Prague - Squash

Rules of the Prague Squash League

1. Vocode?
   1. This is our unique singles squash league.
   2. The league is open only to club members. To participate, you must pay the required membership fee.
   3. Fill out the questionnaire, and we’ll place you at a level where you can play your best.
   4. We’ll match you with 4 evenly matched opponents every month.
   5. You arrange the matches yourself whenever and wherever it’s convenient for you. We recommend using our scheduling interface.
   6. Matches are played to the best of three sets, with each set played to 11 points without a loss. If the score is 10–10, you must win by 2 points.
   7. What equipment is used? Unless the opponents agree otherwise, the official ball of the squash league is the Dunlop ball with two yellow dots.
   8. You’ll enter the match results on the website, and based on those results, you’ll be matched with stronger or weaker opponents the following month.
   9. The league season consists of fall, spring, and summer seasons.
   10. Each season consists of 4 rounds, which roughly correspond to calendar months.
   11. Membership dues are paid monthly in the amount specified in the Membership Dues Schedule. If you have an active recurring payment set up, the next payment will be automatically deducted 7 days before the start of the round.
       
   12. We reward the best players of the season, but we also raffle off lots of prizes for players who participate all year round.
       

   13. Now that you know how it works, let’s get started, honey.

2. Scheduling and Excuses
   1. At the start of each round, we’ll email you a list of opponents and a link to the group where you can immediately start scheduling matches. You and your opponent will choose the date and venue yourselves.
   2. You can easily suggest dates in your group here on the website, by email, or by phone. Check out the list of partner venues that offer discounts to VAŠE LIGA players for playing matches. You book a court just like any other customer; just be sure to mention that you’re playing in VAŠE LIGA. Be sure to mention VAŠE LIGA again when paying for the court. The receptionist will verify that both of you are listed on the updated player roster for that month and will then apply the discounted court rate. Please be aware of the specific rules at certain sports facilities (see the list of partner facilities). Court discounts cannot be combined. If one of the players has a Multisport card, the VAŠE LIGA discount cannot be applied to that court. To ensure fairness, the player paying with a Multisport card must pay the difference between the discounted rate and the regular rate to the other player who could not use the VAŠE LIGA discount (if a discount is available during that time slot). Example: base price 200 Kč, VAŠE LIGA price 150 Kč. Multisport payment: 100 Kč. Additional payment: 100 Kč. A player with a Multisport card will pay the 25 Kč difference to a player without a Multisport card. The player without a Multisport card pays 75 Kč, as if they were paying with the discount for VAŠE LIGA.
   3. The 5-Day Rule and Minor Withdrawal: Ideally, matches should be played throughout the entire month. If you wish, you can, of course, play all your matches in the very last week, but it’s important to let your opponents know about this in advance. They will then schedule their own matches so that their match against you fits within the timeframe that works for you. Therefore, suggest match dates as soon as possible—no later than five days after the start of the round. If you can’t play at the start of the round, or if you’re coordinating by phone, please send your opponents a message in the Discussion forum—thanks to the match scheduler, you can submit an apology or suggest dates up to a month before the start of a new round. After five days into the round, players who haven’t proposed a date, haven’t posted a message, haven’t recorded a match result, or aren’t active under their opponents’ proposed dates will automatically be awarded a so-called “minor forfeit” with a score of s:3 or s:s.
   4. The purpose of a “minor forfeit” is to encourage non-communicative players to become active. When will you receive a “minor forfeit”? If, within five days of the start of the round, you fail to meet any of the following conditions:
      1. if you do not propose any dates to your opponents in the Match Scheduler
      2. if you do not post a message in the Discussion section on the My Overview page
      3. if you do not enter the match result
      4. if you do not respond to your opponents’ proposed dates when scheduling matches
   5. You can easily avoid minor no-shows—just communicate effectively. If you do receive a minor no-show, pick up the phone and contact your opponents as soon as possible, or suggest as many possible dates as you can on the website to play the match. At the same time, we ask opponents not to take advantage of minor no-shows. If an opponent who has been marked with a minor no-show contacts you and wants to play the match, please try to agree on a time and play the match. If you are proactive, suggest enough dates, and your opponent shows no willingness to reach an agreement, the forfeit may be reconsidered. In that case, contact the league administrator. However, we believe that everyone in the league wants to play their matches and that forfeits will be kept to a minimum. If a match is played, simply enter the correct result in the usual way. If a match is not played, a minor forfeit at the end of the round will be changed to a major forfeit.
      
   6. Arranging matches by phone or email. If you’re arranging matches by phone or email, you must either contact your opponent within five days of the round’s start to set match dates or leave them a message in the Discussion section on the My Overview page stating that you’ll reach out to them soon by phone or email. Arranging matches is currently your responsibility. You must contact your opponent first. If you do not contact your opponent, they are entitled to have a 3:S forfeit recorded from their perspective.
   7. Option to delete a minor forfeit. If a player has received a minor forfeit and makes a binding match agreement with their opponent in the system (or enters a date agreed upon by phone), this action will delete the minor forfeit.
   8. Can’t make it to your scheduled match? Be considerate and call or text your opponent as soon as possible so they don’t make the trip to the court for nothing. If you’re required to pay a cancellation fee for a court reservation canceled too late, be fair and pay the fee. If you and your opponent cannot agree on an alternative date, your opponent is entitled to a 3:S (forfeit) victory.
   9. Running late? Let your opponent know—send a text or give them a call. 
   10. Who provides the ball? Both you and your opponent should bring a ball in good condition to the match and agree on which one to use. If the first one bursts, the other player should provide a replacement.
       
   11. Can’t play at all this month? Please let your opponents know as soon as you find out! Then enter the result as S:3 from your perspective. 
   12. If you know you won’t be able to play at all next month or in the coming months, set the desired break by clicking “Withdraw from the League” on the My Overview page. 

   13. No matter how hard we try, the league is about people. Please be more proactive in communication than your opponent. You don’t know what kind of childhood they had.

3. How many points am I taking home?
   1. Immediately after the match, please agree on who will enter the result. Usually, the winner enjoys this pleasant task and enters the result by set score on the website right after the match (e.g., 3:1). If you lost, make sure your opponent has recorded the result correctly, and if they haven’t done so immediately, do it for them. Always enter your own number of sets won first. Points scored in individual sets are not recorded. Enter the result no later than 24 hours after the match.
   2. Matches are scored as 2 points for a win (including 3:S) and 0 points for a loss (including S:3). A match not played (S:S) counts as 0 points for both players. Additionally, both players are assigned a set score of 0:3. The number of sets won may be a deciding factor in the event that two or more players in a group have the same number of points.
   3. In exceptional cases where a group has 4 (or 6) members, the players in that group receive points for matches played, calculated as if the group had 5 members. Specifically, according to the formula “points earned × 4/(x-1), where x is the number of players in the group.” The total sum of points from all matches is rounded to whole numbers. This rule is in place so that players are not at a disadvantage (or have an advantage) in the number of points earned for the rankings compared to players in 5-player groups.
   4. If you enter a result incorrectly, you can correct it yourself directly in the results table within 10 minutes of entering it. After 10 minutes have passed, you can report the incorrect result to the administrator in the results table by filling out the form. Simply click on the incorrect result. If your opponent entered the result, check to make sure it’s correct. After the round ends, you have up to 12 hours the following day to contest the results.
   5. What happens if we don’t enter a result? At the end of the round, the result S:S is automatically recorded, and both players receive 0 points. So be careful not to forget to enter your result and lose points unnecessarily. After the round ends, you have up to 12 hours the following day to dispute the results.
   6. The points you earn from all matches in a given round are added together. These points determine the ranking of players in the group. Match points are added to points for group ranking and points for level (see Section 5 below). Together, these points also form the overall league standings for all players in that round. The standings are recalculated in real time after each result is entered.

   7. Please play fair—we’re here mainly for fun, not for points.

4. What if we can’t agree? Disputes and forfeits
   1. If your opponent fails to show up for an agreed-upon match without an excuse, you are awarded a 3:S victory (forfeit).
   2. If your opponent apologizes for missing the scheduled match, try to work it out together and find a new date. If you can’t find one, you’ll be awarded a 3:S victory. However, we believe that, just like us, you want to play as many matches as possible. That is the main purpose of the league.
   3. If you’ve been recorded as having a “minor forfeit” (see rules 2.3 and 2.4), your opponent is not obligated to respond in any way to your later proposals to play the match. Whether the match is played is therefore up to their discretion. However, we believe that most matches will be played despite a recorded minor forfeit, and the results will change. Playing matches is the main purpose of the league.
   4. If a match cannot be completed and you do not agree with your opponent on a rescheduled date, the result is determined in the following order:
      1. If one of the opponents arrived late, they forfeit the unfinished sets by default.
      2. If both opponents arrived on time, the completed sets determine the result (e.g., 2:1 is recorded as 3:2). If the set score is 2:2, the deciding set is won by the player who has more points at the end of regulation time in the set currently in progress (recorded as 3:2).
      3. If the players did not even manage to start the deciding set, the opponent with the better point differential from the previous sets wins.
      4. If points 1 through 3 cannot determine the outcome, the players will decide the result by drawing lots (flipping a coin).
   5. If the match is not completed due to an injury to one of the players caused by a dangerous act by an opponent, the remaining sets are awarded to the injured player.
   6. If the match is not completed due to an injury to one of the players through no fault of the opponent, the uncompleted sets are recorded as losses for the injured player. The “uninjured player” wins the match by a score of 3 to the number of sets won by the “injured player.” If the injury is not serious, the players may agree to finish the match on the remaining days of the round and record the result only after the remaining sets have been completed or a new match has been played. However, playing a replacement match is purely voluntary.

   7. The wiser one will back down. Are you the wiser one?

5. What are these points for? The league system.
   1. One round of VAŠE LIGA lasts approximately one calendar month; see Section 6 below.
   2. There are 5 players in each group in every round, including you (exceptionally 4 or 6), and you play a round-robin tournament.
   3. Depending on your results in this round, you’ll move up or down in the rankings, and in the next round you’ll play against better or weaker opponents.
   4. A league year consists of 3 seasons, and each season consists of 4 rounds. At the end of each season, we announce the top male and female players of the season.
   5. Newly registered players start playing immediately in a group corresponding to their skill level at the beginning of any new round, even during the season. The administrator will try to place you as accurately as possible based on the questionnaire you fill out, a personal consultation, or other information available to the administrator.
   6. If, during your first few rounds in the league, you find that your placement does not match your skill level, contact the administrator, who will try to correct it.
   7. As you can see in the image, the league structure has three possible layouts depending on the number of players.
   8. With up to 38 players, the groups are arranged one below the other.
   9. With 39–93 players, the groups in the middle are arranged in two parallel rows next to each other, which allows for a greater variety of opponents and faster movement up and down the league.
   10. With 94 or more players, there are even three parallel groups side by side in the middle of the diagram, which makes rotation and movement even easier.

   11. League Level	Number of Players: Up to 38	Number of players: 39–93	Number of players: 94 or more
       Pro/Beginner

   12. In levels with parallel groups, players are randomly assigned to one of the groups each round. This ensures sufficient variety in opponents.
   13. Opponents in your group for the new round are determined based on your points in the previous round’s standings. You earn points for match results (Section 3), your group ranking (5.13–5.14), and your group level (5.15) in the league.
   14. Group rankings are awarded the following points:
       1. 1st place: 30 points
       2. 2nd place: 24 points
       3. 3rd place: 12 points
       4. 4th place: 4 points (in the exceptional case of a 6-team group: 10 points)
       5. 5th place: 0 points (in the exceptional case of a 6-member group: 4 points)
       6. 6th place: 0 points
   15. In the event of a tie in points between two or more players, the following criteria determine the ranking within the group:
       1. head-to-head match (if two players have the same number of points). If three or more players are tied on points, a mini-table consisting solely of the results between these players is considered, and the following criteria are applied in order:
          1. points from head-to-head matches in the mini-table
             
          2. difference between sets won and lost in head-to-head matches within the mini-table
          3. number of sets won in head-to-head matches within the mini-table
       2. difference between sets won and lost in the entire group
          
       3. number of sets won in the entire group
       4. ranking in the previous round
          
       5. earlier registration on the website
          
   16. Points for group level are determined such that the lowest level receives 20 points, and each higher level receives 20 more points.
   17. At the start of a new round, we take the standings from the previous round and, starting from the top, divide players into groups of 5 (with some exceptions).
   18. Your group in the new round may not always exactly match the rankings at the end of the previous round. This is because new players join the league, players who had paused their participation return, or players leave the league. So you might not find yourself in the group you expected; however, if you were supposed to move up, you’ll face better opponents even if you’re playing in a lower group. At the same time, it’s in the league’s best interest to place these new players in the league in a way that keeps the competition as balanced as possible.
   19. At the start of each new round (and thus at the start of each new season), the administrator performs a seeding process that proceeds semi-automatically as follows:
       1. We start with the players’ rankings from the previous round.
       2. The administrator removes players who have suspended their participation in the league or are quitting.
       3. The administrator adds new players based on their level as indicated in the completed questionnaire. We place new players slightly below their estimated level.
       4. The administrator adds players returning to the game after a hiatus slightly below their previous level.
       5. The player rankings compiled in this way are divided into groups of 5 players.
       6. If the number of players in the league isn’t divisible by 5, groups of 4 or 6 players may be formed at the lowest levels.
       7. Points from the round’s leaderboard are immediately added to the season leaderboard, where they are tallied across all 4 rounds of the season.
       8. We maintain separate season and year-end rankings for men, women, and overall.
   20. In the event of a tie in the standings (round/season/year), the following criteria are applied in order:
       1. difference between matches won and lost (per round/season/year)
       2. number of matches won (per round/season/year)
       3. difference between sets won and lost (per round/season/year)
       4. number of sets won (per round/season/year)
       5. ranking position from the previous round (for rounds only)
          
       6. Previous registration on the website
   21. At the end of the summer season (end of September), the year-long rankings will be finalized (based on the total points earned across all three seasons of the year), the overall winners of that league season will be officially announced, and a drawing for valuable prizes will be held among all players who participated throughout the year.
   22. Anyone who has played in the league for the entire year is eligible to win in the drawing. The higher a player’s ranking in each of the three seasons, the more tickets they receive for the drawing. A maximum of 30 tickets can be earned—10 per season (the top 10% receive 10 tickets, the next 10% receive 9 tickets, …, and the bottom 10% receive 1 ticket).

   23. Points are great, but please don’t kill your opponents just for them. After all, we’re playing for the fun of the game.

6. Legal stuff to wrap things up
   1. By registering for the league, you agree to our rules and terms and conditions, as well as to the publication of results on www.vaseliga.cz, including your name and, if applicable, your photo.
   2. To ensure the smooth running of the competition, we reserve the right to amend these rules during the competition.
   3. If you fail to play any matches for two consecutive rounds without an excuse, you will be removed from the league.
   4. If you are removed from the league for reasons on your part, we unfortunately cannot refund your membership fee up to the month of removal.
   5. If the league has not delivered what it promised, we will refund your membership fee in full upon receipt of a justified complaint (this applies only to the fee for the last month). A request for a refund for this reason is automatically considered a resignation from the club.
   6. You play at your own risk. We recommend that you wear protective gear, especially safety goggles for squash.
   7. If you suffer any damage as a result of participating in this competition, you cannot hold us, the league organizers, liable for it.
   8. Any rules not mentioned here are governed by the Official Rules of Squash.

   9. Hopefully, you’ll never need this legal jargon.

7. VAŠE LIGA’S PLAYER CODE
8. 

9. You don’t have to sign a blood pact with the devil—signing our code with sweat is enough.