BCA - Alternate Format Ideas
Some of us need to get up the next day
Our BCA league is fun, but sometimes, it ends later than some of us would like. It’s one of the most frequent complaints I hear. I’ve given it some thought and here are some alternate format ideas. I’d love to hear comments from others in the league. Please share this with your teammates.
Because there are a few different parties that have different requirements, I will do my best to keep the number of players the same. Five players will play each week. I think both the league operator and venue operators need to have a predictable, repeatable revenue stream. The third part of the equation, the players, just need to end it a little early.
I will use the following nomenclature: Team 1 will have players A, B, C, D E and F. Team 2 will have players a, b, c, d, e and f. So when I say “Ab” that means Player A from team 1 breaks against player b from Team 2.
AB:bc means players A & B are playing b and c in Scotch doubles. Player A breaks and player b follows.
Format 1
Round 1: Singles
Aa
bA
Ac
Round 2: Singles
aB
Bb
cB
Round 3: Singles
Ca
bC
Cc
Round 4: Doubles
DE:de
ED:de
de:ED
ed:ED
Total Games: 13 (48% reduction)
Summary: 3 singles from each team play each other. The remaining 2 players on each team play doubles 4 times.
Singles get 3 games each as opposed to the current 5
Doubles players get 4 doubles games each instead of 5 singles.
Format 2
Round 1: Singles
Aa
aA
Bb
bB
Cc
cC
Round 2: Singles
Ab
bA
Bc
cB
Ca
aC
Round 3: Singles
Ac
cA
Ba
aB
Cb
bC
Round 4: Doubles
DE:de
ED:de
de:ED
ed:ED
Total Games: 22 (12 percent reduction)
Summary: 3 singles from each team play each single on the other team twice, alternating breaks. The remaining two players play doubles 4 times. (This could be adjusted downward to 2 doubles games to get the evening down to 20 matches.)
Singles get 6 games each instead of 5.
Doubles players get 4 doubles games each instead of 5 singles. (Or doubles get 2 games, if you choose that option.)
Important Points
Lots of strategy: you pick who plays doubles so you could choose to pair your lower skill player with a higher skill player. This would both keep the pace up and allow a small amount of coaching since table talk is allowed in doubles. In theory this also avoids the 60 inning match we’ve all seen. There would be a max combined skill, just like in tournaments. Importantly, lower skill players get to win more often AND feel like they are learning.
How would Fargo work? I’m not completely sure, but the BCA League Operator Manual does say they can support doubles so I assume there is a way to get this to work.
No substitutions. Once you set the lineup, that’s it.
In format 1, the home team has an advantage: they don’t have to reveal who will be playing doubles until Round 3. I think that’s fun. Others might disagree.
I would love to hear from other players in this league. Let’s discuss!