League Cup competition 2022/23

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The League Cup competition starts on 5th December and consists of 4 fixtures over 5 weeks. Each team plays every other team just once, either home or away. As last year, the competition will include a player handicap, and opening break cap.

In contrast to last year's competition, each match will consist of six games - four singles and two doubles. For this reason, matches should start by 8:15, instead of 8:30.

The match format / rules for this year's competition are below:

League Cup match rules

1. A match shall comprise four singles and two doubles games. Games 1 to 4 are singles; games 5 and 6 are doubles. The home team takes the break in games 1, 3 and 5; the away team takes the break in games 2, 4 and 6. One point shall be awarded for each game won, plus an extra point for the match.
   
2. In each game a handicap will apply, based on the players' individual handicap band, and the table rating. Both players will be credited with their handicap bonus before start of play. For pairs, the handicap band of the 'stronger' player will be counted. See below for handicap system.
   
3. In all games, a cap of 3000 will apply on the first visit to the table of each side (NOT each player in doubles games). In such case, if a successful shot results in the break score equalling or exceeding 3000, the scorer shall call end of break and the break score, including any excess over 3000, shall be recorded.
   
4. Players for the singles games shall be drawn at random by the team captains before play starts. Unless a side has fewer than 5 players available on the night, each captain shall submit at least 5, and up to 8, names into the draw.
   
5. Players for the doubles game shall be nominated by the team captains before each game. The home captain shall nominate first. Any player from the singles draw who did not play singles, must play in one of the doubles games. The other places in the doubles games may be taken by players who played in the singles games or by other available registered players.
   
6. If a team has only 4 available players, these 4 names shall go into the singles draw, and the same 4 players shall play in the doubles.
   
7. If a team has fewer than 4 available players, then 3 names shall go into the singles draw, and only three singles and one doubles game shall be played, the others being forfeited. The side that is not short-handed shall take the break in the third singles and the doubles game.
   
8. No player shall play in both doubles games. No player shall take the break in more than one game.
   
9. In the event of a black peg, a player's score shall be returned to their original handicap bonus.
   

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Handicap System

The following handicap system was agreed by the committee.
Each player is allocated to one of 6 handicap bands based on their average scores in Lewes league matches only. No distinction is made between home/away or break/non-break games.

Successive selection criteria have been used as follows:

1. Games played in the first half of this season (2022/23) plus the previous season (2021/22), provided at least 5 games were played.
2. As above, plus games played in the previous three seasons (2017/18 onwards) - minimum 5 games.
3. As above, plus games played in the previous five seasons (2012/13 onwards) - minimum 5 games.
4. All games played since records began (1994/95 onwards) - minimum 1 game.
5. Where no qualifying games are available a player's handicap band has been decided by the committee.

The handicap bands are:

Band	Player average
A	5000 ≤ avg
B	4000 ≤ avg < 5000
C	3000 ≤ avg < 4000
D	2000 ≤ avg < 3000
E	1000 ≤ avg < 2000
F	avg < 1000

The handicap bonus given to each player will depend on their handicap band, and on the table rating, based on average total score for each table in the first half of the current league competition.

Note that the handicap bonuses have been increased this year, and are based on 90% of the nominal difference in player average, before adjustment for table rating (compared to 60% last year).

Download the player handicaps here