FORMAT
​
Group Stage (Saturday)
16 groups of six players will play a round robin comprising 5 x 9 point matches.  Using then current UKBGF Player Ratings, entrants will be allocated to groups according to their respective ratings such that Group A will comprise players in rating positions 1, 32, 33, 64, 65 and 96; Group B will contain players in rating positions 2, 31, 34, 63, 66, and 95; and so on.  The groups will then be shuffled to ensure random distribution for Sunday's knockout stages.  The highest rated player in each group will be the 'group leader'.

Players in each group will be ranked by their UKBGF ratings and designated "A" to "F".  The pairings for rounds 1 and 2 of then round robin will be as follows:
Round 1: A v B, C v D, E v F
Round 2: First winner v second winner; first loser v third winner; second loser v third loser
Rounds 3-5: To be agreed between players with the group leader having final say.  In rounds 3-5, it may be necessary to wait for all matches to be completed to avoid the possibility of players in any unfinished match becoming 'stranded'.  

The result of each match must be reported to the group leader who will record the result on the sheet provided.  Match scores are not needed.  On completion of all (15) matches, the results should be handed to the TD for verification.  Group results will be entered on the master tournament spreadsheet for application of tie-breaks that will decide final group placings.  If final placings are unresolved, play-off matches will be necessary.  Play-off procedures will be printed on the results sheet. 

Each match win in the round robin groups will score one point (nil for a loss).  The players in 1st and 2nd position in each group (32) will progress to Sunday’s Main bracket; the players in 3rd and 4th position (32) will be placed in Sunday’s Consolation bracket and the the players in 5th and 6th position (32) will be placed in Sunday’s Second Chance bracket.

The primary criterion of group placings is total number of match wins.  If two or more players have equal match wins, the first tie-break is the Sonneborn-Berger (SB) score, being the sum of group stage scores (match wins) for each player’s defeated opponents.  For example, a player with 4 match wins and a SB score of 10 will place above a player with 4 match wins and a SB score of 6.

The second tie break, to be applied where two or more players have equal match wins and equal SB scores, is the head-to-head (H2H) result between the tied players.  This is always decisive in 2-way ties but not in 3-way ties.  Where a tie is not resolved by SB scores and H2H, play-offs will be necessary.

The organisers have exhaustively analysed the possible permutations of the round robin stage results and possible outcomes in terms of match wins and group placings following application of tie-breaks.  A summary of the analysis is contained in this document .

If any one player in any group withdraws before the start of the tournament, the round robin will be played with only 5 players (10 matches) and the place in the draw for Sunday's Second Chance bracket for the 6th place finisher will be a 'bye' .  If two players in any group withdraw, the player with the lower of the two ranking positions will be replaced by a player from another group (selected at random) with the same ranking position.  For example, if the C (3rd) and E (5th) designated players withdraw from Group H: (a) player D will be re-designated player C; (b) a player designated E from another group (chosen at random) will be transferred to group H as player D; and (c) player F will be re-designated player E whilst in the 'donor' group, player F will be re-designated player E.

If it is not possible to complete all round robin matches in any group due to one or more players withdrawing after commencement of the round robin matches, all the results of the withdrawing player(s) will be expunged and final placings decided accordingly.
 
Knock-out Stage (Sunday)
There's a route-map here, or you can plough through the description below.

Match length in the Main flight will be 9 points in round 1 (32 players) and 11 points from round 2 on.  Match length in all other flights will be 9 points throughout.

In Rounds 1 of the Main, Consolation and Second Chance brackets, players from the same round robin group will be placed in different halves of the draw.  In the Main, each first-placed finisher from Saturday's groups will be drawn against a second-placed finisher from a different group; in the Consolation, each third-placed finisher from Saturday will play a fourth-placed finisher from a different group and in the Second Chance each fifth-placed finisher from Saturday will play a sixth-placed finisher from a different group.

Losers in Round 1 of the Main will join Round 2 of the Consolation bracket and losers in Round 1 of the Consolation will join Round 2 of the Second Chance bracket.  Those who lose in Round 2 of the Main, the Consolation or the Second Chance brackets will enter (respectively) Round 1 of  the Remainders, the Disconsolates or the Mischance brackets whilst those who lose in Round 1 of the Last Chance bracket will enter Round 1 of the Last Gasp bracket.  

Rules
Joint Tournament Directors are Tim Spring and Liviu Ionescu. The tournament will be played to WBGF rules, subject to the local variations listed below.  There will be a strong emphasis on generous sportsmanship and fair and considerate behaviour.  To this end:

1. "Goldilocks" dice-rolling per Jon Barnes' tutorial (i.e. to highest standards) is highly commended and expected.
2. All matches will be "baffle-box option" - each player may choose to use either a baffle box or a cup for their own rolls for the entire match.  If both players wish to use a baffle box (only one can be used) but they cannot agree which one to use, they roll (using only a cup) to decide.
3. All matches will be "clock obligation" - a clock must be used (provided one is available) unless a dispensation has been granted by the TD.  Clocks will be set for 12 seconds/move plus 2 minutes/point pool time except for one point round robin play-off matches, which will be 12 seconds/move plus 4 minutes pool time.
4. Discretionary WBGF rules will apply as follows:

• Responsible Moves will apply (in place of Legal Moves).  If a player makes an illegal checker move and ends his turn, either by lifting the dice or activating the opponent's clock time, the opponent must point out the error but may choose either: (a) to accept the illegal move; or (b) require it to be corrected, on the clock time (if applicable) of the player required to play a correct move.
• Dice Not [valid] on Checkers is the default, i.e. a roll where either or both dice come to rest flat on the top surface of a checker, both dice must be re-rolled.  But, in any match, before play commences, the players may instead agree to play Dice [valid] On Checkers, and  should make a note to that effect on the scoresheet.  If the players cannot agree which option, Dice Not on Checkers will apply.  Whichever option is adopted remains in effect throughout the match.  If Dice on Checkers applies, the roll will stand as long as the resting position of both dice is stable and not supported by any part of the board or the side surface of a checker. 
• Premature rolls: The introduction of the clock obligation rule is expected to eliminate premature roll (i.e. where the dice are picked up and rolled by player B before player A has completed his turn by activating Player A's clock).   However, if a premature roll does occur, rule 4.1(v) of WBGF rules will apply.
• Only unambiguous actions by a player – e.g. saying “double”, picking up the cube, or pointing at the cube – commits a player to doubling.
• There will be no uncontrolled checker-shuffling.  Movement of checkers to try out positions (regardless of how long it goes on for, or how it is done) must be done in a manner that avoids the original position being lost.  To achieve this, moved checkers must be clearly offset on their destination points, and all returned to their original positions before an alternative move is considered.

Schedule

Wednesday 22nd April
Group stage seeding (using UKBGF rankings at noon)

Thursday 23rd April
Tier upgrades close at 23:59

Saturday 25th April
0930 Side-pools open (cash payments)
1015 Side-pools close. Introduction, group auction
1100 Play commences and continues until all matches are completed. 

Breaks
A lunch break of 20 minutes may be taken after round 1 or round 2.  A break of 10 minutes  may be taken on completion of any match and one break of 5 minutes during any match. 

Approximate timings below
1100 Round 1
1300 (est.) Round 2
1430 Round 3
1600 Round 4
1730 Round 5
1900 Play-off matches (if needed)

Sunday 26th April
10:30 Play commences (free seating)
22:00 (est.) play finishes

n.b. late arrival for the Saturday round robin stage risks disqualification from the tournament. If you encounter travel problems on either day, please phone Tim Spring on
(0 7 8 3 6  7 6 2 7 8 8) to discuss.