ENTRY FEES - ALL 100% RETURN
There will be four tiers of entry fees as follows:
Thrift: £35
Bronze: £70
Silver: £140
Gold: £280
All (96) players must subscribe to the Thrift tier by a minimum subscription of £35. This produces a guaranteed prize fund of £3,360 which will be 100% returned to 34 players as follows:
If £35 is the depth of your pocket, read no further. If, however, you prefer to play for higher stakes, please read on....
Through additional payments, any player may enhance their entry beyond the mandatory Thrift Tier. An additional £35 (i.e. £70 entry in total) adds Bronze tier participation. Alternatively, an additional £105 (i.e. £140 in total) adds Silver; or an additional £245 (i.e £280 in total) gives entry into all four tiers. The aggregate additional prize monies for Bronze, Silver, and Gold tiers will each be distributed across the various flights in the same proportion as the Thrift prize fund, rounded down to the nearest £1. These tier-specific prizes will be awarded to the Tier entrant(s) who progress furthest in each flight (i.e. not necessarily those who progress to the end of a flight). If two or more players are tied for the highest ranking prize, the first two (or more, as applicable) prizes will be aggregated and shared equally between the tied players. The remaining lower ranking prizes will be awarded to (or, in the case of a tie, shared between) the players in the next highest ranking position.
For example, the highest ranking Bronze tier subscriber in the Main, will win £660/£3360 = 19.64% of the Bronze tier pool. The percentage payouts of the prize pool for each tier are shown here.
If, in any given bracket, fewer players in any of the higher tiers qualify than there are prizes available in that bracket, then the number of prizes for that tier-bracket will be correspondingly reduced, starting with the lowest prize. Prizes that are withdrawn in this manner will be returned in equal shares to all the players who entered that tier, rounded down to the nearest £1. For example, the Consolation bracket has eight prizes available: winner, runner-up, two semi-finalists and four quarter-finalists. If 20 players subscribe to the Silver tier, but only five of them qualify for the Consolation bracket, then three of the Silver tier Consolation quarter-finalist prizes will be withdrawn and returned in equal portions to the 20 Silver tier subscribers.
Note that, in any flight, a prize-eligible subscriber in, say, the Silver tier, may or may not also win Bronze and Thrift Tier prizes - it will depend on whether they have also progressed furthest in those lower tiers.
Thrift Tier subscriptions are payable not later than 28 February 2026. You can then pay to upgrade to a higher Tier at any time until the Thursday before the tournament; downgrading of Tier entry will not be accommodated. A list of Gold, Silver and Bronze Tier entrants can be found here.
OPTIONAL SIDE POOLS - ALL 100% RETURN
Primary brackets
Main: £10, £20, £50
Consolation: £10, £20, £50
Second Chance: £10, £20, £50
You may enter one or any two *adjacent* side-pools. You are strongly encouraged to subscribe to side-pools in advance of the tournament at the same time or after paying the applicable Tier subscription. There will also be a limited time window on the Saturday morning of the tournament to join side-pools. A list of advance side-pool subscriptions will be maintained on the "Who's coming" page of the web site. Side pool entries for the primary brackets will close at approx. 10.15 a.m. on the Saturday.
Each pool in the principal brackets will be returned to the three players in that pool who progresses furthest in the relevant bracket in the ratio 62:26:12 (all rounded down to the nearest £1. If two or more players are tied, the applicable prize(s) will be shared equally between the tied players.
Side-pool subscription(s) for lower brackets than you actually play in will be refunded. If you subscribe to side pools for the Main, Consolation and Second Chance but, by reason of finishing 5th or 6th in your round robin group, do not compete in either the Main or the Consolation, there is no refund. However, if you qualified for the Main but did not compete in the Consolation or Second Chance, your pool subscriptions for those brackets will be refunded or, if you qualified 3rd or 4th in the round robin group (so missed the Main), competed in the Consolation but not the Second Chance, your Second Chance pool subscription will be refunded.
Secondary brackets
There will be £10 side pools in each of the following secondary brackets:
Disconsolates
Mischance
Last Chance
Remainders
Last Gasp
In the Disconsolates, Mischance and Last Chance pools, each with maximum 16 contributions , the pool will be returned to the two players in that pool who progresses furthest in the relevant bracket in the ratio 65:35 (all rounded down to the nearest £1). In the Remainders and the Last Gasp, each with maximum 8 contributions, the pool will be returned 100% to the highest placed player. If two or more players are tied in any of the above pools, the applicable prize(s) will be shared equally between the tied players.
Contributions to the side pools for the secondary brackets will be taken only in cash at the time of relegation to the applicable bracket and must be paid before the player's first match commences.
GROUP "CALCUTTA" AUCTION
Prior to play commencing on Saturday, the 16 round robin groups will be randomly paired to produce an auction of 8 groups, each of 12 players. The "owner(s)" of the group(s) that contain the eventual winner and runner-up of the Main will receive 70% and 30% of the auction proceeds respectively, rounded down to the nearest £1.
BAD LUCK AWARDS
A "I GOT UNLUCKY IN ST ALBANS" printed t-shirt will be offered to the *first* player who suffers any one of the misfortunes listed below (no more than one award for each) and claims the award from the TD:
SETTLEMENTS
All settlements of prize winnings, together with refunds of tier subscriptions and side-pool entries, will be made *only* by bank transfer following completion of the tournament. Bank details *must* be notified to Tim Spring in writing by email. Bank details notified in previous years *will not* be reused if email confirmation has not been received.
However, at the TD's discretion, side-pool winnings for the secondary brackets, which are payable only in cash, may be settled in cash following the final match of the relevant bracket.
There will be four tiers of entry fees as follows:
Thrift: £35
Bronze: £70
Silver: £140
Gold: £280
All (96) players must subscribe to the Thrift tier by a minimum subscription of £35. This produces a guaranteed prize fund of £3,360 which will be 100% returned to 34 players as follows:
- Main: Winner £660, runner-up £300, losing semi-finalists £140 each, losing quarter-finalists £65 each
- Consolation: Winner £330, runner-up £150, losing semi-finalists £70 each, losing quarter-finalists £35 each
- Second Chance: Winner £120, runner-up £60, losing semi-finalists £30 each, losing quarter-finalists £15 each
- Remainders: Winner £170, runner-up £80
- Disconsolates: Winner £150, runner-up £70
- Mischance: Winner £90, runner-up £45
- Last Chance: Winner £75, runner-up £35
- Last Gasp: Winner £60, runner-up £25
If £35 is the depth of your pocket, read no further. If, however, you prefer to play for higher stakes, please read on....
Through additional payments, any player may enhance their entry beyond the mandatory Thrift Tier. An additional £35 (i.e. £70 entry in total) adds Bronze tier participation. Alternatively, an additional £105 (i.e. £140 in total) adds Silver; or an additional £245 (i.e £280 in total) gives entry into all four tiers. The aggregate additional prize monies for Bronze, Silver, and Gold tiers will each be distributed across the various flights in the same proportion as the Thrift prize fund, rounded down to the nearest £1. These tier-specific prizes will be awarded to the Tier entrant(s) who progress furthest in each flight (i.e. not necessarily those who progress to the end of a flight). If two or more players are tied for the highest ranking prize, the first two (or more, as applicable) prizes will be aggregated and shared equally between the tied players. The remaining lower ranking prizes will be awarded to (or, in the case of a tie, shared between) the players in the next highest ranking position.
For example, the highest ranking Bronze tier subscriber in the Main, will win £660/£3360 = 19.64% of the Bronze tier pool. The percentage payouts of the prize pool for each tier are shown here.
If, in any given bracket, fewer players in any of the higher tiers qualify than there are prizes available in that bracket, then the number of prizes for that tier-bracket will be correspondingly reduced, starting with the lowest prize. Prizes that are withdrawn in this manner will be returned in equal shares to all the players who entered that tier, rounded down to the nearest £1. For example, the Consolation bracket has eight prizes available: winner, runner-up, two semi-finalists and four quarter-finalists. If 20 players subscribe to the Silver tier, but only five of them qualify for the Consolation bracket, then three of the Silver tier Consolation quarter-finalist prizes will be withdrawn and returned in equal portions to the 20 Silver tier subscribers.
Note that, in any flight, a prize-eligible subscriber in, say, the Silver tier, may or may not also win Bronze and Thrift Tier prizes - it will depend on whether they have also progressed furthest in those lower tiers.
Thrift Tier subscriptions are payable not later than 28 February 2026. You can then pay to upgrade to a higher Tier at any time until the Thursday before the tournament; downgrading of Tier entry will not be accommodated. A list of Gold, Silver and Bronze Tier entrants can be found here.
OPTIONAL SIDE POOLS - ALL 100% RETURN
Primary brackets
Main: £10, £20, £50
Consolation: £10, £20, £50
Second Chance: £10, £20, £50
You may enter one or any two *adjacent* side-pools. You are strongly encouraged to subscribe to side-pools in advance of the tournament at the same time or after paying the applicable Tier subscription. There will also be a limited time window on the Saturday morning of the tournament to join side-pools. A list of advance side-pool subscriptions will be maintained on the "Who's coming" page of the web site. Side pool entries for the primary brackets will close at approx. 10.15 a.m. on the Saturday.
Each pool in the principal brackets will be returned to the three players in that pool who progresses furthest in the relevant bracket in the ratio 62:26:12 (all rounded down to the nearest £1. If two or more players are tied, the applicable prize(s) will be shared equally between the tied players.
Side-pool subscription(s) for lower brackets than you actually play in will be refunded. If you subscribe to side pools for the Main, Consolation and Second Chance but, by reason of finishing 5th or 6th in your round robin group, do not compete in either the Main or the Consolation, there is no refund. However, if you qualified for the Main but did not compete in the Consolation or Second Chance, your pool subscriptions for those brackets will be refunded or, if you qualified 3rd or 4th in the round robin group (so missed the Main), competed in the Consolation but not the Second Chance, your Second Chance pool subscription will be refunded.
Secondary brackets
There will be £10 side pools in each of the following secondary brackets:
Disconsolates
Mischance
Last Chance
Remainders
Last Gasp
In the Disconsolates, Mischance and Last Chance pools, each with maximum 16 contributions , the pool will be returned to the two players in that pool who progresses furthest in the relevant bracket in the ratio 65:35 (all rounded down to the nearest £1). In the Remainders and the Last Gasp, each with maximum 8 contributions, the pool will be returned 100% to the highest placed player. If two or more players are tied in any of the above pools, the applicable prize(s) will be shared equally between the tied players.
Contributions to the side pools for the secondary brackets will be taken only in cash at the time of relegation to the applicable bracket and must be paid before the player's first match commences.
GROUP "CALCUTTA" AUCTION
Prior to play commencing on Saturday, the 16 round robin groups will be randomly paired to produce an auction of 8 groups, each of 12 players. The "owner(s)" of the group(s) that contain the eventual winner and runner-up of the Main will receive 70% and 30% of the auction proceeds respectively, rounded down to the nearest £1.
BAD LUCK AWARDS
A "I GOT UNLUCKY IN ST ALBANS" printed t-shirt will be offered to the *first* player who suffers any one of the misfortunes listed below (no more than one award for each) and claims the award from the TD:
- Loses a match without scoring a point
- Loses when hit after having borne off 12 or more checkers
- Misses a triple direct shot
- Loses a match after leading "Crawford"
- Fails to enter against a one-point board
- Loses all matches in the group 'round robin'
- Relegated to the Last Gasp bracket
SETTLEMENTS
All settlements of prize winnings, together with refunds of tier subscriptions and side-pool entries, will be made *only* by bank transfer following completion of the tournament. Bank details *must* be notified to Tim Spring in writing by email. Bank details notified in previous years *will not* be reused if email confirmation has not been received.
However, at the TD's discretion, side-pool winnings for the secondary brackets, which are payable only in cash, may be settled in cash following the final match of the relevant bracket.
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