so, if there are others that wanted to stage it could they not take their turn each year ?


Keith

[David.G]

Jun 22, 2012 8:36:35 GMT milko said:

It's great to see that this competition will be going ahead next year and applaud Kent for organizing and running the event but to give it more appeal and to keep the interest going could it not be played in a different County every year, so, if there are others that wanted to stage it could they not take their turn each year ?


Keith

Would that include Northampton?? and Cambridge??

[milko]

Jun 22, 2012 8:49:39 GMT David.G said:

Jun 22, 2012 8:36:35 GMT milko said:

It's great to see that this competition will be going ahead next year and applaud Kent for organizing and running the event but to give it more appeal and to keep the interest going could it not be played in a different County every year, so, if there are others that wanted to stage it could they not take their turn each year ?


Keith

Would that include Northampton?? and Cambridge??

Hi Dave

Why not ?...if they are affiliated to the AEBBA and have paid their fees then surely they can if they want to!

I like the principle of that.

Counties could put a tender in and secure a future year.

We now have 2013.....Kent  

from Dave Alder's list of bookings:

May 2013
weekend 18-19 - KENT - Six in One Club - Off the Spot Open

....and we know that Oxon and Sussex already have plans to host it in the future.

Northants plan at some stage to resurrect their Open and might wish to stage this instead.

And Hants - as it stands at present - having lost their Open, could see this as a resurrection opportunity.

Add Berks and Surrey into the equation, and that's the rest of the decade taken care of ! 8-)  

[David.G]

The principle of it is good yes....but

Will players from the deep south travel to Northants and Cambs?? A long journey me thinks :-/

I guess if you don't try it you'll never know

Who will run the competition?? The Organizers from each county or AEBBA??

If an AEBBA Tournament. How much for entry?? £3 as per Post office club?? Will enough money be raised to cover the costs??

Will it be a ranking tournament??

I would be quite willing for it to travel around the counties as it would bring Northants and Cambs back from the wilderness into the fold where they deservedly belong

Most of those questions are dead simple to respond to, though I suggest they are clarified at the 2012 AEBBA AGM and the principles adopted then.

Yes, many of us southerners enjoyed the Northants Open immensely when it was run in the mid-to-late 1990's and I remember the journey to Irthlingborough took exactly 2 hours in the pouring rain with a car load.

I suggest it's an AEBBA-ranked event, but farmed out to a County each year to organise - as with the BIOC Ladies (currently with Surrey).

The converse should be asked, will those from the 'north' - Oxon - be willing to travel to Kent for it ? I am sure the answer would be yes, providing the carrot is dangled of having the privelege to run the 2014 competition!  

[Colemanator]

We ould be happy to oblige 8-)

Where's the trophy? ;D

[barbelman]

As Kent have taken the trouble to initiate it, I would have thought that it's surely up to Pete and rest of the Kent committee what happens to it in future years... ???

Tony

Jun 22, 2012 14:59:27 GMT barbelman said:

As Kent have taken the trouble to initiate it, I would have thought that it's surely up to Pete and rest of the Kent committee what happens to it in future years... ???
Tony

That's an interesting view, and certainly there's nothing to prevent Kent putting in a 'tender' to hold it again. But I prefer the idea of a new 'National' event 'touring' the country.  

Otherwise there could be the danger with it becoming localised of losing some of its appeal. :-/  

[milko]

Do I take it that this “Off The Spot” competition is being run independently from the “British Isles Off The Spot” that has been in the pipeline on another thread for a long time ?


Keith

[barbelman]

Jun 22, 2012 17:18:47 GMT milko said:

Do I take it that this “Off The Spot” competition is being run independently from the “British Isles Off The Spot” that has been in the pipeline on another thread for a long time ?
Keith

That's what I assumed from Dave's post Keith saying that AEBBA COULD take it over and I read into that, that Pete et al had done it under the auspices of Kent BBA (but I'm not sure.)  

Which is why I said what I said ;D

I'm sure all will become clear in due course.

cheers
Tony

I understand it to be the British Off-the-Spot (as opposed to a British Isles which has never been mooted - talk of 'practice before Jersey' etc).

Otherwise it would just be the 'Kent off-the-spot' and not an Open.

[milko]

So, this "New Competition" will have to be sanctioned by the AEBBA at the next AGM to be eligible for Ranking points and to go towards being a "Grand Prix" event ?

Jun 23, 2012 12:21:49 GMT milko said:

So, this "New Competition" will have to be sanctioned by the AEBBA at the next AGM to be eligible for Ranking points and to go towards being a "Grand Prix" event ?

So one would imagine. And loads of other stuff to be sorted as with any 'new' Open, such as entry fee, prize money, trophies etc.   But at least the date and venue are fixed, and forms will be given out at next month's Kent Classic.

Which will leave 10 months for the remainder of the planning, and publicity. Just about right, I reckon.

[milhouse]

Jun 23, 2012 12:39:14 GMT tommo III said:

Jun 23, 2012 12:21:49 GMT milko said:

So, this "New Competition" will have to be sanctioned by the AEBBA at the next AGM to be eligible for Ranking points and to go towards being a "Grand Prix" event ?

So one would imagine. And loads of other stuff to be sorted as with any 'new' Open, such as entry fee, prize money, trophies etc.   But at least the date and venue are fixed, and forms will be given out at next month's Kent Classic.

Which will leave 10 months for the remainder of the planning, and publicity. Just about right, I reckon.

Maybe i am missing something, but where is this competition being played and what date?  I presume this has been discussed in the "staff" forum as only the forum staff seem to know as nobody else seems to know!!!