The Ladder Competition is a members only aggregate pairs monthly competition to be run from September 2008 to May 2009. Dates are as follows:
Thursday 18 September (preliminary round)
Thursday 16 October
Thursday 20 November
Thursday 18 December
Thursday 15 January
Thursday 26 February
Thursday 19 March
Thursday 16 April
Thursday 21 May
All pairs will compete in the preliminary round in September after which the competition will be split into two divisions. The 1st Division will normally consist of the top 14 pairs based on total scores to date but always including the winners and the runners-up of the 2nd Division from the previous month (provided they are eligible). However, if the 2nd Division on any given evening would consist of five pairs or less, those pairs will form part of an enlarged Division I.
In order to qualify to play in Division I on the basis of a score or scores with a substitute playing, a pair must normally have played together at least once in the competition. In the event of a tie between two or more pairs in 14th place, the pair with the highest score in the previous month will qualify to play in the 1st Division.
Placings will be based on ladder points. In the preliminary round, which will incorporate an arrow switch, the winners will receive 24 points reducing to 1 for 24th place. In the 1st Division, a seven table Howell, the scoring will be 28, 26, 24, …. down to 2 for last place. In the event of an enlarged Division I being played, the last placed pair will receive 2 points, the penultimate pair 4 points and so on. In the 2nd Division the last placed pair will receive 1 point, the penultimate pair 2 points and so on. The 2nd Division will be a Howell or an arrow-switched Mitchell.
The results for both divisions will be double checked each month before being published together with a schedule of overall positions. At the same time a notice will also be prepared listing the pairs qualifying for the 1st Division the following month together with the leading eligible substitutes from the 2nd Division.
Visitors may play on a ladder night but only in the 2nd Division and ladder points will not be awarded in respect of their results.
Absent pairs will be given points temporarily for up to two absences – 12 points should they miss the preliminary round but the average of their performance to date (rounded down and a maximum of 16) in respect of any other round. Such awards will not be taken into account until the November round. Points for absence are used solely to determine qualification for the Divisions up to and including the March round. These points will then be eliminated and eligibility for the 1st Division for April and May will be based on the six best actual scores only. Any points earned with a substitute will continue to count but no concessions will be made to partnerships with less than six actual scores.
A pair may use a substitute up to twice during the competition and any points gained will be credited in full. On the third or subsequent occasions, the absentee rules will apply. If two halves of separate partnerships play together, they will be deemed to represent both. All partnerships incorporating a substitute must play in the 2nd Division.
Seating in the 1st Division will be random and play for the 26 board session will commence at 7.30 pm. The director may replace any pair which has qualified for the 1st Division but is not present at that time by the highest placed pair which is available from the 2nd Division.
Final placings will be based on the six highest scores from the nine rounds, i.e. actual played rounds, and ties will be split by the performance in the seventh best round. Any pair playing less than six rounds will only have the scores actually achieved taken into account; notional scores in respect of absences will not count (see above).