Harrow & District Snooker & Billiards League

ABOUT US

OUR COMPETITIONS

INTER-LEAGUE COMPETITIONS

The Harrow League has always competed in local Inter-League competitions, initially those run by our neighbours, the now-defunct Uxbridge League, from 1960 to 1983. The Uxbridge League ran two competitions, a knockout team championship (for the Harman Cup) and a knockout "Champion of Champions" competition for participating Leagues' (previous season's) individual champions (for the Jack Karnhem Trophy). Interestingly, the format of the team competition was identical to that used in the Harrow League's Poore Cup (ie 6 player teams, single frame playoff in the event of a 6-6 score) which would suggest some input by the Harrow League at inception (or a complete coincidence).

From 1984 until 1990, the running of the competitions was taken over by the then London & Home Counties Billiards & Snooker Association. 

In 1990, the Harrow League agreed to administer the competitions and has continued to do so until the present day. In recognition of the generous donation of two permanent trophies by ACE AWARDS, the competitions were known as "HARROW LEAGUE/ACE AWARDS INTER-LEAGUE"  and  "HARROW LEAGUE/ACE AWARDS CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS" competitions. During 2008, ACE AWARDS ceased trading and it was agreed at the 2009 AGM to delete any reference to the company from the titles of the competitions.

Entries to either or both competitions are welcome from any bona fide (reasonably) local League and more than one team per league can be accommodated. The current geographical spread is from Reading (west) to Harrow (east) and from Milton Keynes and South Bedfordshire (north) to Epsom (south).

The Inter-League team competition is a knockout between teams of 6 players. At the start of each match team captains list their players in the order they wish them to play. Cards are then exchanged and the process repeated thus determining opponents and order of play. Each pairs' game consists of 2 frames (12 frames for the match). In the event of a draw, each team nominates one of their team to play a single frame playoff. The final is played over two legs (home and away) eliminating the need for a neutral venue. For the final, a playoff is conducted only in the event of an aggregate 12-12 draw.

Until and including the 2010/11 season, the Champion of Champions matches took the form of a knockout, each match being played over the best of 7 frames, with the final being at a neutral venue. However, during the period leading up to the 2010/11 competition the number of walkovers and/or concessions were causing some concern so the decision was taken to change the format to a one day event. The Harrow League's Fairview Club, Wembley, hosted the 2011/12 competition and despite requests for another Leagues to take turns to host future competitions no offers were received and Fairview again hosted the 2012/13, 2013/14 and 2014/15 competitions.

A complete draw for the team competition is made at the Inter-League AGM in early September. The new format for the Champion of Champions consists of round robin group matches followed by semi-finals and final knockout but the precise details are left to the organisers on the day once player registration is complete.

An update.
With only 5 entries for the Champion of Champions and a similar number for the Team competitions, it was with regret that a decision had to be taken to run neither of them in the 2015/16 season.

With very little sign of interest being shown, a decision was taken in late 2018 to formally abandon the running of both competitions.