Talking Croquet Issue 009 - September 2026

ALTERNATIVE ONE-DAY TOURNAMENT FORMAT

By Brian Maddocksy, Surbiton Croquet Club

Managing a local one-day tournament and wishing to avoid a Swiss style format or using an arbitrary cut off between higher and lower handicap blocks? If so, here’s a new format that has been used successfully for two doubles tournaments and one singles event at Surbiton. These are level-play 0+ events that typically attract players in the 1-5 handicap range, as well as some from 6-10. The aim of this format is to allow everyone a chance to shine and potentially punch above their expected weight, without condemning anyone to being thrashed all day. It starts with three games for each player (or pair) in Round 1 in the morning. These are seeded blocks of 4, with strength spread evenly across the blocks. Running order can be issued and communicated in advance. Each block of 4 has its own lawn, making it easy to find your next round opponents and start games 2 and 3 as soon as players are ready. Round 2 in the afternoon features a second set of blocks of 4, graded based on your round 1 performance. So for example, in a doubles competition with 16 pairs, the four round 1 block winners would be in the top round 2 block, the round 1 runners-up in block 2 etc. The winners of the top round 2 block are the overall winners, but prizes can be awarded to each of the round 2 block winners. The recommended maximum capacity of players (or pairs) is the number of available lawns multiplied by 4. If you think this might work for you, and you want to know more, please contact communications@croquetengland.org.uk

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