Bournemouth and District Table Tennis Association

TIMES AND DIRECTORY RULES 2023-2024

1.	The Times & Directory Handicap Cup will take the form of a knockout tournament where participating registered players have been individually handicapped.
2.	Only teams entered by their clubs will be included in the tournament to a max. of 64 teams.
3.	The Executive Committee shall issue specific rules prior to the start of the competition these rules shall generally follow the normal rules for matches.

RULES FOR TIMES & DIRECTORY

1.	A team will consist of three players.
2.	A match will consist of nine singles.
3.	A player must have played in the league at least once (3 singles) before playing in the T&D competition.
4.	A player's team shall be that for which he or she was first registered for the current season.
5.	Only under extreme circumstances and with the approval of the Tournament Secretary can a team bring up a maximum of two players for a match from any lower division. The players can play for that team twice only, and then for no other team except for the one he or she was originally registered in. The players will be given the same handicap as the players they are replacing, unless they have a lower handicap, whereupon they will use their lower handicaps.
6.	This rule applies up to but not including the Semi-Final stage of the competition.
7.	Players registered after February 1st shall not be eligible to play except at the discretion of the Executive Committee.
8.	Matches shall be played on the allocated weeks on the home teams normal night.
9.	Handicapping shall be done by the Executive Committee.
10.	A player with no published handicap will play off zero handicap.
11.	The competition shall be on a knockout basis.
12.	Handicap numbers for each player will be sent to team captains before the start of the competition. These handicap numbers must be used in conjunction with the conversion table. All games are up to 21 (best of three) with the lower handicapped player starting at zero. If the score reaches 20 all, the game shall be played to 21 only (no deuce). Where a third deciding end is played, the players shall change ends when the first player reaches half of his or her required number of points.

Difference	Start to be given	Difference in Handicaps	Start to be given
0	0	26 - 29	10
1 - 2	1	30 - 34	11
3 - 4	2	35 - 40	12
5 - 7	3	41 - 47	13
8 - 10	4	48 - 55	14
11 - 13	5	56 - 65	15
14 - 16	6	66 - 76	16
17 - 19	7	77 - 86	17
20 - 22	8	87 - 96	18
23 - 25	9

CALCULATING STARTING SCORES - EXAMPLE

Player A has a handicap of 50. Player B has a handicap of 25. The difference between A and B is 25. Refer to the "difference in handicaps" column in the conversion table."23 - 25" equals +9 start. Therefore Player A (who is the higher handicapped player) has a 9-0 start up to 21.

13.	Player's playing off identical handicaps will both play off scratch & play the best of 3 games
14.	There will be no need for the Semi-finals & Finals to be played at a neutral venue. (rule change)
15.	The order of play shall be as per BDTTA RULE 15-7. At least SIX matches must be played.
16.	The expedite rule shall not apply.
17.	Any query, complaint or dispute must be raised with the Tournament Secretary who is the Official Referee for the competition. If necessary, he/she will place them before the Executive Committee and act on its instructions; its decision being final.
18.	A 'Plate' competition will be run for teams losing their first match; ie: preliminary or first round However, a team conceding their first match (preliminary or first round) will be deemed to have withdrawn from the competition. If the team going forward subsequently lose their first round match they will go onto the 'Plate' competition. If it is a second round match which is lost, they will be ineligible to enter the 'Plate' competition.
19.	Service will be 2 serves unless one handicap is even and one is odd, then one serve will be served to even it up.
20.	Match results should be entered on the correct match card and returned to the Tournament Secretary.

THE EXPEDITE SYSTEM EXPLAINED

The expedite system was brought in to discourage slow play in matches. The expedite system shall come into operation after 10 minutes' play in a game or at any time requested by both players or pairs. The expedite system shall not be introduced in a game if at least 18 points have been scored. If the ball is in play when the time limit is reached and the expedite system is due to come into operation, play shall be interrupted by the umpire and shall resume with service by the player who served in the rally that was interrupted. If the ball is not in play when the expedite system comes into operation, play shall resume with service by the player who received in the immediately preceding rally. Thereafter, each player shall serve for 1 point in turn until the end of the game, and if the receiving player or pair makes 13 correct returns in a rally the receiver shall score a point. Introduction of the expedite system shall not alter the order of serving and receiving in the match. Once introduced, the expedite system shall remain in operation until the end of the match.