SOUTH DEVON AND TORBAY TABLE TENNIS LEAGUE - HANDICAP TEAM CUPS
Rationale behind change:
The previous system used massive handicaps (players requiring 60+ points to win a single game!) which resulted in very long games, giving timing/scheduling issues, and offered less incentive to our better players due to the length of games. It was also possible on the old system that a player would only have one set of table tennis in an evening. Less teams were entering the cup matches each season. The previous system of weaker players having to win 11 points a game would always favour the better players. We needed to give the weaker players a better chance of winning and we needed to deal with the timing constraints that many clubs have.
So, the committee has adopted an experimental change for this season and will gauge the support for the new format to see whether it should be a permanent change.
CHALLENGE HANDICAP CUP (team singles) & DYMENT DOUBLES SHIELD
This system counts every point won, over four legs up to 11 (normal scoring). All four legs to be played.
The system is based on Table Tennis England’s ranking lists and Table Tennis 365 suggested handicaps. Each player will be given a handicap number between 0 and 43. The difference between the two players in a set is calculated and rounded up to a multiple of 4, then divided by 4 (4 games/set) which will give the start the weaker player will have in each game (capped at +9), which should be noted against his name (ie +4) for the particular set. ALL four games are played as normal up to 11 (2 clear points as normal). After each set of four games the total points scored by each player shall be recorded on the scorecard and the cumulative total calculated and recorded keeping a running total of the score as you go. At the end of the final 9th set the team with the most cumulative points is the winner. If the scores are tied, the team awarded the most handicap points at the start shall be deemed the winners. If this is also tied then the away team shall be declared the winners.
In the doubles, the pairs handicaps are added together and divided by 2, rounded up to a whole number, and the start that the weaker pair receive is calculated as above.
An example scorecard is shown below and blank scorecards will be given to the clubs/teams shortly or can be downloaded from the team cups menu on the website.
Players’ individual handicaps now show on the website under ‘Team Details 18-19’
PLEASE NOTE: the committee has agreed that as this is a handicap competition, players from teams ranked both above and below, not taking part in the competition for their own team, may join another team just for the cup. No-one will be allowed to play for two different teams in the same competition.
The draw for the competitions has now taken place and can be found under ‘Team Cups’ on the website, hard copies of the handicaps, the draw and scorecards will be distributed shortly. As before, the home team should contact the away team to arrange a suitable date for the match. The winning captain should send in the scorecard.
