THE SOCIETY OF ANCIENTS DOUBLES MASTERS 2008

The Doubles Masters is sponsored by the Society of Ancients and is organised and run by the British Historical Games Society.

What’s it all about?

The Doubles Masters is a competition played by teams of two players at five different venues during the course of the year.  Each venue is run as a competition in its own right but scores are aggregated from each venue towards an overall Doubles Masters Competition.

This year the format has been expanded to feature a choice of five popular rules sets; DBM, DBMM, Field of Glory, Flames of War and Warhammer Ancient Battles.

Realising that not everyone can get away for a whole weekend, it will now be possible to take part in a Single Day Event that will run as part of the main event.  A team may enter for the Sunday only and play with all of the other teams to compete for the Best Sunday Score Competition.

How do I enter?

Print out the Handy Doubles Masters Entry Form and send it with an enclosed cheque (made payable to “BHGS”) covering the entry fee to:

BSOA Doubles,
167 Ravenstone Drive,
Greetland,
Halifax,
HX4 8DY. 

The cost is £8 per person or £16 per team. 

All return correspondence will be sent via email unless a SAE is included with the entry.

Sponsored or reduced entry fees are available to BHGS members:

·         A discount of £1 per player per event is available to Society of Ancients or BHGS Members (SOA membership nos. must be supplied with entry).

·         Players under 18 years of age are allowed free entry, and full time students are allowed entry at half price.

·         Players who have not previously taken part in a "Doubles Masters" event will be allowed free entry at all remaining venues for that year.

Queries may be made to the above address, by telephone 01372 812132, fax 01372 817038 or e-mail BHGS@slitherine.co.uk.

Where are the competitions?

Each round of the Doubles Masters will be held at a different venue around the country.

What rules are being used?

Five different rules sets are being offered:

Only rules sets that have a minimum of six teams entered will be run.  Teams are encouraged to express alternative rule sets they would like to play in the event that not enough teams enter for a venue (this will be determined and announced two weeks before the event).  If a team has entered for a rule set that cannot be run then a full refund will be offered.

How are the draws going to work?

·          The draw for the first game at the first venue is random.

·         The draw for the first game at all other rounds is based on the Swiss Chess System using the teams current adjusted score to-date. Teams that did not play at previous venues will be included randomly at the bottom of this draw.

·         The draw for games 2-4 at each venue are based upon the teams' scores so far at the current venue only.  Sunday only entrants, they will be added to the bottom of the draw.

·         No team will ever play the same opponents twice, except at the final venue of the year.  At this venue teams may play teams that they played earlier in the year, but cannot play the same team twice at that venue.

·         Teams will not play others from the same club in the first game at any venue, but may do so in games 2-4.

What prizes are going to be awarded?

Prizes will be awarded for teams for all rules sets being run in the following conditions:

·         At each venue for finishing 1st, 2nd and 3rd place aggregating the score from all four games.

·         At each venue for finishing 1st, 2nd and 3rd place aggregating the score from both games on the Sunday.

·         At the end of the year for finishing 1st, 2nd and 3rd aggregating the best three scores from every venue the team attends.  Teams may not mix scores from different rules sets.  Only rules sets that are run at three or more venues will be included.

·         At the end of the year the team that finished 1^st overall for the rules set  with the most attendees throughout the year will be awarded the Alexander Trophy as Society of Ancients Doubles Masters Champions for 2008.

The trophy's awarded at BHGS events are accurate reproductions taken from various exhibits at the British Museum and other locations

Prizes will be awarded to both players in a team. 

Anything else I need to know?

Doubles play is generally more relaxed than singles play and is hopefully a shared and enjoyable experience for both players in a team.  It is therefore important that more experienced players resist the temptation to control or move all of the troops in the army. Discussion and planning are an integral part of Doubles play but it is important to remember that this should not extend to a point where it slows or disrupts the game.

All venues count toward the BHGS National Rankings