Bristol Intermediate Grand Prix rules

Bristol Intermediate Grand Prix rules and formats

Rules for 2008

The Intermediate Grand Prix (IGP) is open to all players, except those who have Premier Status, who enter any of the following tournaments -- the four Ł20 entry Lesters Trophy tournaments, the eight Ł10 tournaments, and the Intermediates Trophy.

All the tournaments are individual competitions in their own right. However, over the year, points will be accrued by all entrants based on their achievements in whichever events they enter.

Ł1 will be levied from each of the entry fees of all the tournaments to cover the provision of year end prizes. Where players are eligible for both the OGP and the IGP the Ł1 levy will be split 50:50 between the OGP prize fund and the IGP prize fund. Otherwise the Ł1 levy will go to the OGP prize fund.
Ł1 will also be levied for administration expenses. The remainder of the entry fee money goes on prizes for the individual tournaments.

The Ł20 Lesters Trophy events will diverge from the established traditional Lesters format in that -- for the second successive year -- there will be two flights of straight knock-out, as opposed to the traditional single flight knock-out, with all main flight matches except the final being played to 7 points. The main flight final is to 11 points.

The Ł10 tournaments will also be two flight straight knock-out affairs, provided there are at least eight entrants. All main flight matches will be to 7 points, except the main flight final, which will be to 11 points.

N.B: In all of the Ł20 and Ł10 knock-outs, players eliminated in their first match will be entered into a consolation flight, where matches will be to 5 points. These consolation flights will be subject to approximately 20% of the night's prize fund in the case of the Ł10 tournaments, and a lesser percentage in the case of the Ł20 tournaments.

Should there be between four and seven entrants, however, in the Ł10 tournaments, the format will change, with two round robin groups and a final (if there are 6 or 7 entrants), or just a round robin if there are 4 or 5 entrants. All matches here will be to 7 points, except where a final (11 points) is needed. Should a round robin group finish with leaders having won the same number of matches, then each player's total points difference in the round robin will be the first level of tie-break. Should that fail to separate the players, then the results -- but not the scores -- of meetings of those players will decide; failing that, a short play-off will be ordered.

NOTE: All the above events have associated with them an optional side pool, while the Lesters events also have an auction of players. While these aspects of tournament night provide additional elements of entertainment, they have no bearing whatsoever on either the OGP or the IGP.

The Ł5 Intermediates Trophy will be a single flight knock-out tournament with matches played to 7 points, except the final, which will be played to 11 points.

The IGP scoring system

I G P POINTS AWARDED for knock-outs
For:	Lesters Ł20		Other Ł10		Intermediates Trophy Ł5
For:	Main	Cons.	Main	Cons.	Intermediates Trophy Ł5
Entry	10		10		10
Win before semis	20	6	15	5	15
Semi-final win	30	12	25	10	25
Final win	40	18	35	15	35

N.B: In the event of an odd number of entries to the main flight of the Ł20 or Ł10 events, it is possible that one player may gain entry to the consolation flight after losing his/her second match of the main flight. In which case that player would only benefit by his/her higher scoring flight.

I G P POINTS AWARDED for round robins
For:	Lesters Ł20	Other Ł10	Int. Trophy Ł5
Entry	n/a	10	n/a
Round robin win	n/a	15	n/a
Final win	n/a	25	n/a

N.B: A round robin play-off win will not accrue any points.
N.B: I G P BONUS POINTS: Any victory over a player from Bristol Premier League Division One will earn the victor 20 bonus points, while a victory over any other player with Premier Status will earn the victor 10 bonus points.

A player's best seven tournament points performances will count towards his/her final total, thus anyone entering more than seven of the tournaments will discard low point scores.
In the event of a tie on total points, there will be two levels of tie-break: (1) fewest tournaments entered during the IGP season; (2) results of any meetings of the players in question during the IGP season. Should neither of these criteria result in an outright decision and the positions in question should be significant in terms of championship, prizes, or qualification for other competitions, then a play-off will be ordered. Otherwise such players will be deemed to have finished equal.

Non-completion of tournament flights

Entry to tournaments implies that each contestant will complete his/her involvement, even if the event is not completed on the night.
This means that prize money will be withheld until all possible avenues to completion have been exhausted.
If non-completion of a match should occur prior to the final of that flight, the Director shall have the power to advance the player he considers less culpable to the next round, although without the benefit of grand prix points.
In the event of eventual non-completion of a final, each finalist shall receive an amount equivalent to the runner-up share of the prize money, with the difference being used to swell the OGP and IGP prize funds.
Should the non-completion occur beyond the end of the grand prix season, such matches will be declared null and void, after appropriate notice has been given to the players in question.

The rewards

The player finishing with the most IGP points at the end of the year is IGP champion, and will hold the IGP trophy for 12 months.
The IGP winner and runner-up receive engraved mementoes and -- if the IGP prize fund is large enough -- small cash prizes.
As a bonus to the overall Intermediate Grand Prix prizes, the top two finishers in the final points list will be allotted Premier Status, enabling life membership of the Bristol Premier League, starting from the year immediately following the IGP season in question.

Historical rule changes

2007

This was the last year before the deduction of administration expenses.

2005

Only year of inclusion of Handicap Knock-outs. Final year of single flight Lesters Trophy competitions, pending an experimental period. Final year before inclusion of Intermediate Trophy.

2004

Final year before introduction of Handicap Knock-outs to the OGP.
Ł10 consolation win points were 5, 5 and 10, as opposed to the current 5, 10 and 15.

2003

Rules identical to those for 2004.

2002

This was the last year when four of the "non-Lesters" events carried a Ł5 entry fee, the other four being Ł10.
And the number of Lesters Trophy events was raised from the traditional three to four.
Only 10 bonus points were available for victories over all Premier players, since at that time there was only one division in the Premier League.

2000 and 2001

The competition consisted only of four designated IGP tournaments, with the best three scores counting for each player.
These events were each subject to a Ł5 entry fee.
Main flight matches were to 7 points (including the final), unless there were more than sixteen entries, in which case they were to 5 points.

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