SS CAM CUP RULES

Please read the following competition rules fully and carefully. If you take the time to understand everything, then there will be no excuse for ignorance and misunderstanding! The rules exist to protect the competition and the interests of participants who abide by them and play fair and square.

 

1. ACCOUNTS AND ELIGIBILITY

A. A player must be a member of the Straightshots Pool League, using an appropriate screen name in compliance with Rule 1C. Failure to meet this requirement will result in a player forfeiting sets or being withdrawn from the competition.

B. To participate in the competition, a player must use his or her correct league screen name at all times. If a player has any problems with a screen name being barred, he or she must change his or her league screen name to a suitable new screen name before taking part in any competition match.

C. All screen names which are deemed unsuitable or inappropriate must be changed. This includes any screen name with cuss or rude words or any defamatory reference to another league or player. When requested, a player who does not change a screen name deemed unacceptable for any reason will be removed from the competition.

D. A player must notify the Organiser (on behalf of the Admin team) of any change of screen name as soon as possible so that the details can be modified. Failure to do so may result in 'SS leagues' not being reported. Only one screen name change will be permitted per season.

E. The Organiser reserves the right to remove any signed-up player who does not adhere to the above eligibility qualifications at any stage during the season. A penalty may be imposed for any breach of Rule 1 in accordance with Rule 10.


2. COMPETITION FORMAT

A. There will be three separate competitions called Conferences, named the Gold Conference (formerly Division A), the Silver Conference (formerly Division B) and the Bronze Conference. One or more of the Conferences may be run during any one period of time if required. Where necessity dictates that only one Conference will be run, it may be the Gold Conference, the Silver Conference or the Bronze Conference accordingly depending on circumstances.

B. Each Conference will be run using a group stage or knock-out stage or an open competition of unlimited sets, or a mixture of these, depending on entry numbers, time restraints or any other determining factor.

C. When more than one Conference is being run at the same time, eligibility to participate in the Conferences will be as follows:

i. Any player who is a recognised interleague player and has participated in any of the following Cam Cup competitions may participate in the Gold Conference: 8BR Cam Division A SS Cam Cup Division A or Gold Conference. 

ii. Any player who has not played in any of these competitions, or who has but has been inactive in pool for a lengthy time, or who is considered not to be suitable for participation in the Gold Conference for any other reason, or who is deemed to be more suited to play at a lower level, may enter the Silver Conference. A player eligible for the Silver Conference may enter the Gold Conference if preferred. Any player who has won the Gold Conference at any time may not participate in the Silver Conference.

iii. The Bronze Conference will be run as a 'Consolation Plate' for group stage losers in the Gold Conference or the Silver Conference or in both, or as a separate competition for lower standard players. It is not available as an option to join initially.

 

D. A player may not participate in more than one Conference in any individual competition or season, unless as a group non-qualifier he or she is allocated a place in the Bronze Conference, or through necessity due to withdrawals or defaults he or she is offered a place in a second Conference where participation is required to fill vacant spots.

E. A player will be allocated the Conference requested on the application, or another suitable Conference depending on his or her status and experience as a player. A player may be removed from one Conference and placed in another for any reason if deemed necessary, at the discretion of the Organiser.

F. The competition format may be changed at short notice as deemed necessary at the discretion of the Organiser. Should places fill up sufficiently to enable applications to close, then the deadline may be brought forward 

as deemed necessary at the discretion of the Organiser. 


G. Should any player fail to play at least one group stage match by the mid-way point in any specified period before the deadline, he or she may be replaced at the discretion of the Organiser.



H. Matches will be played up to 5, 7, 9 or 11 games as directed on each Conference page. A player must lead by two clear games to win the match. Example: At 6–6 in a match up to 7, a player must win 8–6, 9–7, 10–8 etc. In Silver Conference qualifying rounds, matches may be played as the best of 5, 7, 9 or 11 games as directed on each Conference page.


3. GROUP STAGE POINTS SYSTEM / DETERMINING CRITERIA

A. The points system can vary from Conference to Conference, and possibly from season to season. Please refer to the appropriate Conference page for specific details.

B. Should a match be forfeited and awarded to a player, he or she will win it by a score of 7-0 D (Default) and the stipulated number of points will be awarded. The offending opponent who forfeited for any reason will not be allocated any points.

C. In the event of two or more players having the same number of points at the conclusion of all group matches, the following criteria will be used in the order listed to determine positions and/or qualifiers: 

i. The higher number of matches ('sets') won; 

ii. The head-to-head score between two tied players. (Where two matches were played and both players won one match each, the aggregate number of games won and lost played between them will be considered);

iii. The higher number of games won less games lost (ie. games difference)

iv. The higher number of points gained for reporting; 

v. The higher number of 'Excellent' sportsmanship ratings; 

vi. The higher number of 'Good' sportsmanship ratings. 

Should there still be a tie after all this criteria has been applied, a best of 7 games play-off will apply (first to win four games).

D. Any player failing to play the designated number of matches by the halfway point in the group stage may be removed, and replaced where possible, without notification. Any player completing less than 50% of group matches by the group stage deadline may be removed, unless progression into the play-off stage is required. No player failing to fulfill at least 50% of group matches will be permitted to compete in the Bronze Conference. If there is an odd number of fixtures in a group, for the purpose of deciding the 50% figure, the next highest whole number will apply (example: 50% of 5 group matches is 2.5, so the next highest whole number is 3 in this case).


4. ARRANGING A MATCH

A. All matches in the SS Cam Cup must be played in 'League 1', or another alternative room officially used by Straightshots (such as 'League 7') as and when required. Playing a match in any other unauthorised room is not permitted. A player may title a table as 'SS Cam Cup'. A player may not play other games elsewhere during a set in the SS Cam Cup, including a second set in the same competition. If any breach of this rule is detected, penalties may be applied as per Rule 10.

B. The onus is on both players in any pairing to arrange a suitable to time to play their match as soon as possible. Full cooperation is requested and expected in all cases, and repeated failure to agree a reasonably mutual arrangement will be viewed as showing a lack of cooperation. If a player fails to play by any specified deadline by being absent online for a period of time, he or she runs the risk of being withdrawn or replaced or losing any set by default.

C. In any Conference Final tie, Admin will arrange a suitable date and time for the match to take place. Finalists must not arrange and complete the match themselves without Admin approval. If a Final is completed without authorisation it will count as null and void at the discretion of the Organiser, and if it is decided to be replayed, Admin will rearrange the match.

D. In any case of suspected lack of cooperation, screenshots must be taken and retained of any invitation, made via Trillian, to play. Screenshots of invitations made in 'League 1', whether in the lobby or at a table, or in another room, will not be accepted as evidence. If two players cannot mutually agree a reasonable arrangement and the deadline elapses for matches to be completed, screenshots may be requested by the Organiser to determine an outcome if deemed necessary. 

E. If both players fail to take any initiative to arrange a match so that no fault can be proportioned to any one player, the match may be declared null and void, in which case it will be deemed to be completed with no result. A 'no result' match will be shown as 'NR' in the standings, and no points will be awarded, unless ties are allowed in the group stage, in which case 1 point will be awarded to each player. 

F. If applicable to an early play-off match, both players will be removed from the competition and the highest non-qualifier (on points) in the group stage will be reinstated to play the next round if applicable (in an advanced round this may not be possible). If there are more than one non-qualifiers on equal points, one will be drawn at random to compete. If it is not possible to reinstate a non-qualifier and there is no winner in a particular play-off match, the awaiting opponent in the next round will receive a bye. 

G. Should a player need to report an opponent's unwillingness to arrange or play a match, or any matter of lack of cooperation, he or she must use the 'Issues' form in the appropriate manner. Screen-shots taken as evidence of attempts to arrange a match must be submitted to support the complaint. No complaint will be considered without relevant screen-shots as evidence. Such evidence may be used to determine the outcome of a match if deemed necessary.

H. Should a player fail to show up for an arranged match, this must be reported using the 'Issues' form. Once may be overlooked if there is a valid reason but should a second occasion arise of failing to show without explanation, the offending player may forfeit the match.

I. Should any match be pre-arranged by the Organiser or a member of the Admin team, and agreed by the players wishing to play, for a particular date and time, where Admin presence has been put in place, both players will be expected to fulfil the arrangement. Irrespective of any deadlines, should one of the players fail to show on time as arranged and agreed, he or she may be liable to forfeit the match. The Organiser may reconsider the results in previous rounds if necessary to advance a losing player or players should this course of action be required in order to complete the competition.

J. It is the responsibility of both players to ensure punctuality at the correct time to play any pre-arranged match. Under the circumstances of Rule 4(H), any pre-arranged match must be completed to a conclusion. Should both players fail to show without Admin being informed, or the match is not concluded without an acceptable explanation, the match in question may be recorded as a 'No Result'.

K. Any match commenced and then interrupted for any reason must be completed within 48 hours of the original start time. An incomplete match which is not finished within this time restraint may be awarded to one of the players if the opponent is at fault for any reason, with the score standing if necessary, or deemed to be void with a view to be replayed, or cancelled and removed from the records, or deemed to be void as a 'no result'. It is both players' responsibility to ensure that the match resumes within 48 hours. Any problems must be reported using the 'Issues' form.


5. REPORTING 'SS LEAGUES' AND SS CAM CUP MATCHES

A. Unless otherwise instructed, up to the first 6 games lost by a player in the Gold Conference (groups and play-offs), Silver Conference (play-offs) and Bronze Conference (play-offs) will be reported as 'SS leagues' on the SS website. This maximum may be less than 6 if the winning target is fewer than 6 games. Up to 6 games lost by a player in the Silver Conference qualifiers MUST be reported, irrespective of the result. Should the format of any competition stipulate that a player must report 'SS leagues' directly, losses must be reported within 24 hours, otherwise a points deduction penalty may be imposed if applicable to a group or qualifying set.

B. Where reporting 'SS leagues' is a requirement, all games played in a set must be reported by both players unconditionally. The practices of (a) reporting the difference (ie: if a player wins 5-3 (for example), only the 2 games difference is reported), and (b) racing (ie. only the loser reports all games) are both strictly prohibited. The penalties applicable will be in compliance with Rule 10A(i) or (ii). A maximum of seven games may be reported for matches forfeited or lost by default.

C. A player must report the result of any SS Cam Cup match whether he or she wins or loses. Such a report must be made using the comprehensive RESULTS FORM (under 'Reporting') which must be submitted as soon as possible after the completion of the match and within 24 hours. This report is completely separate from reporting 'SS leagues' covered by Rule 5A. 

D. Submitting a report fully and properly as appropriate may gain an extra 1 point in any group stage match, unless otherwise determined by the competition format. Failing to report satisfactorily or not at all will result in zero points. Should a report not be submitted by either player, this will place the match in danger of being given a 'No Result' status, even if it was actually played (because without reports there is no concrete evidence that the match WAS in fact played). A spectator's word will not be taken in such cases – a report MUST be submitted by at least one player per match.

E. If a player has any issues, complaints or any other relevant matter to bring to the Organiser's attention, he or she must use the 'Issues' form to submit a report, but any deemed to be trivial or frivolous will be dismissed. 

F. Should a player accrue a report alleging unsporting behaviour, he or she may be dealt with in compliance with Rule 10, if any complaint is substantiated. 

G. In the case of a complaint towards an opponent, screen-shots may be requested by the Organiser if deemed necessary as evidence to substantiate the complaint. Should there be no appropriate evidence, the complaint may be dismissed, although any unsporting behaviour report will be noted. 


6. GAME PLAY

A. The table set-up must have the following ON and applying: 'Regular Game', 'Allow Watchers', 'Allow Guests', 'Allow guests/watchers to access chat', 'SafeGame' and 'Rated Game'. Under 'Security', 'Maximum Allowable Disconnection Time' must be set at 10 minutes, and under 'Game/Move Time', the 'Game Time' must be set at 20 minutes. 

B. If any of the above have not been set up, the opponent MUST request a re-rack BEFORE 4 balls of the same denomination (either solids or stripe) are potted. Once 4 solids or stripes have been potted, the game must be continued to completion. If a re-rack is requested in time, the player causing the incorrect table set-up, must abandon the game and remake the table correctly. Screenshots can be taken if necessary as evidence. Under no circumstances must a game be re-racked for incorrect set-up once 4 solids or stripes have been potted. If a screenshot shows that a re-rack should have applied but the player setting up the table incorrectly refused to re-rack and goes on to win the game, the result of that game will be reversed. If this affects the result of the match, the match may have to continue at a convenient time until concluded.

C. Reracks are NOT permitted under any circumstances UNLESS the 8-ball is sunk directly on the break, or before the solids and stripes have been determined, in which case it will be an automatic rerack, or if Rule 6E applies. If an unauthorised rerack is detected by Admin, the result of the initial game leading to the rerack will count for the purposes of any match.

D. Safety shots ('snookers') are permitted at all times. Objecting towards the use of safety shots will be viewed as unsporting behaviour.

E. If through a GameDesire glitch, a player is booted from a table while he or she is actually playing in a game and the opponent is automatically given a win as a forfeit, or if a GameDesire glitch suddenly gives one player the win for no apparent reason, the game must be replayed. However, if a player that looks like he or she is going to be defeated and suddenly forfeits, it will count as an intentional force forfeit and the result stands with the possibility of a penalty applying for unsporting behaviour. A report must be made in compliance with Rule 5C with taped evidence being submitted by email.

F. Coaching is NOT permitted under any circumstances. Any SS member guilty of coaching during a SS Cam Cup match will face a penalty for unsporting behaviour, based on screen-shot or taped evidence. A report must be made in compliance with Rule 5E with taped evidence being submitted by email.

G. The SS Cam Cup is spectator-friendly and it is an unconditional requirement of a player to allow spectators to watch. Refusing to allow spectators or the use of private tables are strictly forbidden and the penalty will be a warning or points deduction in accordance with Rule 10A. If this offence takes place in a play-off match, the match may be ordered to be replayed if the offending player won. 

H. The booting rule in Straightshots Pool League applies in full in this competition and must be unreservedly complied with. Incorrect or unwarranted booting could lead to a penalty under Rule 10A.


7. RECORDING GAMES

A. No games in the SS Cam Cup need to be recorded, unless the Organiser decides that a particular set must be recorded. This will be determined at the discretion of the Organiser and not by choice or desire by any individual player. If a player wants to record a set, he or she must apply to the Organiser and if approval is granted, both players must record their set unconditionally and without protest. Failure to do so may result in disqualification.

B. Where players record their set, the technical requirements for recording are as follows:

i. The monitor's full screen must be shown.

ii. The time-stamp must be located at the top unobstructed and must run continuously.

iii. The task bar must be showing at the bottom and icons must not be hidden under any circumstances.

iv. A tape must be saved as an .avi file or any other standard viewable format, showing your name, your opponent's name and the game number; example: Josh_v_Naveen_G2.avi. There must be one tape per game – no multiple games on any individual tape.

C. The Organiser may, at his discretion, request a player’s tape or tapes immediately on completion of a match, or at any time during the course of the competition, or request any losing tape if deemed necessary. Such a request must be complied with immediately. If a player fails to comply with any request to send tapes, he or she runs the risk of a forfeiture or over-turned result. A player's absence on Trillian or failure to receive any request will not be accepted as an excuse for not sending tapes.

D. Any tape requested must commence sending as soon as possible after any request. If a player needing to send tapes goes offline before they are sent, he or she will be instructed by the Organiser to send tapes at the earliest opportunity (and within 48 hours at the latest) or face a forfeiture.

E. A viewed tape which is deemed to be fair and square must be cleared in ALL cases.

F. The following penalties will apply where deemed necessary:

i. Failure to submit a winning tape when requested – result overturned.

ii. Failure to commence sending a winning tape within 15 minutes when requested – result overturned.

iii. Any anomaly on a winning tape, such as the time-stamp or task bar missing or icons hidden, which brings fair play into doubt – result void; match replayed from scratch, match continued with offending player's wins being nullified, result overturned or games adjusted accordingly. Any minor anomaly on a winning tape, such as the time-stamp or task bar missing or icons hidden – first offence: result void and match replayed, with the opponent starting with a lead of 3-0; second offence: result void and match awarded to opponent.

iv. An aimer program or use of one detected, or a tape tampered with, or any form of cheating or suspected cheating – result overturned, player removed from the competition and dealt with under the rules of Straightshots Pool League.

G. Where a winning game has been reversed for any breach of these Rules, the losing tape may be requested if Organiser deems it necessary. If both tapes are not submitted, or both fail, no points will be awarded for that particular game if in the group stage, or in the play-offs, both players will be removed in compliance with Rule 4F applying.


8. TIMERS

A. A player is expected to show patience, tolerance and sportsmanship in cases where an opponent leaves the table during any game. 10 minutes 'grace period' is requested in the interests of goodwill. However, a player will be entitled to call a timer for any further delay on any individual game exceeding the 'grace period'. 

B. All timers are 10 minutes (applicable after the 'grace period'). If the opponent fails to reappear after the timer has expired, the player applying the timer will win that particular game and the match will then be suspended, unless he or she has been advised that the opponent is returning for certain. If the match is suspended for any reason, a report should be made using the 'Incomplete match' field on the 'reporting' form. Any suspended match must be resumed as soon as possible by a new arrangement. 

C. A player who returns in time after being placed on a timer may resume the game. If he or she fails to do this then the timer will continue until he or she resumes playing. Any timer imposed is cumulative, and does not restart at the full amount.


9. ASSENT, BEHAVIOUR AND SPORTSMANSHIP

A. A player submitting an application to participate in any of the competitions will automatically be deemed to have given his or her assent to the rules and agree to abide by the rules of the competition unreservedly, to cooperate fully with all administration and opponents, and to conduct his or herself sportingly at all times and in all situations regardless of circumstances. 

B. Any form of poor or unsporting behaviour will not be tolerated. A player, or any other member not involved in a particular SS Cam Cup match, must conduct him or herself in a sporting manner at all times, including game etiquette (‘GL’ and ‘GG’), and must refrain from any form of improper, unacceptable or unsporting behaviour in the League's lobby, or in a pool lobby or at a table in any room. 

C. Any form of abuse, gamesmanship, goading, harassment, intimidation, provocation, or any form of unacceptable or unsporting behaviour or disrespect, including making aimer accusations, is STRICTLY PROHIBITED and may be liable to a penalty or penalties in compliance with Rule 10A and/or 10B. 

D. A player bringing the name or reputation of the Straightshots Pool League into disrepute due to any form of inappropriate behaviour, including cheating or suspected cheating, or who is guilty of breaching any of these rules, or the Straightshots Pool League Rules, may face sanctions under these rules (see next section) or the Straightshots Pool League Rules, Section 12 Penalties. 


10. MISCONDUCT PENALTIES

A. The following penalties may apply for any breach of Rules or proven unsporting behaviour (depending on the severity of any offence). If deemed applicable, two or more of these penalties may run concurrently.

i. Warning; or 

ii. 1 to 5 points deduction in group or qualifying stage;

iii. 3-game forfeit in next match; 

iv. Match forfeit in group stage or play-off;

v. Ban from future competitions;  

vi. Immediate removal from competition. 

B. All penalties under the Straightshots Pool League Rules, section 12 Penalties, may apply as deemed necessary, depending on the severity of any offence.

C. Due to the fact that every player must agree to abide by the Rules and Conditions and will be aware that improper, unacceptable or unsporting behaviour will not be tolerated, no appeals will be permitted in the SS Cam Cup. 


11. INTERPRETATION OF RULES

A. These Rules may be subject to change at any time at the discretion of the Organiser as deemed necessary. 

B. The Organiser reserves the right to decide who may or may not participate in the competition, and may remove a player at any time and for any reason as deemed necessary. 

C. All questions regarding interpretations of these Rules, or of any point not provided for by these Rules, will be referred to the Organiser whose decision shall be final and binding on all concerned.

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