Prebendal Manor Cup 2025

Holder: Joe King

The Prebendal is our Club’s annual, internal AC Handicap competition.

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Please subscribe before initial entries close on Sunday April 6th. You – or any new members joining thereafter – will still be able to enter after that date, but will not be able to play in any rounds already drawn.

Competition format

This year’s Prebendal will be run as a Swiss-format tournament, probably of 5 rounds to be played over the summer. Final details – including tie-break criteria – will be published here in early April, once initial entry has closed. Semi-Finals and Final will then follow in September, to be played on dates to be arranged between the contestants involved.

Any ambiguities or extenuating circumstances affecting these rules will be resolved by reference to standard AC tournament rules, else at Tournament Manager’s discretion.

Game Format

All matches except the Final should be played as 18pt games (1 and 3-back variation – as per AC rule 51.2.3) with a 2.5 hour time-limit. The Final will be contested as a 26pt game with a longer limit (e.g 3 or 3.5 hrs, dependent on the playing conditions on the day).

Games will be handicap, set against a base of 9:

in games involving at least one player of handicap less than 9, normal bisque allocations apply, subject to the standard reduction for 18pt games. e.g. player A (handicap = 4) vs player B (handicap = 16): B is allocated 12 bisques, reduced to 8.5.

if both players have handicaps of 9 or more, each player gets a number of bisques equal to the difference between their handicap and 9, reduced according to the schedule for 18pt games. eg player C (10) vs player D (11): C is allocated 1 bisque, reduced to 0.5; D is allocated 2 bisques, reduced to 1.5. 

Games cannot end in a draw: the standard extra turns procedure (AC rule 61) should be followed if scores are level when the time-limit is reached. 

David Long
Tournament Manager

AC Ladder 2025

This is similar to the GC ladder of 2023 but one game in any form of AC: level, handicap, advanced etc. may be played. One ball is not permitted, nor is SC. It uses an Egyptian ladder format where beating someone higher up the ladder brings you more points than beating someone nearby.

Please avoid 26 point games but use 14, 18 or 22 point games.

  • Games may be played whether or not jumping is allowed.
  • If jumping is allowed then these are qualifying games so both players must enter them on their handicap cards – otherwise they must not go on handicap cards.
  • You may challenge any club member with an AC handicap to a game, regardless of whether they are on the ladder already or are yet to play their first game. If you cannot agree on the format of the game then the game cannot be played.
  • To join in please send an email to dr.s.m.fisher@gmail.com to have your name entered, issue a challenge, play the game and one of you enters the result below. Results should be entered promptly for it all to work properly.

There is some more information on the Egyptian ladder below.

Enter scores below

Sorry, you must be logged in to enter a result.

Results so far

NamePointsWinsGames
Andrew Petit10323
Andy Evason9713

Your games

DateWinnerpointstoLoserPointsto

Details of the format

Each player is initially assigned 100 ranking points. If a player beats a player of the same ranking then four points are transferred from the loser to the winner. However beating a higher ranked player results in more points being transferred and vice versa. Winning or losing a game may change your handicap but this change has no impact on the ranking points

You may challenge any club member to a game, regardless of whether they are on the ladder already or are yet to play their first game. Failure to accept the challenge without good reason and to play the game within two weeks results in a maximum score being recorded for the challenger and 0 for the person who failed to play. Such results do not go on handicap cards as regular results would.

You must play a minimum number of games to win.

A player's position is determined by ranking points, then wins, then net wins (#wins – #losses).

The number of points transferred is given in the table below.

Difference in ranking points before the gameIf player with higher ranking points winsIf player with lower ranking points wins
0-633
7-1124
12+15

The competition will be closed at midnight on the 31st August. Those in the lowest quartile of number of games played will be ineligible to win, otherwise the winner is the person at the top of the ladder.

Queries to Steve Fisher please.

Hi-Lo AC Doubles 2024

This is a Blewbury event which took place on Thu Sep 26th.

10 competitors played in fixed pairs against each other pairing, in 13-point alternate stroke AC games played to an hour’s time-limit and against a handicap base of 2.5.

After the final round was abandoned due to heavy rain, joint winners were declared; comprising Deirdre Cochrane (8) & Claire King (24), alongside Peter Allan (3) and Hugh Coghill-Smith (24).

Other pairings comprised Joe King (-1) & David Weston (24); Andy Evason (7) & Sandy Millikin (24); Brian Jamieson (10) & Minty Clinch (20).

August One Ball 2024 – Monday 26th August

Competition Format: This is a Blewbury competition and is just for fun

It is open to all members. Your one ball handicap for the day will be computed from AC and GC handicaps using a standard formula.

It was won by Brian Jamieson, with AC debutant Philippa Turner second.

Kay Memorial Trophy 2024

After its introductory year in 2023, BCC’s internal short croquet tournament sees some changes for 2024. On Monday afternoons from April 8 to August 5, Court 1 will be set up with two SC courts, leaving Court 2 available for general AC play.

On alternate Monday afternoons between April 15 & August 5 (inclusive), all games will be KMT qualifiers, with results recorded on the website. On the other Mondays, starting on April 8th,  members can play friendlies or, by prior agreement, matches that count towards the tournament. These can also be played at any other times when SC courts can be set up.

The final will be contested by the four top competitors who have recorded a minimum of 6 qualifying games. The games are 14 points, with a time limit. Players need a SC handicap card, their initial index calculated according to their AC and GC ratings. Bisques are given according to the chart on the card. Initially the time limit will be 90 minutes but this may be adjusted in the light of experience.

  • You may challenge any club member to a game, regardless of whether they are on the ladder already or are yet to play their first game. 
  • These are qualifying games so both players must enter them on their handicap cards.
  • To join in please send an email to dr.s.m.fisher@gmail.com to have your name entered, issue a challenge, play the game and one of you enters the result below. Results should be entered promptly for it all to work properly.

There is some more information on the Egyptian ladder below.

Results up to qualifying date

NamePointsWinsGames
Andy Evason1201112
Andrew Petit1161116
Joe King11356
Brian Jamieson107610
Carol Jamieson10447
Edmund Shirley9713
Peter Allan95411
Carol Wadsworth9501
Minty Clinch9339
Paul Wolff9203
Claire King9003
Steve Fisher8929
Avril Rangoni-Machiavelli8904

Your games

DateWinnerpointstoLoserPointsto

Details of the format

Each player is initially assigned 100 ranking points. If a player beats a player of the same ranking then four points are transferred from the loser to the winner. However beating a higher ranked player results in more points being transferred and vice versa. Winning or losing a game may change your handicap but this change has no impact on the ranking points

You may challenge any club member to a game, regardless of whether they are on the ladder already or are yet to play their first game. Failure to accept the challenge without good reason and to play the game within two weeks results in a maximum score being recorded for the challenger and 0 for the person who failed to play. Such results do not go on handicap cards as regular results would.

You must play a minimum number of games to win.

A player's position is determined by ranking points, then wins, then net wins (#wins – #losses).

The number of points transferred is given in the table below.

Difference in ranking points before the gameIf player with higher ranking points winsIf player with lower ranking points wins
0-744
8-1135
12-1526
16+17

In the event that two players have the same index, number of wins and net wins then who-beat-whom amongst the tied players, and finally net points will be applied manually at 23:59 on the 5th August to decide upon the four best players to take part in the finals to be held on August 12 at 13.30. Should anyone be unavailable to play, their place will be offered to the next best participant.

The finals format has been chosen to give an advantage to the two players who have done best.

  • Qualifier 1 – Player 1 vs Player 2 (the loser gets a second chance)
  • Eliminator – Player 3 vs Player 4 (will be played at the same time as qualifier 1 and, as it’s name suggests, eliminates one player)
  • Qualifier 2 – Winner of Eliminator vs loser of Qualifier 1
  • Final – between the two qualifier winners

Joe was not available for the finals so the top 4 were: Andy, Andrew, Brian and Carol

In qualifier 1: Andrew beat Andy +5
In the eliminator: Carol beat Brian +8
In qualifier 2: Carol beat Andy +8
In the final: Carol beat Andrew +4

Roger Cambray Memorial Shield 2024

The Roger Cambray Memorial Shield is a light hearted one-ball event that marks the start of the season. It took place on Easter Monday, 1 April.

This year it was played on half size courts to make it more accessible to those who don’t play much AC. All will play with a handicap derived from AC and GC handicaps – there is no problem if you don’t have one.

The event will also be the local heat for the National Charity One Ball competition, with the winner being entitled to attend the final at Surbiton on May 5th. There is no entry fee but a voluntary donation of around £10 a head would be appreciated by the British Heart Foundation, the National One Ball’s charity for 2024. You will be invited to complete a Gift Aid form on the day to allow the BHF to claim the Gift Aid. We are encouraged to wear something red, the British Heart Foundation’s house colour.

The morning was organised as a Swiss with “about” sixteen players. Joe also cooked the beef. After an excellent lunch Joe decided that the top eight would take part in a knock out. The final was between David Long and Steve Fisher – David won and so is entitled to play in the final at Surbiton on May 5th.

Prebendal Manor Cup 2024

Winner: Joe King

The Prebendal is our Club’s annual, internal AC Handicap competition.

Congratulations to Joe King, for beating Peter Allan 21-20 in this year’s final. In the semi-finals, Joe beat Andy Robertson 18-0, while Peter beat Deirdre Cochrane 18-16. These follow the group stages (as detailed further down this page), and the quarter-finals which had been decided as below:

  • Peter bt. Brian (18-13)
  • Deirdre bt. Harry (walkover)
  • Andy R bt. Andy E (18-0)
  • Joe bt. Nigel (retired “on the peg”)

Competition format:

The seeded blocks for the first round have been drawn as below. Please book and arrange your games at earliest opportunity, before the courts get too busy in mid-summer: the winner of each game is responsible for entering the result below.

  • A) Robin Brown, Deirdre Cochrane, Andy Evason, Claire King
  • B) Joe King, Andrew Petit, Brian Jamieson, Edmund Shirley
  • C) Peter Allan, Paul Wolff, Andrew Robertson, Minty Clinch
  • D) Avril Rangoni-Machiavelli, Harry Crump, Nigel Cox, David Seed, David Long

Positions within each block will be determined according to the tie-break criteria below:

  1. Number of wins
  2. Result of matches between tied players
  3. Total Hoops scored
  4. Number of block matches played
  5. Net Hoop difference across all matches played
  6. Who first entered their final match result

Block winners and runners-up will then be drawn into quarter-finals, ensuring that the two qualifiers from any block won’t meet again before the Final. Quarter-finals must be played by Sunday 8th September. The winners will progress to the Finals Day on Saturday 14th September, where semi-finals will be played in the morning, and the Final in the afternoon.

Game Format:

All matches except the Final should be played as 18pt games (1 and 3-back variation – as per AC rule 51.2.3) with a 2.5 hour time-limit. The Final will be contested as a 26pt game with a longer limit (e.g 3 or 3.5 hrs, dependent on the playing conditions on the day).

Games will be handicap, with a base of 9:

  •  in games involving at least one player of handicap less than 9, normal bisque allocations apply, subject to the standard reduction for 18pt games. e.g. player A (handicap = 4) vs player B (handicap = 16): B is allocated 12 bisques, reduced to 8.5.
  • if both players have handicaps of 9 or more, each player gets a number of bisques equal to the difference between their handicap and 9, reduced according to the schedule for 18pt games. eg player C (10) vs player D (11): C is allocated 1 bisque, reduced to 0.5; D is allocated 2 bisques, reduced to 1.5. 

Games cannot end in a draw: the standard extra turns procedure (AC rule 61) should be followed if scores are level when the time-limit is reached. 

Any ambiguities or extenuating circumstances affecting these rules will be resolved by reference to std. AC tournament rules, else at Tournament Managers’ discretion.

Block Results & Tables:

Block A

Name#RBDCAEWNHTH
Robin Brown1X18-170-181-1718
Deirdre Cochrane117-18X18-161135
Andy Evason118-016-18X11634

Block B

Name#JKBJAPESWNHTH
Joe King1X0-1816-1218-122-834
Brian Jamieson118-0X18-610-1122946
Andrew Petit312-166-18X16-101-1034
Edmund Shirley312-1811-1010-16X1-1133

Block C

Name#PAARPWMCWNHTH
Peter Allan1X12-1818-218-1421448
Andrew C Robertson118-12X18-33-182639
Paul Wolff32-183-18X14-121-2919
Minty Clinch314-1818-312-14X1944

Block D

Name#NCHCDLWNHTH
Nigel Cox1X18-218-423036
Harry Crump22-18X18-131-1120
David Long34-1813-18X0-1917

AC HILO Doubles 2023

This one-day competition to be held on the 26 October – weather permitting.

High and low handicap members combine to form a doubles pair for each
game. At the end of the day there will be a high handicap winner and a low handicap
winner based simply on number of wins.

We now have 16 competitors signed-up; the ideal numbers for the competition. Please continue to sign-up, though, if you’ld like to be added to the waiting list should anyone drop out at late notice. Places will be allocated first come, first served.

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AC All England Handicap 2023

After an absence of three or more years, the Club is entering the AC All-England Handicap
tournament.

This involves a local competition at Blewbury to produce qualifiers for Area Finals at Surbiton and two other locations on 19 and 20 August. Those successful in the Area Finals will compete in the National Final at Chester on 16 and 17 September.

Queries to Brian Jamieson please.