LONDON LEAGUE RULES

 

  1. All London League matches will be played in strict accordance with: (a) the ‘Laws of Duplicate Bridge 1997’, (b) the EBU ‘White Book’ of Regulations and Directives, (c) the ‘LMBA Regulations for Matches Played Privately’ and (d) these rules. In the event of any conflict between (b), (c) and (d) above, (d) will prevail over all and (c) will prevail over (b). Copies of (c) and (d) can be obtained from the Tournament Organiser or downloaded from the LMBA’s website: www.metrobridge.co.uk.

  2. Match Arrangements - Matches will normally be played on pre-allocated play on dates notified by the Tournament Organiser (See paragraphs 8 and 9 of the ‘LMBA Regulations for Matches Played Privately’ for further details regarding play on dates). Matches will start no later than 7.00 pm at a venue within 5 miles of Charing Cross unless both Captains agree otherwise. The designated home team is expected to provide light refreshments at half-time in the match. Teams unable to do so should allow a break of about 20 minutes for refreshments to be obtained from some other source.

  3. Length - Matches will be of 24 boards.

  4. Players - All players must be members of the LMBA except for last-minute substitutes. If at all possible, a team should include a last-minute substitute rather than postpone a match. Such substitutes do not need to be members of the LMBA but they can play only once for the team concerned. No player may play for more than one team in a season.

  5. Conventions - Any system or convention may be played by teams in the First Division but one weeks notice must be given for any HUMs. EBU level 3 conventions only may be played in the Newcomers’ Division. EBU level 4 conventions may be played in the remaining Divisions.

  6. Scoring - Matches will be scored by IMPs converted to Victory Points on the following scale (irrespective of the number of boards played).

    7. Revised Aug 2015

    IMPs

    VPs

    IMPs

    VPs

    0 - 1

    10 - 10

    28 - 34

    16 - 4

    2 - 5

    11 - 9

    35 - 43

    17 - 3

    6 - 10

    12 - 8

    44 - 53

    18 - 2

    11 - 15

    13 - 7

    54 - 65

    19 - 1

    16 - 21

    14 - 6

     66 + 

    20 - 0

    22 - 27

    15 - 5

  7. Results - The home Captain is responsible for sending in results no later than two days after the date of the match. Players’ names must be written legibly on result sheets so that Master Points can be correctly allocated.

  8. Unplayed Matches - All matches must be completed by 31st May unless prior consent has been obtained from the Tournament Organiser. If a match is not played by the end of the season, the LMBA Executive Committee will determine which teams are offending and non-offending. An offending team will receive no VPs for the match. Any non-offending team will receive the higher of its average VPs won over the season (rounded up) and the average VPs lost over the season by the offending team (rounded up). If a team withdraws from the League, the LMBA Executive Committee will determine whether or not to cancel all of its results and will generally do so if less than two-thirds of the matches have been played.

  9. Promotions – At the start of the following season, the winning team of each Division below the first will normally be promoted to the next higher Division and, correspondingly, the lowest placed team in each Division other than the lowest will normally be relegated down to the next Division.