TIE GAMES.—When competition is for a championship, any tie for it must be played off. Ties for other prizes may or may not be, as circumstances dictate.
TIE GAMES SEPARATE.—Save when they involve a championship, tie games are no part of the tournament proper, which ordinarily ends when all the contestants have either played or forfeited an equal number of games. Yet, while tie games for else than the championship will not serve to determine other than special wagers, they are, nevertheless, records in themselves, although without being a part of the tournament.
FORFEITURES.—In a tournament, every game begins with the first one, in the sense of binding every player who has not previously been declared out. It has always been an unwritten law of billiards that a withdrawer, instead of canceling his games already played, forfeits those he has yet to play. The former procedure penalizes the faultless for another’s fault. It is also open to the objection that, in order to deprive one winner of his record for high average or high run, the loser of the game in which either was made may be induced to withdraw. Injustice is possible even without collusion. Within two years, cancellation has deprived one continuing player of his highest average, and another of the highest average of all.
For amateur tournaments, a few Western roomkeepers have a rule of their own, which cancels if the withdrawer has not played more than half his games, and forfeits if he has.
GUARDING AGAINST FORFEITURE OR OTHER FAILURE.—Until a scheduled game is started, the players of the next one in order should be on hand.
THE SANCTITY OF SCHEDULE.—A schedule once made out by due authority should be adhered to, instead of being changed to suit some individual caprice.
OPENING GAME.—Never let it be between the supposed best two players. For some special reason, one such may be utilized, but not two without inviting the almost certain penalty of a loss of public interest as the games draw near their close.
RUSH THE LOSERS.—As far as practicable, play losers first in preference to winners. If they are good losers, they will not object. In no other way can the anti-climax be prevented of having one or more games to play after the main prize has been won, or of requiring the leader to play when there is nothing for him to win.