ENGLAND GRAND PRIX PLAYING GUIDELINES 

 

 

 

 

It is the intention of England Darts to give youth players opportunities to compete an any number of events as sanctioned by the Directors, the events listed below will initially be run on a round robin basis to ensure that all players play more than one game at each event, before a straight knock out event is played to decide the event winners.

 

We would encourage every player taking part to join the England Darts Youth Membership, members will enjoy reduced entry fees to Grand Prix events as well as further benefits with England Darts partners. A updated list is available on the England website  www.englanddarts.co.uk

 

Each event will be open to both boy's and girls who are under 18 on the 1st January 2019, there is no lower age restriction, however to be able to play all players must be able to retrieve their own darts (a small foot stall as allowed, but no chairs to be used), and be able to mark a match if required (or have a parent/guardian to mark for them). All players (boys and girls) will be entered into one competition, however where two or more girls enter, there will also be an additional Knock Out competition for the girls where points will be allocated for a separate points table.

 

In addition to all events counting towards an overall table, the events have been placed into regions as well with places from both tables able to gain places into the finals of the Grand Prix, this has been done to help players who may not be able to travel long distances across the whole of England (see below).

 

 

 

Playing Attire

All players are requested to wear black/brown footwear, trousers (not jeans, tracksuits or similar) and collared shirts (advertising patches are allowed). If matches are streamed or played on stage these rules must be enforced.

 

Entry Fees

Players who are a paid up member of the England Youth membership : £5

Players who are not members : £10

 

Non members are only allowed to enter one event as a non member, thereafter they will have to join the membership to play. To join the membership scheme CLICK HERE

The event in the Isle of Man and both events at Selsey will have a £5 entry fee for all players

 

Playing Format

All matches up to the semi finals will be played the Best of 5 Legs (this includes round robin group games), Semi Finals will be played the Best of 7 Legs and the Finals will be played the Best of 9 Legs. All girls matches will be played Best of 5 Legs. All matches will be played under the rules of England Darts/BDO playing rules.

 

Round Robin Groups : All players will be randomly drawn into groups, where players will play all other players in the group.

 

Progression to KO Stage : Depending on the number of players in each group the top two or top four players in each group will progress into the knock out stage. The winner of each match will receive one point, which will decide the positions in the league table. If two players finish level, the player with the best leg difference will be placed highest, if they are still level the result between the two players in the group match will decide who is placed highest. If three or more players are level a 12 dart play off will be held and players will be placed based on their scores, if two players are still level each player will throw a further three darts each until a winner is declared.

 

Knock Out Stage : Players will be allocated places in the bracket system draw based on where they finished in their group, if two players progress the group winners will play a group runner up, Where four players progress  group winners will play a fourth placed player and players who finished second and third in a group will play each other. The bracket system has been formatted so players who were in the same initial group cannot play each other until the final.

 

 

Points Allocation : All players entering an event will receive 3 points, then the following points will be awarded from players who qualify from the group stage :

Winner : 17 points

Runner Up : 12 points

Joint 3rd : 8 points

Joint 5th : 5 points

Joint 9th : 3 points

Joint 17th : 2 points

Joint 33rd : 1 point

Round Robin Group Games : 1 point per match won (groups with only three players will be awarded an additional point per player), a maximum of three points can be gained per player.

 

These points are the same for all events and the same points allocation will also be used for the girls events.

 

Isle of Man and Selsey Events : These events will be included in the overall tables but not included in the regional tables. These events will be open to members and non members and they have all been awarded World Darts Federation (WDF) ranking points, only players under 18 on the day will be eligible for the points. The winners of these events will also gain a place in the following years England Youth Matchplay, subject to them being under 18 on the day of the event.

 

Qualifying Events Prizes :

 

Overall Winner : £150

Overall Runner Up : £75

Overall Joint 3rd : £25

 

Girls Winner £25

 

Ranking Tables : The overall tables (overall and girls) and the regional tables (North, South and Midlands) will be produced, based on the points gained from the respective events, where players are level on points the following ways will decide who is placed highest :

Most Grand Prix Events won

Most Grand Prix Runners Up

 

In the unlikely events of this not being enough to separate players on equal points, a further five deciding factors are in place and are available on request.

 

Regional Tables : The regional tables for the North, South and Midlands will only include players who are allocated to the specific regions, the allocation will be based on :

1. The region of the County Youth team a player represents

2. If a player does not play in the County Youth system, they will be allocated into the region based on their postal address.

 

Grand Final Qualification : The Grand Final will see 16 players in the overall event and 8 in the girls (any girl gaining enough points to qualify for both events, will be given the choice of which event they wish to play in (no player can play in both events as they are played simultaneously).

 

The top 10 players in the overall combined table and the top 5 girls in the overall will gain a place in the Grand Finals, then the top two players in the combined table and the top girl in each of the three regional tables will also gain a place in the Grand Finals.

 

Grand Final Format : The combined Grand Final with 16 players will be split into four groups of 4 players, the top 8 players from the overall final table will be seeded (two in each group alongside two un-seeded players).

 

In the girls Grand Final the 8 girls will be split into two groups of 4 players, the top 4 players from the overall final table will be seeded (two in each group alongside two un-seeded players).

 

The top two players in each group will go to the quarter finals (combined event) and semi finals (girls) in a straight knock out event to be played on stage to decide the respective new England Youth Grand Prix Champions.

 

All 24 players will receive a monetary award which will be presented on stage after the finals.

 

 

 

 

 

Regional County Allocation :

 

Midlands : Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Derbyshire, Herefordshire, Leicestershire, Norfolk, Northamptonshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Suffolk, Warwickshire, West Midlands and Worcestershire.  

 

North : Cheshire, Cleveland, County Durham, Cumbria, Humberside, Lancashire, Lincolnshire, Merseyside, Northumberland, Nottinghamshire, Tyne & Wear and Yorkshire. 

 

South : Berkshire, Bristol, Buckinghamshire, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Essex, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, London, Middlesex, Oxfordshire, Somerset, Surrey, Sussex and Wiltshire.

 

 If you have any queries please contact Bradley Kirk at bkirkenglanddarts@gmail.com