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GLTTC Ladder Rules

The GLTTC ladder is a whiteboard with space for many names. It represents the current ranking of all the players on the ladder. The history of top-ranked players will be listed here.

Start at the bottom of the ladder: put your first and last name and today's date (formatted MM/DD as in 10/16).
Climb the ladder by challenging other players.
Matches are three games out of five. USATT rules apply.
Challenge anyone within three of your name (counting only the people who are present today).
If you have already played everyone within three, today, then you can challenge anyone in the gym.
If you get a valid challenge, you must accept, or your name goes to the bottom.
If you beat a higher player, swap positions by exchanging your names on the ladder. Update the dates.
If the higher player wins, update both your dates but don't swap positions.
The date represents the last time you played. If you haven't played for a month, you can be moved to the bottom of the ladder.
A challenge is not valid unless it meets one of two conditions:
- First, a challenge is valid if it comes from a person who is one of the nearest three people on the ladder to you (three above or three below you), counting only those who are present today.
- Second, a challenge is valid from anyone, if the challenger has already played all three higher and all three lower players nearest them on the ladder who are present today.

So you can only challenge another player if they are one of three nearest, higher players or one of the three nearest, lower players on the ladder that are present at the club today. But if you have played all of them that are present today already, then you may challenge anyone on the ladder.

HOW CAN I CLIMB TO THE TOP?

If you are new or haven't played in more than a month: put your name at the bottom. You can challenge anyone within three of the bottom. Put your paddle down at their table, or just grab them and play on a free table. The person that you challenge must accept and play you. If the lower player wins, you swap positions on the ladder board, writing down your name and the date. You can then challenge another player, within three positions of your new location. Since you can move up three positions for every match by making your highest valid challenge, you can potentially move up to your proper level very quickly.

HOW DO I STAY ON TOP?

If you are the top player: you just have to accept all valid challenges and play more than once a month. A player more than three below you must play everyone in the gym that is within three positions of them, above and below, so the only way to say No to them is to check for the six names on the ladder above and below their name, and see if any of them are in the gym and have not yet played your challenger. If so, your challenger has to play them first, before playing you. And if they go up or down, the list of players within three changes, and they might have to play again before they can challenge you on the ladder.

WHAT IF I PLAY A FAR-HIGHER PLAYER ANYWAY?

If a far-lower challenger has not played their nearest six opponents but put their paddle down on the table and waited for their turn, that is fine; they get their turn at the table and you must play them anyway by the regular club rules of turn taking, but it's not a ladder match and an upset won't count as a ladder win unless they have met the conditions for a valid challenge to play you in a ladder match. So they should play their six before challenging you if they want it to count.

WHAT IF I DON'T COME FOR A MONTH?

You will probably find yourself at the bottom of the list.

Ladder Leaders

9/16-9/18/2009	Tom Veatch
9/19/2009-	Kim Goldov