Rules

See also: Code of Practice for Question Masters

League

1. VALIDITY OF THESE RULES

1.1 The following match Rules shall form part of the Constitution of the Quiz League of London, shall be governed by the Constitution and shall hold for all competitions organised for member teams.

2. PROVISION OF QUESTIONS etc

2.1 Sets of questions will be provided by the League Committee and only these shall be used in the League’s competitions.

2.2 Question sets for a match will be issued to the HOME TEAM at the address specified by that team who have the duty of care of any set from receipt until the start of the match.

2.3 Sets will be issued in sealed envelopes and the envelopes shall carry the official seal of the distributors. These envelopes should only be opened by the Question Master (QM) for the match in the presence of the captains of the teams playing in that match and immediately prior to the start of the match. Should the seal be found to be broken, the VISITING TEAM shall have the right to claim the match.

3. RULES OF PLAY

3.1 Matches shall take place on the dates specified by the League Committee and at the time specified in these Rules. Variations shall take place only in exceptional circumstances and only with the express permission of the League Committee who must satisfy themselves that any match is played according to these Rules and that the security of question sets is not violated on any such occasion.

3.2 A match will consist of one game of 64 questions directed in turn to individuals on each side. Where the nature of a competition is such that a win or lose result is required, extra questions may be asked. The winner shall be the team securing the more points according to the scoring system defined in these Rules. A match is deemed to have started in the QM commencing to read out the first question.

3.3 Teams shall consist of not more than four players. Should players be missing then questions which would have been directed to them will count for bonus points only. Any arrivals after the start of a match cannot join a team.

3.4 The Home Team shall be responsible for providing a Question Master, a Scorer and a Timekeeper for each match save where the League Committee has directed otherwise. At all times, the QM will adjudicate in accordance with the Code of Practice which forms an appendix to these Rules.

3.5 Matches shall commence at 8.30pm unless the League Committee directs otherwise. A period of grace of 15 minutes shall be allowed. Should the start be delayed beyond that period of grace, the non-offending team shall have the right to claim the match.

3.6 In competitions where fixtures are arranged on a home-and-away basis, the visiting side will have the option of answering first or second. In competitions organised on any other basis, that choice should be decided by the toss of a coin. The order of answering is changed after 4 rounds. In competitions where a tie break is necessary, Rounds 9 & 10 will be played with the order of answering changing after Round 9.

3.7 All questions must be answered by the team member to whom the question is directed WITHIN TEN SECONDS. For a correct reply, the QM will award TWO POINTS. An answer by the team member which is commenced after ten seconds has elapsed shall be treated as in 3.8 below. In accordance with the Notes for Guidance, the QM MAY award ONE POINT for a reply which is in his opinion at the time, a near miss.

3.8 Should the team member whose turn it is to answer, not give an answer, the team captain may nominate any other team member to answer. A further FIVE SECONDS in addition to the ten seconds allowed in 3.7 shall be allowed for this answer, if it is correct, ONE POINT shall be awarded.

3.9 If the team whose question it is are awarded no points, the captain of the opposing side MUST be offered the chance to nominate a member of his side to answer WITHIN FIVE SECONDS. ONE POINT shall be awarded for a correct answer.

3.10 Should any member of a team be adjudged by the QM to have prompted in any manner, the QM must treat any answer received as incorrect and proceed as in 3.9 above. However, should the QM give any answer inadvertently, then the team affected must be asked a supplementary drawn from the set provided.

3.11 If any person present at the match prompt a person answering a question, the QM must cancel the said question and ask a supplementary drawn from the set provided. It is the duty of the team captain to ensure that persons supporting the team do not prompt or seek to influence competitors and otherwise interfere with the conduct of the match.

3.12 Either captain has the right to be told the score before a question is asked during the last round of a match.

4. RESULTS etc

4.1 In League Competitions, two League points shall be awarded to the winning team and one to each team in the event of the scores being tied.

4.1A This rule will apply for the 2008-09 League Championship Season only in place of rule 4.1. FOUR league points shall be awarded to the winning team, and TWO league points shall be awarded to each team in the event of the scores being tied (the 'result points'). Additionally, bonus points shall be awarded as follows:

- ONE bonus point to a losing team where the difference between the final agreed scores is THREE POINTS OR FEWER, and;

- ONE bonus point to either or both teams, irrespective of the match result, on the first instance only by each team, of ALL FOUR players in a team in any one round correctly answering the question directed to them for two points.

- Bonus points shall be added to the result points to give the total league points.

4.2 Scoring sheets for the match will be issued by the League Committee and shall be the sole record of a match result. They should be completed in compliance with these Match Rules and with the Guidance Notes.

4.3 Scoring sheets must bear the names of ALL EIGHT players in BLOCK CAPITALS and be counter-signed by BOTH CAPTAINS and the QM within TEN MINUTES of the completion of the game. The signature by a captain indicates either agreement with the score as indicated or indication that the Protest against the result will be duly lodged. The HOME TEAM is responsible for communicating the result in such a manner as may be indicated and in any event is responsible for the completed scoring sheet being in the hands of the person indicated thereon within THREE DAYS of the date of play. Failure to comply with this requirement shall render a team liable to such fines as the League Committee shall from time to time determine.

4.4 If two teams are level on League points, a play-off match will be held to determine League title winners, promotion and relegation. In all other circumstances (including where a play-off is tied) League positions will be determined as follows:

i) highest number of match points scored during the season; if equal:

ii) cumulative match points difference over the season; if equal:

iii) results points in matches between the teams concerned; if equal:

iv) match points scored in matches between the teams concerned; if equal:

v) number of questions answered for 2 points during the season; if equal:

vi) toss of coin.

4.5 If the teams have played different numbers of games during the season due to forfeit matches, (i) and (v) above will be calculated on an average basis (with a forfeit match counting as a match played by the forfeiting team but not by their opponents).

4.6 If more than two teams are tied on League points in circumstances requiring a play-off, qualification for the play-off will be determined as above.

4.7 If a team withdraws from the League during a season,

a) when fewer than half of the season's games have been played, all League and match points scored against it shall be discounted;

b) with half of more of the season played, its remaining matches shall count as forfeit, with each remaining opponent awarded League points as though they had won, and match points averaged as in rule 4.5 above.

4.8 In the President Cup competition, there shall be no play-offs, and rule 4.4 shall apply with sub-rule (v) used as the first tie-breaker and the other subrules re-numbered accordingly.

5. PROTESTS etc

5.1 The League Committee will ensure the formation of a body or bodies competent to hear protests from member teams and hereinafter called a “Protest Committee”. Any Protest committee shall be empowered to recommend to the League Committee or any body charged by the League Committee with the management of a League or other competition the alteration of a match result or the replaying of a match. Such Protest Committees shall be deemed to be impartial and in any case at no time shall comprise any member of any team involved or a member of any team which would clearly benefit from their ruling.

5.2 Any team wishing to protest against the awarding of points by a match official or otherwise protest about the conduct of a match shall have the right to do so and to present its case to any Protest Committee as constituted under 5.1 above. The right of protest shall not be construed as the right to abandon a match in progress without the consent of the opposing team or to interfere with the conduct of a match.

5.3 Any team wishing to exercise their right to protest must indicate its intention to do so at the time of the incident and before the start of the next round or in the case of a protest arising in the last round of a match, before agreeing to the final score. An indication of intent to protest shall not constitute a protest nor bind a team to proceeding with the protest procedure.

5.4 If at the close of a match a team decide to proceed with a protest, the captain of that team MUST write the word “PROTEST” on the front of the Result Sheet and ON THE REVERSE SIDE give brief details of the matter concerned.

5.5 The team entering the protest shall do so in writing stating the full facts of the matter to the League Committee within three days of the date of play and send a copy of the protest to the other team involved. The Protest Committee shall give at least three days’ notice of the hearing to both teams involved who shall each have the right to send a team member to present that team’s case and receive the ruling. Either side involved shall have the right of ultimate appeal to a full Meeting of the League Committee.

6. TEAM MEMBERSHIP

6.1 In any given competition under the auspices of the QLL, a player may not change teams during the course of a season without first obtaining the permission of the sub-committee nominated by the Committee for this purpose.

6.2 If a player represents a team in contravention of this rule, any league points awarded to that team in any game in which the player took part without permission shall be deducted and the game shall be considered forfeit.

Cup

The ALL LONDON CUP is a handicap Knock Out Competition run for teams throughout London and Home Counties by the Quiz League of London.

1 All QLL member teams are automatically included in the draw which will be circulated towards the end of the League Competition programme. Guest teams are welcome and member clubs are encouraged to form extra sides specially for the purpose of this Competition. Entries from guests or nonregular teams must be by entry form available from the Hon. Secretary. An entrance fee may be charged.

2 NO PLAYER shall play for more than one side during the Competition.

3 Handicaps in the form of starting scores are awarded at the discretion of the QLL Committee, whose decision regarding same shall be final. Handicaps will be awarded on the basis of performance during the Season and will be the same IN EACH ROUND of the Competition.

4 Starting scores appear on the draw sheet in brackets and must be appended to the Scoresheet BEFORE the start of the first round. The QM should announce what scores will be added before the start of the first round - e.g. “The score before the start of Round One is ........”

5 The Match Rules will be the same as for QLL League Matches with the following important amendments:

5.1 The order of answering will be decided by the toss of a coin;

5.2 If, after eight rounds have been played, the scores as agreed by the two captains are tied, then the order of answering will change and Round Nine will be played under normal rules;

5.3 If, after Round Nine has been played, the scores as agreed are still tied, the order of answering will change and Round Ten will be played on a “sudden death” basis ,that is, the first side to gain the lead AFTER AN EVEN NUMBER OF QUESTIONS have been played shall be the winner.

6 Question sets will be distributed by the Cup Committee.

7 Guest Team Contacts will be circulated prior to the First Round of the Competition.

8 All the Guest Teams become Associate Members of QLL for the duration and players are invited to all the QLL events.