Bristol Backgammon
Handicap Knock-outs
How it works
Handicap events, as currently played in Bristol, feature two flights of knock-out.
Both flights are to 7 points, and players are allotted a handicap based on their recent playing records, if any.
New players, and players yet to win a Bristol Backgammon match, are given the most favourable handicap. Other players, not fitting any of the criteria above, e.g. former league players with no recent track record, are handicapped at the director's discretion.
The way the handicaps work is that two players drawn together will start with the higher handicapped player having a points advantage equal to the difference between the two handicaps, e.g. when Player A (who has a handicap of 1) meets Player B (whose handicap is 4), Player B begins the match with a 3-0 advantage.
Check out the latest handicaps of Bristol players.
Should there be between four and six entrants, however, the format will change, with a round robin. All matches will still be to 7 points in order to preserve the effect of the handicaps. Should the round robin finish with leaders having won the same number of matches, then each player's total points difference in the round robin will be the first level of tie-break. Should that fail to separate the players, then the results -- but not the scores -- of meetings of those players will decide; failing that, a short play-off will be ordered.
This is the nineteenth season of this unique competition.
It now consists of nine events, each costing £10 to enter.
Each player's best six events count towards his/her final points tally.
The Handicap Trophy points tariff 2024
From 2006, the Handicap Trophy became a stand-alone event, the link with the OGP and the IGP having been severed.
Points awarded are as follows:
POINTS AWARDED for Handicap Trophy knock-out wins in 2024 |
| Main flight | Consolation flight |
Entry | 10 | |
Win before semis | 15 | 5 |
Semi-final win | 25 | 10 |
Final win | 35 | 15 |
N.B: In the event of an odd number of entries to the main flight, it is possible that one player may gain entry to the consolation flight after losing his/her second match of the main flight. In which case that player would only benefit by his/her higher scoring flight.
POINTS AWARDED for Handicap Trophy round robin wins in 2024 |
Entry | 10 |
Round robin match win | 15 |
Round robin win bonus | 10 |
N.B: A round robin play-off win will not accrue any points, except for the round robin win bonus.
In the event of a tie on total points, there will be four levels of tie-break: (1) fewest tournaments entered in total during the Handicap Trophy season; (2) highest percentage of wins in all Handicap Trophy matches throughout the year; (3) results of any meetings of the players in question during the Handicap Trophy season; and (4) a play-off where necessary to separate significant positions. Otherwise, i.e. where the positions are not otherwise significant, such players will be deemed to have finished equal.
For general terms and conditions of entry to Bristol Backgammon tournaments, click here for knock-outs or here for round robins.
From 2015 the sponsor added prize money for the top three finishers (£30, £20 and £10).
From 2023 there are cash prizes of £60 and £40 for the top two.
Points awarded in the 2005 version, both in the OGP and IGP and in the Handicap Trophy were as follows:
O G P and I G P POINTS AWARDED for Handicap Trophy wins in 2005 |
For: | H'cap £5 |
Main | Cons. |
Entry | 10 | |
Win before semis | 5 | 2 |
Semi-final win | 8 | 4 |
Final win | 12 | 6 |
Current Handicap Trophy positions
Handicaps of the players
Handicap Knock-out history
Handicap Trophy home page
Rankings history
Site home page