UNIBRIDGE CLUB
THE WORLD CLASS CLUB FOR ONLINE BRIDGE PLAY
in
RESUME
- All BBO rules apply in our Club.
- Please ALERT and explain with
FULL DISCLOSURE all conventional bids. FAILURE to do so might eventually result in ADJUSTED boards.
- No DUMMY CLAIMS allowed.
- Do NOT CHAT with your partner during BIDDING and PLAY. If you must please use only ENGLISH.
- If you feel opps are PLAYING SLOWLY, NOTIFY the TD during the ROUND, not AFTER.
- Is a TIMED EVENT, so please BID/PLAY promptly and accept VALID CLAIMS.
- Our policy is ZERO TOLERANCE towards RUDE BEHAVIOR to TDs, partner and opps.
- If you INTENTIONALLY DISCONNECT or are BADLY BEHAVED, you will be EXCUSED from the Club
- It is MANDATORY to announce in all rounds SYSTEM, LEADS and CARDING. Please call TD to table when announce NOT MADE and STOP BID.
- UNDO POLICY: Accept UNDOS for very, but very clear MISCLICKS, but not for CHANGES OF MIND or MISPLAY. UNIBRIDGE is a Club of FAIR PLAY. Please call ALWAYS the TD when any UNDO requested.
- SUBBING POLICY: Any member has the right to have his seat back if rejoin in same round.
- Opening PSYCHES not allowed in 1st and 2nd seats, others allowed but if made without partners agreement.
- Poker bids will not be ACCEPTED and board will be ADJUSTED. We are playing in a SERIOUS bridge club, not in a Casino.
- No DUMMY CLAIMS allowed.
- Do NOT CHAT with your partner during BIDDING and PLAY. If you must please use only ENGLISH.
- If you feel opps are PLAYING SLOWLY, NOTIFY the TD during the ROUND, not AFTER.
- Is a TIMED EVENT, so please BID/PLAY promptly and accept VALID CLAIMS.
- Our policy is ZERO TOLERANCE towards RUDE BEHAVIOR to TDs, partner and opps.
- If you INTENTIONALLY DISCONNECT or are BADLY BEHAVED, you will be EXCUSED from the Club
- It is MANDATORY to announce in all rounds SYSTEM, LEADS and CARDING. Please call TD to table when announce NOT MADE and STOP BID.
- UNDO POLICY: Accept UNDOS for very, but very clear MISCLICKS, but not for CHANGES OF MIND or MISPLAY. UNIBRIDGE is a Club of FAIR PLAY. Please call ALWAYS the TD when any UNDO requested.
- SUBBING POLICY: Any member has the right to have his seat back if rejoin in same round.
- Opening PSYCHES not allowed in 1st and 2nd seats, others allowed but if made without partners agreement.
- Poker bids will not be ACCEPTED and board will be ADJUSTED. We are playing in a SERIOUS bridge club, not in a Casino.
CONDITIONS OF CONTEST
General Rules
We are committed to maintaining a
pleasant atmosphere on BBO. Playing on this site should be seen as a PRIVILEGE,
not as a RIGHT: it is dependent upon the display of good Sportsmanship, correct
deportment and above all irreproachable ethics observance of the highest
standard. Players are therefore required to
familiarize themselves with the Proprieties of the Laws of Duplicate Bridge.
Each player is reminded that it is a
breach of ethics to break a law or regulation deliberately even if willing to
accept a prescribed penalty.
The following are considered serious
offenses:
- The use of profanities as well as
racist or sexually explicit remarks
- Insulting your partners, opponents, or
any other member of BBO
- Leaving the table in the middle of a
hand for reasons other than you get disconnected or have good reason to believe
that there is software problem.
- Using software such as MESSENGER, ICQ
or SKYPE to communicate with your Partner
Special keyboard arrangements
_ UNDO active: only for clear misclicks.
Language
_ The only language accepted is English
Systems Policy
_ All systems allowed, if very well explained
and alerted.
_ Psychics only forbidden in Openings in 1st
or 2nd seats. All the others allowed if no partnership agreement.
_ Both members of a partnership must agree
to adopt the same meanings for calls in the auction and also for defensive card
play. This does not restrict exercise of style and judgment.
_ Players are kindly requested to provide
a Convention completed legibly in English, and to Announce System, leads and
carding in all rounds.
_ Failure to complete the Convention Card or Announce may give rise to the imposition of procedural penalties.
Playing time
_ Players are expected to complete each round
in 21 minutes.
_ The system removes un-played or
partly-played boards from pairs who are slow on purpose.
_ If an un-played board is removed:
- If a player complains, must send a
private message to the TD
specifying the board�s number. The TD
will examine the board and if he determines that one pair did not contribute to
the slow play, the board will have an Average.
_ If a partly-played board is removed:
- If a player complains, must send a
private message to the TD
specifying the board�s number and the
required score. The TD will examine the board and if he determines that one
pair did not contribute to the slow play, the board will be adjusted to the
correct score ONLY if the line of play is self-evident.
Alert
_ Any bid/play that:
- has a special or artificial meaning,
or
- whose partnership meaning may not be
understood by the opponents is an "alertable call" which must be
brought to the immediate attention of the opponents through the use of the
"alert".
_ The BBO software is designed so that
players alert their own bids. This is called "self-alerting" and it
is opposite to the approach that is used in live bridge clubs and tournaments.
If you have ANY doubt as to whether one of your bids should be alerted or not,
it is appropriate to alert.
_ If an opponent asks you for the meaning
of one of your bids, you are expected to answer them politely, even if you
think the answer is obvious. You do not have to tell the opponents how you
INTEND your bid - only what you have AGREEDED with your partner.
_ You can�t use chat to explain your bids
to your partner.
_ Alert failing will involve an assigned
score if the opponent will be damaged
Replacement
_ If a player is disconnected she will be
replaced. If the regular player reconnects within same round, she will be
readmitted to her own place.
UNDOS
I prefer to allow
undos for bidding and play
Allowing to ask for an undo, I will grant the possibility to correct a misclik that is very often in online play.
Allowing to ask for an undo, I will grant the possibility to correct a misclik that is very often in online play.
TOURNAMENT CHAT
I allow the players to chat to the
tournament, that you include that in your tournament description. A lot of
players dislike unnecessary tournament chat, in fact they must be restricted to a reasonabale level.
Activating tournament chat, dont allow chat for messages about boards that not everyone has played. It may be best to turn off the tournament chat as the last few tables finish, because it is relatively common for finished players to accidentally make comments about the boards to the tournament, instead of privately to partner or someone else.
Activating tournament chat, dont allow chat for messages about boards that not everyone has played. It may be best to turn off the tournament chat as the last few tables finish, because it is relatively common for finished players to accidentally make comments about the boards to the tournament, instead of privately to partner or someone else.
KIBITZERS (allow/disallow)
Generally, players are most pleased when the director allows kibitzers.
However, the director has the choice to disallow kibitzers. Players should
assume that kibitzers will be permitted unless the director announces on the
tournament description that they are not permitted.
TOURNAMENT LANGUAGE
Players should assume the official language of tournament is English.
DISCLOSURE OF BIDDING AND DEFENSIVE METHODS
I require that, at the start of every round, each pair announces
its system and carding. If such a rule is not used, a pair�s system and carding
must be disclosed by the request of an opponent.
If a pair refuses to disclose its system and/or carding:
1. The director should be called. The bidding stops at this point (or does not start).
2. The director should ask in table chat for the non-compliant pair to disclose whatever has not yet been disclosed.
3. Everyone should allow a minute for an answer. Not everyone can type quickly. If there is no answer after a minute, the director may issue a final warning (optional).
4. If there is still no answer, the director is left with no choice but to remove the pair from the tournament.
Note A: Damage can not be claimed merely as a result of the opponents choosing not to announce their system/carding, because the bidding is supposed to stop at the point that the request is not answered. However, damage can result if the explanation is discovered to be inaccurate or incomplete.
Note B: A mandatory 1-trick or 2-trick penalty for failing to disclose system/carding would be unfair to the other pairs in the field.
If a pair refuses to disclose its system and/or carding:
1. The director should be called. The bidding stops at this point (or does not start).
2. The director should ask in table chat for the non-compliant pair to disclose whatever has not yet been disclosed.
3. Everyone should allow a minute for an answer. Not everyone can type quickly. If there is no answer after a minute, the director may issue a final warning (optional).
4. If there is still no answer, the director is left with no choice but to remove the pair from the tournament.
Note A: Damage can not be claimed merely as a result of the opponents choosing not to announce their system/carding, because the bidding is supposed to stop at the point that the request is not answered. However, damage can result if the explanation is discovered to be inaccurate or incomplete.
Note B: A mandatory 1-trick or 2-trick penalty for failing to disclose system/carding would be unfair to the other pairs in the field.
PREALERT UNUSUAL AGREEMENTS
If a pair has unusual partnership agreements and does not post a convention
card, it should notify each new opposing pair at the start of the round.
Examples of conventions/agreements that should be prealerted (without a
convention card posted) are 1NT openings that vary based on vulnerability and
position and a agreement to open the bidding at the one-level with
significantly less strength than in standard methods.
Unusual defensive carding agreements, including leading low from a doubleton, must be prealerted.
Unusual defensive carding agreements, including leading low from a doubleton, must be prealerted.
NO UNNECESSARY CHAT BY THE PLAYERS DURING BIDDING OR PLAY
Players are expected to not make any unnecessary comments during the bidding
and play. A quick �wdp� or similar comment about the previous board is
acceptable, but a player should wait to offer any analysis or other comments
until the end of the round.
SUBS
The most common activity for a director is to add a sub to the tournament. A
player may be fully disconnected or just non-responsive. A fully disconnected
player (a red bar where the player�s name is located) can be replaced by that
player's partner. A player who has a �red dot� or is �stuck� can be replaced
only by the director.
After a player goes for some time without bidding, usually one of the opponents will make a director call to say �opp (or xxx) not playing�. The director then arrives at the table and greets the table and/or asks if there is a problem or if xxx is still not playing. Usually, an opponent will be quick to say that xxx is not playing, has not bid, etc. If an opponent is the one who made the TD call, it is very important to allow a minute for the inactive player�s partner to say something to the director if necessary. It is possible that his/her partner said �brb� just before the round started, or the player wants to request to wait for the player to return/respond, or wants to request a specific sub from the sub list.
If the player�s partner makes the director call or tells the director that his/her partner needs to be replaced, it is fine to look for a sub immediately.
Under no circumstances should a director replace a player just for appearing to be disconnected without visiting the table first. A player may be reconnecting to BBO at a convenient time (as dummy if it can be done quickly, or between rounds).
In all cases, it is recommended that the director allows the player at least three minutes to return, from the time the player stopped playing or disconnected, unless the disconnected player's partner requests a sub sooner. Sometimes an opponent will call the director immediately; other opponents will be nice enough to wait for some time before calling. A large percentage of players who are briefly disconnected will need 2-3 minutes to return.
After a player goes for some time without bidding, usually one of the opponents will make a director call to say �opp (or xxx) not playing�. The director then arrives at the table and greets the table and/or asks if there is a problem or if xxx is still not playing. Usually, an opponent will be quick to say that xxx is not playing, has not bid, etc. If an opponent is the one who made the TD call, it is very important to allow a minute for the inactive player�s partner to say something to the director if necessary. It is possible that his/her partner said �brb� just before the round started, or the player wants to request to wait for the player to return/respond, or wants to request a specific sub from the sub list.
If the player�s partner makes the director call or tells the director that his/her partner needs to be replaced, it is fine to look for a sub immediately.
Under no circumstances should a director replace a player just for appearing to be disconnected without visiting the table first. A player may be reconnecting to BBO at a convenient time (as dummy if it can be done quickly, or between rounds).
In all cases, it is recommended that the director allows the player at least three minutes to return, from the time the player stopped playing or disconnected, unless the disconnected player's partner requests a sub sooner. Sometimes an opponent will call the director immediately; other opponents will be nice enough to wait for some time before calling. A large percentage of players who are briefly disconnected will need 2-3 minutes to return.
HERE IS OUR SUB POLICY:
A player may request to wait for his/her partner to return. The director should
allow a minute after arriving at the table to see if the player makes that
request (some players are not able to quickly type a response). If an actual
result can not be reasonably be obtained for a board because of the delay, the
complete pair should receive ave+, with ave- awarded to the side responsible
for the delay. (I think an ave- board is a small price to pay to complete the
tournament with a partner of choice.) . Most players would prefer to
continue playing with a possibly compatible sub. If the remaining player
appears to have no preference, the director should obtain a sub. If the
original player returns after getting replaced, he/she may re-enter his/her
original seat once per tournament, only with the permission of the sub.
REPLACE A PLAYER BETWEEN BOARDS IF AT ALL POSSIBLE
Whenever possible, the sub should enter the tournament at the completion of a
board.
If a sub enters during the bidding, the sub is entitled to know the intended meaning of any of partner's conventional bids.
If a sub enters during play, the sub is entitled to know the cards played to each trick, and an additional explanation of any of the opponents' bids if requested.
If a sub enters during the bidding, the sub is entitled to know the intended meaning of any of partner's conventional bids.
If a sub enters during play, the sub is entitled to know the cards played to each trick, and an additional explanation of any of the opponents' bids if requested.
LANGUAGE PROBLEMS, IF OPPONENTS OR TD CAN NOT UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER
If a player is unable to answer an opponent's system question or request to
describe a bid due to not being able to use the official tournament language,
the director should be called. The director can make an attempt to ask someone
not at the table to translate what the player said, or if no other alternative
exists, the director may need to remove the player from the tournament. Under
no circumstances should a director describe a player's actual hand to answer
such a request.
COMPLAINTS ABOUT CURRENT TOURNAMENT TO TD
Everything must be correctly done while directing a tournament, but there are
some people in life who are impossible to please. These people may complain to
the director about the current tournament settings (although these settings
were already mentioned on the tournament description) or a ruling. The proper
way for a player to request or dispute a ruling will be mentioned later. A
player may state disagreement to a TD about the current tournament
settings but must do so in a polite way. The line between just disliking the
tournament settings and rudeness may be crossed if a personal attack is added.
RUDENESS BETWEEN/AMONG PLAYERS AT A TABLE
If the director is notified that someone is rude to another player at the
table, the director should first determine whether rudeness did occur (or if it
was a misunderstanding, etc.) and then warn and/or remove the rude player(s).
HOW TO HANDLE BBO CRASHES
In rare cases, BBO will "crash", meaning that a very large number of
players will be unable to keep a connection to BBO. The crash will sometimes
happen without warning and persist for an unknown amount of time, anywhere from
a few seconds to 45+ minutes. You will know a crash occurs when you see 10 or
more red (disconnected players) on the table list. Here is how to handle a
crash, assuming you can remain connected to BBO:
1. Temporarily change the time per board to 15, the maximum permitted by the software.
2. Announce what is happening to the remaining players.
3. Wait patiently for everyone to return to the tournament.
4. Some players will give up trying to return to BBO. When you see that players have stopped returning to the tournament, then you can find subs.
5. Starting the next round, remember to change the round clock back to your original setting, although if BBO seems to be slower than usual, adding an extra minute or two might be a good idea.
1. Temporarily change the time per board to 15, the maximum permitted by the software.
2. Announce what is happening to the remaining players.
3. Wait patiently for everyone to return to the tournament.
4. Some players will give up trying to return to BBO. When you see that players have stopped returning to the tournament, then you can find subs.
5. Starting the next round, remember to change the round clock back to your original setting, although if BBO seems to be slower than usual, adding an extra minute or two might be a good idea.
ALMOST NEVER CANCEL A TOURNAMENT THAT HAS STARTED
After a tournament starts, the "cancel tournament" button should be
used only in extreme circumstances. If you have an emergency and must leave,
you can ask in the lobby for an available director to take your place, or
explain your situation to a "yellow", and he/she might be able to
find someone to finish the tournament.
SLOW PLAY AT A TABLE, NEAR END OF ROUND
In clocked tournaments, players should know to call the director (about 3
minutes before the end of a round) if an opponent has taken so much time that
all boards of the round might not be finished. This will help the director make
a ruling later if the board is not completed.
WHEN TO ASSIGN AVE+, AVE- OR AVE = TO A PAIR IF SOMEONE IS AT FAULTMFOR SLOW PLAY
If the board result can not be determined, and one side is determined to be at
fault for the unfinished board, a score of ave+ should be awarded to the pair
not at fault, and ave- should be awarded to the pair at fault.
"Fault" does not imply that a side did anything dishonest or bad. It
just means that the side contributed to most of the delay that caused the board
to be unfinished. The delay may be due to a player requesting the director to
wait extra time for his/her partner to return (many players would rather have
an ave- for a board or two if it allows a friend to return and finish the
tournament).
The director, when assigning scores for a board, should not award both sides ave+ (or ave+ for one pair and ave= for the other pair) unless required to do so by the Laws (if a board can not be completed and neither side is at fault).
The director, when assigning scores for a board, should not award both sides ave+ (or ave+ for one pair and ave= for the other pair) unless required to do so by the Laws (if a board can not be completed and neither side is at fault).
PLAYER WHO BIDS 7NTXX FOR NO GOOD REASON
If a player makes a ridiculous bid, such as 7NTxx, for no legitimate reason,
the best way to handle the situation is to boot the player making the
ridiculous bid.
RUDENESS TO TD/CHALLENGES TO TD AUTORITHY OR DECISIONS
A player may politely request an explanation of any ruling or adjustment. A
player may also inform the TD of additional information, if he/she
believes that an adjustment was incorrect. All directors will make an
occasional mistake. A good director should be willing to consider the
additional information if it may make a difference in his or her decision. Any
board can be adjusted as long as the tournament results are still listed on BBO
(about 15 minutes after the tournament ends), but it is much better to adjust a
board before the results first appear, if possible. If a director does change a
ruling or readjusts the result of a board, the reason should be explained to
each side.
A TD also has the right to declare his or her decision to be final.
When a ruling is made, players will occasionally get upset and show their frustration inappropriately. A comment such as "You are a horrible director" may come from the part of the BBO population that is impossible to please, or from someone who is in a really bad mood, so do not take it personally. At the point a player becomes very disruptive (for example, stopping play at the table to repeatedly insult the director) or obscene, the director should boot the player.
On BBO, when the declarer (or a defender) claims any number of remaining tricks, play is stopped and the claimer�s opponents can see the remaining cards in each hand. The claimer must state the line of play that will enable him/her to win those trick(s). It is usually helpful for the declarer to list the number of expected winners in each suit.
If a claim is rejected, play should stop immediately and the director should be called (Law 68). However, on BBO, it is relatively uncommon for a player to call the director in this situation.
Much of what is below is copied directly from Law 70 of the Laws ofDuplicate Bridge
In ruling on a contested claim, the director should assign a result as equitably as possible to both sides, but any doubtful points should be resolved against the claimer. The director should ask for the line of play stated at the time of the play, if any, and then for the opponents' objections to the claim.
When a trump remains in one of the opponents' hands, the director should award a trick or tricks to the opponents if declarer did not mention the trump and may have been unaware of the trump at the time of the claim, and a trick can be lost to that trump by any normal play.
The director should not accept from claimer any unstated line of play which depends upon finding one opponent with a particular card, unless an opponent did not follow suit before the claim was made, or would not follow suit later on any normal line of play (unless any other line of play would be irrational).
This procedure is important because it is possible that a rejected claim will give declarer extra information about the play, for example, reminding declarer that a defender still has a trump
Note: Law 70 also includes this statement: ���normal� includes play that would be careless or inferior for the class of player involved, but not irrational.� TDs should be reminded that the self-ratings of BBO players are, in general, very unreliable.
A TD also has the right to declare his or her decision to be final.
When a ruling is made, players will occasionally get upset and show their frustration inappropriately. A comment such as "You are a horrible director" may come from the part of the BBO population that is impossible to please, or from someone who is in a really bad mood, so do not take it personally. At the point a player becomes very disruptive (for example, stopping play at the table to repeatedly insult the director) or obscene, the director should boot the player.
On BBO, when the declarer (or a defender) claims any number of remaining tricks, play is stopped and the claimer�s opponents can see the remaining cards in each hand. The claimer must state the line of play that will enable him/her to win those trick(s). It is usually helpful for the declarer to list the number of expected winners in each suit.
If a claim is rejected, play should stop immediately and the director should be called (Law 68). However, on BBO, it is relatively uncommon for a player to call the director in this situation.
Much of what is below is copied directly from Law 70 of the Laws of
In ruling on a contested claim, the director should assign a result as equitably as possible to both sides, but any doubtful points should be resolved against the claimer. The director should ask for the line of play stated at the time of the play, if any, and then for the opponents' objections to the claim.
When a trump remains in one of the opponents' hands, the director should award a trick or tricks to the opponents if declarer did not mention the trump and may have been unaware of the trump at the time of the claim, and a trick can be lost to that trump by any normal play.
The director should not accept from claimer any unstated line of play which depends upon finding one opponent with a particular card, unless an opponent did not follow suit before the claim was made, or would not follow suit later on any normal line of play (unless any other line of play would be irrational).
This procedure is important because it is possible that a rejected claim will give declarer extra information about the play, for example, reminding declarer that a defender still has a trump
Note: Law 70 also includes this statement: ���normal� includes play that would be careless or inferior for the class of player involved, but not irrational.� TDs should be reminded that the self-ratings of BBO players are, in general, very unreliable.
INVALID CLAIM ACCEPTED
If an invalid claim is accepted, and one side accidentally concedes a trick
that must be won by any legal play of the remaining cards, the director is
required to adjust the board. Law 79B states that a player must inform the
director by the end of the round, but because this is not always possible due
to some aspects of online play, it is reasonable to allow such a request up to
five minutes after the start of the next round.
PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENTS AND PSYCHES
From Law 40a of the Laws of Duplicate Bridge:
�A player may make any call or play (including an intentionally misleading call
- such as a psychic bid - or a call or play that departs from commonly
accepted, or previously announced, use of a convention), without prior
announcement, provided that such call or play is not based on a partnership
understanding.�
A player who makes a bid that is based on a partnership agreement must self-alert at the time of the bid, in accordance with BBO�s alert procedure. Either opponent may click on the bid to request an explanation. The player must fully describe the partnership agreement in the space provided, or, if more space is needed, the player may use private chat to both opponents. Occasionally, a player will ask in private chat to explain the meaning of a bid, or the player will choose to answer just in private chat.
If an opponent asks for information about a bid that was a psyche, the player is obligated to tell only what partner thinks the bid represents and never his/her actual holding.
Restricting or not permitting psychic bids; notifying director of a psychic bid
The director may request that players report their own psyches to the director at the time the psyche occurs. If you choose to make that request, it is important to not suddenly appear at the player�s table. If you do appear at the table, it might unfairly warn players at the table about the psyche.
�Psychic controls (includes ANY partnership agreement which, if used in conjunction with a psychic call, makes allowance for that psych.�
The Laws of Duplicate Contract Bridge do not allow a director to completely disallow psyches. A total ban on psyches would also be very difficult to enforce fairly. A director would be required to determine in some situations whether a bid in question would be a psyche, tactical bid, etc.
A player who makes a bid that is based on a partnership agreement must self-alert at the time of the bid, in accordance with BBO�s alert procedure. Either opponent may click on the bid to request an explanation. The player must fully describe the partnership agreement in the space provided, or, if more space is needed, the player may use private chat to both opponents. Occasionally, a player will ask in private chat to explain the meaning of a bid, or the player will choose to answer just in private chat.
If an opponent asks for information about a bid that was a psyche, the player is obligated to tell only what partner thinks the bid represents and never his/her actual holding.
Restricting or not permitting psychic bids; notifying director of a psychic bid
The director may request that players report their own psyches to the director at the time the psyche occurs. If you choose to make that request, it is important to not suddenly appear at the player�s table. If you do appear at the table, it might unfairly warn players at the table about the psyche.
�Psychic controls (includes ANY partnership agreement which, if used in conjunction with a psychic call, makes allowance for that psych.�
The Laws of Duplicate Contract Bridge do not allow a director to completely disallow psyches. A total ban on psyches would also be very difficult to enforce fairly. A director would be required to determine in some situations whether a bid in question would be a psyche, tactical bid, etc.
WHAT BIDS SHOULD BE ALERTED?
Currently, there is not a �BBO Standard� Alert Chart. Players are expected to
self-alert, and explain fully when asked, any unusual partnership agreement or
understanding. Players are also required to disclose their system and
agreements when asked by an opponent.
If the director does not otherwise specify, players must self-alert any conventional bid (except Stayman and regular Blackwood). By default, an opening bid of 1c or 1d shows 3+ cards in the suit, and an opening bid of 1NT shows 15-17 hcp.
Players are expected to alert all alertable agreements, and all alertable bids that might be understood by a partner, regardless of whether the bid or convention is specifically discussed. Only if there is absolutely no reason to think that partner will have any idea what the bid means, can a player say "no agreement". That means if a pair agreed to play SAYC (even by default), a Jacoby 2NT bid is alertable even if neither player has ever mentioned it. Another example: if a pair has never discussed any system at all, but both profiles say "Polish Club" as the preferred system, then they should be presumed to be playing Polish Club by default, and bids would be alertable accordingly.
If the director does not otherwise specify, players must self-alert any conventional bid (except Stayman and regular Blackwood). By default, an opening bid of 1c or 1d shows 3+ cards in the suit, and an opening bid of 1NT shows 15-17 hcp.
Players are expected to alert all alertable agreements, and all alertable bids that might be understood by a partner, regardless of whether the bid or convention is specifically discussed. Only if there is absolutely no reason to think that partner will have any idea what the bid means, can a player say "no agreement". That means if a pair agreed to play SAYC (even by default), a Jacoby 2NT bid is alertable even if neither player has ever mentioned it. Another example: if a pair has never discussed any system at all, but both profiles say "Polish Club" as the preferred system, then they should be presumed to be playing Polish Club by default, and bids would be alertable accordingly.
MISCLICK DURING BIDDING
Occasionally, a player will accidentally click on the wrong bid. Currently, the
BBO software does not give the director the capability of canceling a player�s
bid. If undos are allowed by the tournament director, of course, the player may
request an undo (to the opponents). Both opponents must accept the undo request
for the bid to be cancelled. A player may decline or refuse the undo request
for any reason, including personal reasons, which is why it seems unfair for a
director to select the �undos allowed� option for a tournament.
TD CALLED BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO ALERT, PROCEDURE TO CONTINUE PLAY AND FOR PLAYERS TO SHOW DAMAGE
If a player discovers during the bidding or play that a bid has not been
properly alerted, the player must immediately stop play and call the director.
The player will then tell the director about the non-alert, and if the player
thinks there may be any damage as a result. (If necessary, the director asks
the player to give a description for the bid in question.) The director will
then tell everyone to resume play.
At the completion of play for that board, the director must make a ruling.
To award an adjusted score, the following conditions must apply:
-The player called the director immediately when the infraction was discovered.
-The player must show that the non-alert caused damage* to the player�s side.
-The player could not have reasonably known at the time of the bid that it was showing a partnership agreement. (example: If a Jacoby transfer bid of 2d is not alerted, it is very unlikely that damage can be claimed because of how commonly used transfers are. However, in the rare case that a player who is unfamiliar with such bids makes a claim for damage and these other conditions are satisfied, the director may adjust the board.)
-The player�s side did not make any ridiculous bids after the unalerted bid.
*Damage can be in the form of impacting any later bid or any declarer or defensive play based on how the player counts the distribution and/or hcp of the other hands at the table.
- If the director rules that there is no damage, the board result is not adjusted, but the player should be warned to properly alert bids in the future.
-If the director rules that there is damage, and all of the conditions above are satisfied, the director should adjust the score in this manner:
- If the director can determine the actual result that would have occurred, the director should adjust the board to that result.
- If the damage did too much to prevent the normal play of a board, the director should award ave- to the offending pair and ave+ to the non-offending pair, unless the non-offending pair would prefer to keep the result from the play. (This option is presented only because of the limitations of the BBO software. A �split result� can not be awarded on BBO, at this time.)
At the completion of play for that board, the director must make a ruling.
To award an adjusted score, the following conditions must apply:
-The player called the director immediately when the infraction was discovered.
-The player must show that the non-alert caused damage* to the player�s side.
-The player could not have reasonably known at the time of the bid that it was showing a partnership agreement. (example: If a Jacoby transfer bid of 2d is not alerted, it is very unlikely that damage can be claimed because of how commonly used transfers are. However, in the rare case that a player who is unfamiliar with such bids makes a claim for damage and these other conditions are satisfied, the director may adjust the board.)
-The player�s side did not make any ridiculous bids after the unalerted bid.
*Damage can be in the form of impacting any later bid or any declarer or defensive play based on how the player counts the distribution and/or hcp of the other hands at the table.
- If the director rules that there is no damage, the board result is not adjusted, but the player should be warned to properly alert bids in the future.
-If the director rules that there is damage, and all of the conditions above are satisfied, the director should adjust the score in this manner:
- If the director can determine the actual result that would have occurred, the director should adjust the board to that result.
- If the damage did too much to prevent the normal play of a board, the director should award ave- to the offending pair and ave+ to the non-offending pair, unless the non-offending pair would prefer to keep the result from the play. (This option is presented only because of the limitations of the BBO software. A �split result� can not be awarded on BBO, at this time.)
"NO AGREEMENT" CLAIMED
It is not uncommon for a pair to play together in a tournament for the first
time with little or no discussion of what system they are using. However, if
there is an implicit agreement, the bid is still alertable. (example: An
�advanced� pair that agrees only to play 2/1 would still be expected to alert a
1NT bid that is forcing.) If �no agreement� is claimed, a defender should use
his/her right to ask for the system, conventions, etc. to which the opponents
have agreed to use. A player is never required to disclose his/her actual hand,
only partnership agreements.
DETERMINING IF AN UNALERTED BID IS A HIDDEN PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT
Sometimes, it is possible for the TD to determine if a partnership
agreement is not disclosed to the opponents (by a non-alert, or by request of
an opponent). One example is when 1NT is opened with 13 hcp (and no apparent
reason to upgrade to 15 hcp). The director can look at previous boards to see
if the pair previously opened or rebid 1NT to see if their agreed 1NT opening
range is 15-17. The director can also gain inferences by how opener�s partner
responded to the relevant bids. If the bidding is 1NT-all pass, and opener�s
partner has 10 hcp, their 1NT range is very likely not 15-17.
DUMMY SAYS "?????????????" AT BEGINNING OF PLAY
A visibly impatient dummy can make the game less enjoyable for everyone at the
table. The dummy must remain silent during the entire play of the board.
If, at the end of the bidding, the dummy shows some form of disapproval of partner�s bidding, the dummy should be warned to not act in such a manner. For repeated violations, or in extreme cases, the player may be removed from the tournament.
If, at the end of the bidding, the dummy shows some form of disapproval of partner�s bidding, the dummy should be warned to not act in such a manner. For repeated violations, or in extreme cases, the player may be removed from the tournament.
DUMMY SAYS "CLAIM P" OR "WDP" DURING PLAY
If the dummy tells declarer to claim or otherwise gives information about the
board during the play (directly or indirectly), the TD response depends
on whether the defense was damaged. If there is only one obvious line of play,
or all reasonable lines of play would have the same result, the board should
stand as played. The director should warn the dummy to not act in that manner
in the future.
If the dummy�s comments have any possibility of influencing the declarer�s line of play, the director should determine all reasonable lines of play and adjust the board result to what is least favorable to the offending side. A �claim� comment from dummy can, among other things, remind declarer that there are enough winners in a suit, or that a suit can be set up easily, or the defenders do not have any more trumps, which is why any benefit of the doubt should be given to the non-offending pair.
If the dummy�s comments have any possibility of influencing the declarer�s line of play, the director should determine all reasonable lines of play and adjust the board result to what is least favorable to the offending side. A �claim� comment from dummy can, among other things, remind declarer that there are enough winners in a suit, or that a suit can be set up easily, or the defenders do not have any more trumps, which is why any benefit of the doubt should be given to the non-offending pair.
HUM IN MORE DETAIL
The definition of HUM, as described on the WBF�s official Web site:
�For the purpose of this Policy, a Highly Unusual Method (HUM) means any System
that exhibits one or more of the following features, as a matter of partnership
agreement:
A. A Pass in the opening position shows at least the values generally accepted for an opening bid of one, even if there are alternative weak possibilities.
B. By partnership agreement an opening bid at the one level may be weaker than pass.
C. By partnership agreement an opening bid at the one level may be made with values a king or more below average strength. [7 hcp or less]
D. By partnership agreement an opening bid at the one level shows either length or shortage in a specified suit.
E. By partnership agreement an opening bid at the one level shows either length in one specified suit or length in another.�
Remember that it is not illegal to make an opening bid at the one-level with 6 hcp, only that it is not permitted to have a partnership agreement to do so with 6 hcp.
A. A Pass in the opening position shows at least the values generally accepted for an opening bid of one, even if there are alternative weak possibilities.
B. By partnership agreement an opening bid at the one level may be weaker than pass.
C. By partnership agreement an opening bid at the one level may be made with values a king or more below average strength. [7 hcp or less]
D. By partnership agreement an opening bid at the one level shows either length or shortage in a specified suit.
E. By partnership agreement an opening bid at the one level shows either length in one specified suit or length in another.�
Remember that it is not illegal to make an opening bid at the one-level with 6 hcp, only that it is not permitted to have a partnership agreement to do so with 6 hcp.
TDs WEBSITE FOR HELP/ANSWER QUESTIONS
A Web site is currently under construction that will provide a quick reference
guide for directors to use if unsure of a ruling. The address is:
For any questions or comments regarding this lecture, you may send e-mail to:
bbodirectors@yahoo.com.
A question and answer page may be added to the above Web site, if I receive many questions.
A question and answer page may be added to the above Web site, if I receive many questions.
UNIBRIDGE CLUB
CO-MANAGERS and TDs
CO-MANAGERS and TDs
Co-Managers and TDs
ecepal - reddevyl
TDs
annc8 - JP Montoya
rantul (Emin Aykal)
*** The Wild Tiger ***
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