These rules were last amended at the annual general meeting held on 11th September 2008.
A. Constitutional Rules
1. The league shall be called the Nazareth House Snooker League.
2. The objects shall be to raise money to purchase cheer for the Nazareth House resident old people. Also to the benefit of any childrens organisation that requires help with funding of equipment, toys, games, outings etc. or any worthy cause at the discretion of the Committee.
3. The business of the league shall be managed by a Committee comprising of all officers plus two representatives from each club who will be allowed to vote at meetings. (There will be no limit to the number of other members of clubs who will be allowed to attend.)
4. The A.G.M. will be held on the second Thursday in September. All officers will be elected at the A.G.M. at which an audited balance sheet will be presented by the Treasurer. Honorary auditors will be elected at the A.G.M. All officers are eligible for re-election unless they have submitted their resignation in writing to the Chairman prior to the meeting.
5. Monthly meetings will be held on the second Thursday of each month at a venue mutually acceptable to the majority of the Committee and representatives.
6. Alterations or amendment to rules can only be made at the A.G.M. or an extraordinary meeting which may be called at the discretion of the Committee.
7. Application for membership to be made at the A.G.M.
8. Honorary Secretary must be notified of all changes of representatives and officials address, applications for membership, protests etc.
9. Acceptance of membership of the league deemed to be acceptance of the rules.
B. General Playing Rules
1. Teams will consist of a minumum of 6 players and a maximum of 10 players. A match will consist of 6 singles frames and 2 doubles frames. This will be made up of 3 singles frames followed by 1 doubles frame at each venue.
2. If there are enough players and if both team captains agree, teams can elect to play 4 singles games at each venue (instead of 3 singles and a pairs frame). If both captains are not in agreement the final frame will be a pairs frame.
3. No player is allowed to play more than one singles match and one doubles match per night.
4. If a team is unable to field at least 3 players at either the home or away venue (meaning it will not be able to play all 3 singles frames) it will not be allowed to play the 4th (pairs) frame and must forfeit all unplayed frames to the opposing team.
5. Match fees will be at an amount agreed by the Committee and reveiwed on an annual basis. Payment of match fees will be in three installments. The amounts of installments and payment dates will be set by the Committee.
6. Entry fees for all other competitions, if any, will be set by the Committee annually.
7. The value and distribution of cash prizes will be set by the Committee annually and will be dependent on income generated throughout the season.
8. No player can play for more than one club in any one season.
9. A player may play 2 matches in a higher grade without loss of status. A player in a higher grade may not play in a lower grade in any one season.
10. Players cannot play for two teams from the same club if both teams play in the same division.
11. In team knockout matches the result will be decided on aggregate points scored after adjustment for team handicaps.
12. If a team needs to postpone a match the team captain or another member of the team must inform the League Secretary by 8pm on the day before the match. The Secretary will then contact the opposing team’s captain to inform them and try to make arrangements for the match to be re-scheduled. Two blank fixtures will be inserted into the fixture list specifically for postponed matches to be played.
13. If a team captain fails to notify the secretary of a postponement 24 hours prior to the match and his team then fails to fulfill their fixture, the match will be awarded 8-0 to the opposing team. The offending team will also have 2 points deducted from their points tally as a penalty.
14. All league and team knockout matches to commence at 2000 hours. Penalty for late arrival is the first frame of snooker claimed if match is not started by 2015 hours. Players must be available to continue until the end of the match. If a frame is finished and no other player is present to continue the match, the opponents are entitled to claim the frames unplayed.
15. Main Tour professionals should declare that they are Main Tour professionals before commencement of the match and award 30 points start to their opponent in league matches and 50 points start in team knockout matches.
16. Home teams are to provide referees for all league and team knockout matches. If this is not possible due to reasonable circumstances, the matter should be discussed by both teams before the start of the match and every effort should be made to provide a referee from either the home or away team for each frame.
17. The rules of snooker will apply in all matches and in case of dispute the referee’s decision will be final. Disputes may be referred to the next Committee meeting by the club representatives. The Committee will issue guidance and ruling.
18. The miss rule will not be played in any match except in singles or pairs FINALS where there is a qualified referee officiating and both players/pairs agree to play the miss rule.
19. Final results of matches to be submitted no later than 48 hours after completion, to the league Secretary or via league website. All team captains must submit their team’s result. It is not just the responsibility of the winning team’s captain.
20. When all league fixtures have been played at the end of the season, league positions will be decided in the following sequence:
(i) Points scored
(ii) Frame difference
(iii) Record between the two teams
(iv) Play-off as per rules for play-off matches (see Section F.)
C. Player and Team Handicaps
1. A handicap committee comprising of 3 people will sit to decide the individual player handicaps that will apply for the duration of the season.
2. The members of the handicap committee must be from different clubs to ensure fairness and they must have a good knowledge of players’ abilities.
3. The decision of the handicap committee will be final.
4. The handicap of a pairing will equate to the handicap of the better player, eg. Player 1 (+7 handicap) Player 2 (+21 handicap), the pair will be given a +7 handicap.
5. Team handicaps will apply in team knockout competitions only. Team handicaps will be agreed upon at the monthly meeting prior to first round draw taking place.
D. Singles, Handicap Singles and Handicap Pairs Championships
1. Names and telephone numbers of entrants must be submitted to the Tournament Secretary by the stated closing date.
2. All Handicap Pairs Championship matches shall be best of 3 frames including the final.
3. All Handicap Singles Championship matches shall be best of 3 frames except for the final that shall be the best of 5 frames.
4. All Singles Championship matches shall be best of 5 frames except for the final that shall be the best of 7 frames.
5. Venue for matches shall be member club of home player(s) or any club of home player’s/pair’s choosing. Except for the final which shall be played at a neutral venue.
6. The player(s) drawn at home must contact their opponent(s) within 7 days giving 2 dates in 2 weeks. If after 7 days no contact has been made, the player(s) drawn away is/are to contact the home drawn. If no contact is made after 2 weeks the Chairman is to be notified.
7. Main Tour Professionals cannot enter any of these championships.
E. Singles League
1. All matches shall commence at 8pm on Thursday evenings.
2. Should any player be unable to play their fixture at 8pm on a Thursday evening they should ensure that they contact their opponent no later than 8pm on a Wednesday evening and both players should agree a new date to play the match asap.
3. All matches shall consist of four frames.
4. Two points will be awarded for a win (4-0 or 3-1) and one point for a draw (2-2).
5. All players will be handicapped.
6. The size and make-up of divisions shall be set annually by the Tournament Secretary and shall be dependant on the number of entrants. Players will play each other on a home and away basis.
7. The league will operate a one up/one down promotion/relegation system.
8. League position will be determined in the following order:
(i) Points gained
(ii) Frame difference
(iii) Results against tied player
(iv) Five frame play-off match
9. Failure to turn up to a fixture without giving the opponent 24 hours notice will result in a 4-0 walkover and the deduction of 2 points.
10. It is the home player’s duty to ensure that a table is booked in advance of the match.
11. The home player will pay all table costs.
12. Should a table not be available for any reason the home player should contact his opponent to postpone the match.
13. All results plus any breaks over 40 should be submitted asap by any of the following methods:
(i) Text result to Mike Langdon on 07535 658581
(ii) Submit result via website at www.nhsl.net
(iii) Email result to mike@nhsl.net
F. Play-off Matches
1. Teams finishing in league positions 3, 4, 5 and 6 at the end of the season will contest the end of season play-offs.
2. The team finishing 3rd will play the team finishing 6th in semi-final 1. The team finishing 4th will play the team finishing 5th in semi-final 2. The winners of both semi-finals will contest the play-off final.
3. The winners of the play-off final will be awarded the Third Place (Play-off Winners) Trophy and the appropriate cash prize.
4. All play-off matches will be played at a neutral venue.
5. Six singles frames will be played. In the event of a tie after the six frames have been played, a seventh pairs frame will be played. The pair can consist of players who have already played a singles frame, or different players from the team.
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