1. Aim
The 2022/23 ESA Circuit will be a series of events run to determine the ESA Champions in the various FISTF categories – U12, U16, U20, Female and combined Open/Veterans. Played to FISTF Playing Rules. The final results will help aid selection for England representation in both individual and team tournaments.
2. Method
This season we will have a series of 6 events spread around England, at each event points will be allocated based on finishing positions. At the end of the season a player’s best 3 events will count in the final Championship table.
3. Entries
Entries can be accepted from ESA members, members of other FISTF registered associations and also other English Subbuteo players who are not ESA members will be allowed to play in a ‘trial’ event, for which they will be charged £5.00 on top of the normal entry fee set by the organising club. This £5.00 fee will be payable by the organising club to the ESA. If they want to play in a second event they must join the ESA.
4. Event Format
Each event will be run as a Swiss System with 5 rounds. There should be a free draw for round 1. All players play in the same competition, regardless of FISTF category. The original draw order is important so must be retained for use in later rounds. 3 points for a win, 1 for a draw. There will be a maximum Goal-difference in games of 5. And this means that, for example an 8-0 win is recorded as 5-0, a 6-1 win is also recorded as 5-0 (to discourage players from deliberately conceding goals to improve their ‘goals scored’). A 6-2 score would be recorded as 6-2. The idea is that in a very one-sided game that a player winning by a large margin should be encouraged to coach their opponent, perhaps to wait for blocks, for the remainder of the game.
If there is an uneven number of players the player at the bottom of the draw will receive a 3-0 bye win. After the first round games are then select based on points, then goal difference, then goals scored (bearing in mind that the 5-0 limit needs to be applied correctly first) and then original draw order. Two players may not play twice and a player cannot receive more than one bye. If this comes up during the game allocation you must go back to the previous game selected and allocate the next opponent instead, if this doesn’t work go back to the game before that and try again and so on. At the end ties are ties as far as points is concerned but if the event organiser needs to have a result to award a trophy they can request a play-off on shots to determine the final position – whether it be for the winner or other trophy placing for any category in which trophies are being awarded. If this happens thenthe final placings will include the results of the shots play-off.
5. Results
Results should be sent to the ESA. Championship Points will be awarded by the ESA, they do not need to be awarded by the event organisers we just need the results. We may also need contact details for the players re point 9 below so we can determine whether they should be awarded points or not.
6. Points
Points will be allocated as follows:
1st 90
2nd 60
3rd 40
4th 30
5th 25
6th 23
7th 22
And so on down to 1 with all eligible entrants getting at least 1 point.
If positions are tied the points for those positions should be added and divided by the number of tied players to determine points awarded.
7. Event Trophies
Up to hosting club but we suggest at least Winner, Runner-Up and Top U20.
8. Season Trophies
Top 2 English players (Open/Vet combined), Top 2 U20, Top 2 U16, probably no under 12 so include in U16 and probably not enough Female so include in U20/U16 (this will be changed if the situation changes during the season).
9. Foreign players/Non-ESA members
Anyone is allowed to play but the ESA will not award points to foreign players (members of other FISTF nations) or non-ESA members. However ‘Guest’ players (who we know are not members of another FISTF MNA) are potential ESA members so will get points as long as they are English and playing in their first event. These points won’t count for much at the end of the season unless the player then joins the ESA and plays in more than one event. Points allocated will skip any non-eligible player with those points being allocated to the next eligible player. For example if the player placed 2nd in the event is non 60 points will go to the English player who finished 3rd.
Simon Goodman
ESA Secretary
23rd November 2022
