- Rules

The Squash Minileague is a "ladder" system which has been modified by dividing it into Poules and setting a deadline by which all Matches within each Poule should be played. When the end of the playing period is reached the positions of all of the players in the Minileague are recalculated based on the results of the Matches. Players may be added or removed from the Minileague and then a new playing period begins.

Under ideal conditions, each Poule consists of 5 players and a playing period is 6 weeks long. This should allow ample opportunity for all players in each Poule to play at least some of their Matches. If there are insufficient players for all Poules to contain 5 players, some of the lowest Poules are increased to 6 players as appropriate. The playing period may also be increased to take into account any holidays, etc.

At the end of the playing period each player is awarded a point for each Match played and points based on the result of each Match as follows:

Except in the rare case of a walk-over, if you don't play, you get no points. Tough Luck!
DO NOT CHEAT AND WRITE UP FALSE RESULTS IF YOU HAVE NOT PLAYED!
You may be relegated and removed from the Minileague!

In the event that a player goes to the time and trouble of getting changed and onto the court for a previously confirmed Match but the opponent fails to show up, that player may ask the organiser for a "walk-over" result. This can't be entered in the on-line results sheet, but will be shown as "w-0" in the calculation tables produced at the end of the period. The first player is not awarded the point for a Match played, but does receive 5 points. The second player is not awarded any points.

The players in each Poule are then sorted into descending number of points. Once the Poules have been sorted, the existing "match points" are discarded.

Using this modified league of sorted Poules, each player is then awarded "base points". The bottom player in the modified league receives 1 point, the player above receives 2 points, the one above 3 points, and so on up to the top of the modified league.

Within each of the sorted Poules, each player is then awarded "delta points". The bottom player in each sorted Poule receives 0 points, the player above receives 3 points, the one above 6 points, and so on up to the top of the sorted Poule.

• Note: In periods when the number of players and hence poules is reduced, the "delta" may also be reduced to 2 or even 1 to maintain stability and avoid promoting "beginners" into the top poule, and relegating "experts" into the bottom poule.

The basis for the Minileague for the next period is now formed by sorting the players into descending numerical order based on the total of the "base points" and "delta points".

Any players who have asked to Join the Minileague may then be added to the new Minileague. Players who have asked to be leave the Minileague may also be removed from the new Minileague. Any players who have not played the minimum of two matches are usually also removed from the Minileague, but such players may appeal to the Organisers discretion if they wish to continue.

After adding new players and removing old ones, the new Minileague is divided into appropriate Poules and a new period begins.

You can see how these rules apply in practice, by going to the Calculation page, which shows how the current Minileague was calculated.

For more information please contact the Organiser, Duncan Gibson by email or on extension 54013.