Ladder Challenge Rules

The ladder is provided as a service to the RSC squash community. It is intended to encourage friendly competition and aid players in finding partners at their approximate level of skill. RSC squash teams may use the ladder to determine seeding. The squash ladder is not a scientific instrument to determine players relative strengths. We try to keep the rules as simple and unbureaucratic as possible.

Basics
1. When a higher-ranked player A beats a lower-ranked player B, standings remain unchanged.
2. When an unranked or lower-ranked player B beats a higher-ranked player A, player B will take player A's ladder position and player A will drop one rank.
3. When a player first registers, he or she will be unranked – see ‘Free Challenges’
4. A player becomes ranked upon the first win against a ranked player.
5. A member may only challenge another member that is 1 or 2 positions higher.
6. All single games played as part of leagues, e.g., Business league, Premier League, Box league, Gauteng league, etc. between two RSC members will automatically count as a challenge match. In these cases of ‘automatic challenges’, the following will apply:
    6.1. If a player, ranked within two positions below an opponent win’s, rule 2 above will apply.
    6.2. If a player, ranked more than two positions below an opponent win’s, the winner will move up two positions on the ranking The loser’s ranking will remain unchanged.
7. A player may not challenge the same member more than once in within 4 weeks.


‘Free Challenges'
8. All members not on the ladder list have two ‘free’ challenges.
9. All members on the ladder have one ‘Free challenge’ one month after the release of the ladder following the Club Championship.
10. If a ‘Free challenger’ with more than two places below an opponent loses, the challenger’s ranking will drop three places.

Scores & Other rules
11. Results should be entered as soon as possible after a match.
12. Players should agree on who will enter the score. When an unranked player wins against a ranked player, the unranked player must report the score.
13. Scoring:
13.1. Positions 1- 16 plays to eleven points. The first player to eleven wins the game. If the game becomes tied at 10-10, it is “win by 2”. The first person to go ahead by two points wins the game.
13.2. All other positions play to fifteen points. The first player to eleven wins the game. If the game becomes tied at 14-14, it is “win by 2”. The first person to go ahead by two points wins the game.
13.3. Best out of 5 games.
14. Applicable ball for the season must be used, unless both players agree to play with a different ball.