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The first time I read your post I thought you were saying that we were taking ?240 out of the prize fund. That's not the case at all. I just want to say that in case anyone else interprets it that way initially.

The reasons for combining the plate entry are two fold:-

Firstly administration - if we know that the players who lose in round one are automatically to be entered in the plate then we don't have to run around finding them, collecting money etc. We're aiming to run 3 comps and I could potentially be playing in all of them so anything that helps us out.

Secondly, the club provides free tables and food. They clearly want to see some money cross the bar and this is one way of keeping 'bums on seats' as it were.

Last year was the first time we tried pre-payment. It turned out to be the way forward. This time we're trying something else. If it turns out to be universally unpopular then we won't do it again.