The BDO British Gold Cup comprises of FOUR events namely

Any player entering the BDO British Gold Cup must be able to demonstrate that he/she has met the terms of commitment made when signing the Super League registration Form – if not then the entry will not be accepted.

All Member Counties Full and Associate, may enter their member County Super League Singles and Pairs Champions into the BDO British Gold Cup, which shall be played off in two stages.

The first stage is to be held within each member County Super League where the Singles and Pairs Champions shall be determined according to the Playing Format laid down on the official BDO County Super League entry forms. (See pages E6 & E7: Men’s Singles & Pairs and Women’s Singles & Pairs)

NB: Super League Entrance Fees shall be made payable to the respective member County darts body.

Each member County shall conduct these play-offs on the weekend allocated in the BDO Calendar for each Playing Season, unless provisions are made for notifying ALL registered County Super League players at the start of the Playing Season of the alternative dates.

The second stage is played-off at the Great Britain Finals, on a ‘Knockout’ basis at a central Playing Venue and is held in the following Playing Season, usually on the same weekend as the Great Britain Finals of the British Champions Cup.

1.00 ENTRY

1.01 Each Member County Full or Associate, entering their Member County Super League Singles and Pairs Champions into the BDO British Gold Cup shall pay an entrance fee for each of the four events.

All entrance fees shall be made payable to ‘BRITISH DARTS ORGANISATION ENTERPRISES LTD’

Each entrance fee is subject to review in each Playing Season and shall be set by the Board of Directors.

(See section ‘H’ Finance Volume 1 BDO Authorised Handbook)

1.02 The entrance fees must be forwarded together with the completed entry forms to the BDO Headquarters 2, Pages Lane, Muswell Hill, London N10.1PS, by the 14th JUNE in each Playing Season.

1.03 Late entries are not eligible and shall NOT be accepted.

1.04 A Member County Full or Associate, failing to pay the appropriate fees by the ‘14th JUNE’ in each Playing Season, shall forfeit the right of their players to play in that particular event in the BDO British Gold Cup in that Playing Season.

2.00 REGISTRATION

2.01 Each member County, Full or Associate, shall register their Super League Singles and Pairs Champions on the official BDO County Entry Forms, which must be forwarded to BDO Headquarters by the ‘14th JUNE’ in each Playing Season.
(See pages E8, E9, E10 and E11, specimen BDO County Entry Forms)

2.02 All players MUST be ‘bona-fide’ registered playing members of the respective Member County Super League.

2.03 In the Pairs Event a player’s partner shall be a registered playing member of the same County.

2.04 In the instance of a team having an ‘odd’ number of registered players, one or two alternative solutions may be adopted. The County Super League shall adopt a Rule which shall allow for the registration of an additional player for that team, OR the organisers of the internal County Play-offs shall conduct a draw for the allocation of partners amongst the ‘odd’ players.

2.05 If a Member County Super League player is also registered to play in that Member County’s County Team, then that player may ONLY enter that Member County’s play-offs to determine that Member County’s entrants into the BDO Gold Cup.

2.06 If a Member County Super League player is NOT registered to play in the member County’s County Team, BUT is also registered for another Member County’s Super League, then that player must choose and declare which Member County the player wishes to represent, the player may then ONLY enter that declared Member County’s play-offs to determine that Member County’s entrants into the BDO Gold Cup.

2.07 On arrival at the Great Britain Final all players shall register at the nominated registration point, at the stipulated times previously advised to their member County General Secretary.

3.00 PLAYING FORMAT

3.01 The BDO Playing Rules shall apply to all matches played in the BDO Gold Cup.

3.02 A Member County’s Singles & Pairs Champions shall be determined in accordance with the Playing Rules and Format laid down on the official BDO County Super League entry forms.

3.03 At the Great Britain Finals the Singles events shall have the following Playing Formats;

Men’s Preliminary Rounds Best of 5 Legs of 501 up.
Women’s Preliminary Rounds Best of 5 Legs of 501 up.

Men’s semi-finals & Final Best of 3 Sets, each Set being the best of 3 Legs of 501 up.

Women’s semi-finals & Final Best of 5 Legs of 501 up.

3.04 At the Great Britain Final the Pairs events shall have the following Playing Format;

Men’s Pairs shall be the Best of 7 Legs of 501 up in all matches.
Women’s Pairs shall be the best of 5 Legs of 501 up in all matches.

3.05 All matches shall be played on Match boards as laid down in the event schedule, or as allocated by the BDO Control Desk Officials.

4.00 DRAW

4.01 The draw for opponents in the Singles & Pairs events shall be conducted prior to the Great Britain Finals at the discretion of the BDO Board of Directors, and shall be published in the event schedule. (The bracket system shall be adopted for each of the events listed)

4.02 The draw for the Order of Play between opponents in each Singles & Pairs match shall be conducted at the specified times announced by the BDO Control Desk Officials, and the Order of Play shall be indicated on the Match Assignment Card.

(NOTE: A substitute Player will be allowed in the Pairs event ONLY at the Great Britain Finals up until the first match, providing that the player HAS NOT played in the event during that season.)

4.03 The Winner/s of the draw, or toss of a coin shall throw first in the odd numbered legs of that respective match.

4.04 The Loser/s of the draw, or toss of a coin will throw first in the even numbered legs of that respective match.

4.05 The result of the draw or toss of a coin shall also apply to the odd, and even numbered Sets and Legs of the semi-finals and the Final of the Men’s Singles event

5.00 PRIZES

5.01 Solid Silver Gilded Challenge Trophies shall be held by the Gold Cup Singles and Gold Cup Pairs Champions for one year.

5.02 Each Player attaining the first two positions in the Gold Cup Singles and Gold Cup Pairs, shall receive an Individual Trophy for the players own retention.

5.03 Each Member County Qualifier in the Gold Cup Singles and Gold Cup Pairs, shall receive a medal/trophy for the players own retention.

5.04 Cash prizes shall also be awarded to players as specified in the event documentation, subject to sponsorship being obtained for the BDO British Gold Cup.

5.05 A special achievement award of £1000 shall be made by the BDO for any ‘9’ Dart Checkout made during the STAGE matches of the Great Britain Finals of the Men’s & Women's Singles events ONLY

6.00 PLAYING ATTIRE

6.01 All the terms of BDO Playing Rule No 25 shall apply to all matches played in the BDO British Gold Cup.

6.02 All players in the Singles & Pairs events shall wear the Playing Attire or Uniform which has been approved by their own Member County Darts Organisation at all times whilst engaged in any match play, and during the introductions to the stage and for the presentation ceremonies in the Great Britain Finals.

6.03 Players representing a former County in the Pairs events, without access to the playing attire of that County shall be exempt from clause 6.02, ONLY providing that they are uniformly dressed at all times during the Great Britain Finals.

‘Uniformly Dressed’ means wearing the same style/design/colour shirts, and the same style/design/colour trousers or skirts.

6.04 Players are not permitted to wear Jeans, neither shall they wear trousers, or skirts made with denim, or corduroy material, which have been fashioned in a ‘jeans style’. This restriction shall also apply to any form of ‘track suit’ attire.

6.05 Any player found to be in breach of Rules 6.01; 6.02; 6.03 or 6.04 shall not be allowed to play in any match at the Great Britain Finals.

7.00 ADVERTISING

7.01 All the terms of BDO Playing Rule No 27 shall apply to all matches played in the BDO British Gold Cup.

7.02 Any Player found to be in breach of BDO Playing Rule No 27 shall not be allowed to play in any match at the Great Britain Finals.

8.00 ANTI-DOPING POLICY

8.01 The terms and conditions laid down in the BDO Code of Practice No 6: Anti-Doping Policy shall apply to all players and officials participating in the BDO British Gold Cup.

9.00 INTERPRETATIONS AND AMENDMENTS

9.01 The interpretation of the Playing Rules and Format for the BDO British Gold Cup in the Great Britain Finals shall be determined by the BDO Director nominally in control of the Playing Venue, whose decision shall be final and binding.

9.02 Information regarding such interpretations shall be forwarded to the BDO Board of Directors for consideration and possible inclusion in a revised version of the Playing Rules and Format for the BDO British Gold Cup.