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Hi guys.

At this time of year in the UK especially, there is a tradion of a handicap snooker tournament taking place in snooker clubs and Working Mens Clubs up and down the country, and that is the Snooker Handicap Knock-out competition.

It works in exactly the same way as an ET does, ie, that it's a one frame match and on a knock-out format. However, the difference is the handicap.

For those who do not know what that means, it is basically a system of trying to make a single frame of snooker an even playing field by giving the lesser skilled player a start in the frame.

I think this would be a good idea to incorporate here, given it seems there are a small band of players who keep winning the Snooker ET's.

So how would it work in reality? Well, I would suggest the handicap mark goes according to Rates. The higher rates you have, the lower handicap you have to start with. For me, the player would be allocated a handicap starting mark according to how many rates you have. A suggestion is as follows :

Rates 1000 - 1500 .... handicap 0 point
Rates 1501 - 2000 .... handicap -7 points
Rates 2001 - 2500 .... handicap -14 points
Rates 2501 - 4000 .... handicap -21 points
Rates 4001 - 7000 .... handicap -28 points
Rates 7001 + .... handicap -35 points

Therefore, if a player has 1250 rates, he would receive a 28 point start against a player who has 4500 rates.

Now there are pro's and cons with this.

For instance, a major point would be the crackerjacks who have low rates would get and easy start by having a lead before a ball is struck.

However, it would also give those who have lower rates, who are maybe not as skilled in the game, a real opportunity to have a really good chance against the better players.

I can see this being a good topic for debate, but I can also see this being a realistic option for a tournament to be held in Snooker. It would not work in Pool, but it is already an institution here in the UK and I feel would be great for AT to incorporate.

It would also encourage many more paid up members to enter Snooker ET's, as they can actually see a realistic chance of winning.

What do you all think?

Kindest Regards

Rod

the players still have to win the ets right? like any normal et, i dont feel theres any need to have this system, everyone started of as a newbie each player improves his or her skill by practice, this would be unfair for the top players because they started off low so i think it shouldnt judged weather how much rates a player has if a player wants to win an et then they learn from there mistakes and improve...GreGG...

Hi Gregg

I see where you are coming from with your comments.

The main reason I posted this so it gives a fair chance for even the newbies to have a crack at the whip in winning ET's.

To start with, I would make it a free, or at worst, a semi-risk tournament.

Yes, there are those of us who have earned our rates through hard graft on here, but its the same faces on snooker ET each time. Yet there are many more paid up members who never give ET, even free, a try. I think this would be a way of introducing new members to play an ET.

I am not asking for a wholesale changes to the existing ET's, but for a new tournament to be developed.

Hope this helps.

Kindest regards

Rod

I agree with Rod, it's not a case of being unfair to the top players, in fact i think it would be more of a challenge to the higher skilled players who have more time to practise than others.
There can be no satisfaction in a win for a player who can clear the table in one or two visits when a newbie has potted nothing!
If the playing field is levelled by a handicap system then this is surely a good thing to encourage newer players into the tournaments who would normally steer clear because they have no chance of winning due to players with a ranking of 4000+.

Regards

Wayne

It might be good but i don't think u can judge how good a player is because of his/her rates... we all know rates doesn't mean nothing nor does it make a player good just because u have a few

you can take every satisfaction to clear the table in 1 visit it takes more skill then anything, i dont approve but thats my opinon rates have never ever been respected and dont count for anything, handicap means there is an disadvantage i dont think so every player has the right to improve and practice so its up to them its a game so play it...GreGG...