Yorkshire Cup rules

1. General

The Association will organise a club handicap competition annually to be played on a knock-out basis. Clubs will be handicapped by the General Committee on the results from the previous year's Yorkshire Cup results. New Clubs entering the competition for the first time will be handicapped at the discretion of the General Committee. Handicapping will be restricted to receiving games; ties will be decided on the basis of aggregate games. The requirements and rules in the preceding pages headed 'Registration of Clubs & Players' & 'Summer League Competitions' apply equally to the Yorkshire Cup except where specific rules are introduced below.

2. The Draw

The draw for the event will be made by the General Committee after handicaps have been allotted and before the commencement of the season. Each affiliated club of the Association is eligible to enter teams into the competition. The team drawn first for any match will be responsible for arranging the venue of the match. The dates and times of each round will be determined by the Executive Committee when summer league fixtures are decided. Provided both teams agree, fixture dates may be changed to be played within the designated week. If clubs wish to rearrange outside of this week, Executive Committee agreement is required Any player may play for only one team. All teams in one club shall receive the same handicap. Where possible the draw shall be arranged (a) to avoid teams from the same club meeting in the first round, and (b) to prevent teams from the same club meeting in the Final. To avoid teams from the same club meeting in the first round or final, the draw shall be managed so that as one team from a club with two entries is made, the second team should be immediately nominated to play in that half, taking the first available place which is, if possible, not against their own club

3. Team composition and order of play

Teams for the event shall consist of two ladies and two men. The fixture shall be one ladies' double, one mens' double and four mixed doubles sets in which the first man and first lady, and also the second man and second lady of each team shall play together. Sets will be similar to those defined for the Summer League Competition, with tie-breaks at 6-all. Unless otherwise agreed, the order of play on two courts shall be: -

(1) Mens' and Ladies' Doubles

(2) First MixedaviSeconduMixed Pairs

(3) First viFirstiandoSecondev Second Mixed Pairs.

4. Player registration

For this event, players may register for any one club of which they are bonafide members, irrespective of their status in any League team.

5. Determination of a tie.

Where a draw results after completing the normal six sets of the event, then the determination of the winning team shall be decided in the following manner: - All pairs of the mixed teams of each club will change partners, eg lady from team 1 club 1 will pair with man 2 club 1, forming two new mixed pairs for each club. One of these pairs will play four games against one of the opposing pairs, the opponents to be decided by toss of a coin or racquet. The remaining pairs will play five games, the fifth game being a tie-break game irrespective of the score after the first four games are completed. Which of these teams play four or five games will also be decided by the toss of a coin or racquet. Note that the tie-break format must be followed irrespective of the score after four games the totals of games for each club from these further nine games shall determine the winner of the tie.

6. Handicap System

a) No handicap will go outside the range 0-28. Where, after adjustments, one or more club's handicap is less than 0, all clubs handicaps will be adjusted by the same amount to make the team with the lowest handicap 0. Any club with a handicap greater than 28 will have the handicap adjusted to 28.

b) For every round won the handicap is reduced by one. Where a club has entered more than one team, the team that has won the most rounds will be counted

c) For round losers, the following is added to the handicaps:

out 1st round +3,

out 2nd round +2,

out 3rd round +1

d) All the adjustments will be accumulative

7. Executive Committee adjustment

In exceptional circumstances the Executive Committee can adjust the calculated club handicaps prior to the draw being made. In this case this will be noted on the draw sheet.