The league schedule runs for approximately 12 weeks, October through December, and another 12 weeks, January thru March. You are required to play your match on the designated night but, depending on circumstances, can play a make-up match if your opponent agrees.

The game played in our Pool League is called Straight Pool, also known as 14.1 Continuous. There are three games per match. Each player races to pocket his target number of balls, factoring in handicaps, and the first player to reach his target is the winner of that game. You receive 2 points for a win and 1 point for a draw. The person that scores the most points totaled in the three games receives an extra point. For each match, you can receive a total of 7 points.

Each night, you pick up a blank score sheet at the pool hall and keep track of the games together with your opponent.

Handicaps
How can you play against a really strong player... and win? You can't... not without a handicap!

Handicaps are the equalizers we use to make  the games as competitive as possible, while still allowing the game to be friendly and fun.

In Straight Pool, the handicap consists of "points". Each player is assigned a handicap target depending on his average level of play. Stronger players will have a higher handicap (more points) than a player just learning the game. As the new player becomes more consistent, they will see their handicap rise to a more consistent level pursuant to his playing level.

For example, a strong player may have a handicap target of 65 points. A newer player may have a handicap target of 28 points. When these two players play a game, the newer player will start with 37 points (65 minus 28) to the stronger's player 0 points. Being a stronger player, it is expected that he or she will pocket more balls during each inning than the newer player. Of course, if he or she does not reach 65 points before the newer player, then the newer player wins! This is why we have handicaps.

Calculation of the Handicap
The league statistician keeps track of the games played and also keeps track of the handicaps.

The handicaps are a percentage of the average of the last few games played plus a percentage of the year to date average. For newer players, as they continue to play their games, may see their handicap fluctuate dramatically from week to week until they become more consistent. Players who have played for a longer period of time may see their handicap fluctuate by a only one point or less week to week.

The handicap is calculated each week, so make sure that you review them prior to the start of each match.

More details on the handicap formula can be found on our League Rules page in the section on Handicap Play.

Scoring
You start each game by lagging for break. Whomever wins the lag has the option of breaking in the first game, or asking your opponent to break.

Place the person breaking on the left side of the game. Determine the difference in your handicaps, and place that difference as the starting total for the higher handicap player.

As each inning progresses, keep track of each ball pocketed by your opponent with strokes in the appropriate inning box on the score sheet. After the player's inning ends, keep a running total of the points in the appropriate column.

End of Season Tournament
Are some of your friends playing pool on the other night? Want to show them how much you've progressed during the seanon? You have the opportunity!

At the end of March, there is a Single Elimination Tournament for which all players from the two nights may compete in. This tournament is played on a single night, Monday or Tuesday, and players get to compete against players they have not normally played with during the year.

Awards
At the end of each 12-week session, we will have awards for both the Monday Night and Tuesday Night leagues.