Regulations for Matches Played Privately

GENERAL CONDITIONS

• These regulations apply to all LMBA events in which teams matches are played privately with the exception of the London Trophy and Della-Porta Plate competitions which have their own specific rules.

• These regulations are for general use and may be overridden by regulations that are specific to an event. Specific regulations may be published in the LMBA Competition Brochure or distributed directly to competitors by Tournament Organisers.

• These regulation apply equally to both types of teams event in which matches are played privately, namely:

• Knock-out

and,

• League

• Tournament Organisers normally contact only the Captains of each team when arranging matches. A team whose Captain is temporarily unavailable may appoint a Vice-Captain and should notify the Tournament Organiser at the earliest opportunity.

• When contacting each other, team Captains and Tournament Organisers are normally expected to use first class post but may, by mutual agreement, use telephone, fax or e-mail instead.

• In knock-out events, team Captains are deemed to have received notification of their match four working days after it was posted, faxed or e-mailed to them by the Tournament Organiser and, in the case of notification by telephone, the next working day after the call was made.

• In league type events, team Captains are deemed to have been notified of a specific match on the later of:

1. four working days after the initial start of season draw was posted, faxed or e-mailed to them by the Tournament Organiser;
2. the next working day after they were informed by telephone;

   and,

3. eight weeks prior to the play on or play by date.

• Late matches disrupt competition schedules and cause inconvenience to other players.

• Where a team Captain is advised of a play on date then this is the date on which the match should be played. By mutual agreement, opposing Captains may agree to play the match on an earlier date. Team Captains should not unreasonably withhold their agreement to an earlier date.

• Where a team Captain is advised of a play by date then the away Captain should normally offer a range of dates to the home Captain.

• On receipt of the notification of a match, each team Captain should get in touch with the opposing team Captain at the earliest opportunity and preferably by telephone. Generally, from this conversation, a selection of suitable dates will be agreed, one of which will be confirmed in due course.

• An unplayed match will be awarded against the team who broke an agreed date. If no date is agreed, then the match is awarded to the away team provided that they have offered at least four valid dates as described in paragraph 14 below. Failing this, the match is awarded to the home team. If the privilege of offering dates rests with the home Captain (see paragraph 13 below), then the match would be awarded to the home team provided that they had been able to offer at least four valid dates.

• The privilege of offering dates generally rests with the away Captain. However, if the away Captain has been dilatory in offering dates and has failed to offer four valid dates within 10 days of the notification being received (eg. if the draw was received on Thursday 4^th then offers should have been made by Sunday 14^th), then the home Captain may give notice of his intention to take over this privilege. To do so, he must formally advise the away Captain and the Tournament Organiser of his intention, usually by telephone. Such an intention may not subsequently be withdrawn. However, on receipt of such notification, the away Captain then has 24 hours in which to provide four valid dates. On expiry of this time, the privilege of offering dates is transferred to the home Captain.

• In the unfortunate event that a difficulty arises in agreeing a date, then the following tests will be applied to determine whether at least four valid dates have been offered by the appropriate team. To be valid, the dates and times offered must meet each of the following requirements:

1. No more than two of the dates fall into any single seven day period.
2. There are at least four clear days between the day that the offer is made and the first of the dates offered (eg. if the offer is made on a Monday, then Saturday is the earliest valid date).
3. At least one weekend date (ie. Saturday or Sunday) is included in the offer, and at least one weekday date is also included.
4. Prior to any date being offered, the team Captain due to receive the offer (ie. normally the home Captain) has the opportunity to put aside up to four dates on which his team is not available. Any such date does not then constitute a valid offer by the other Captain. To put aside such a date, the receiving Captain must have informed the Tournament Organiser prior to the notification being received. Any such 'put aside' dates will be automatically notified to the opposing team Captain by the Tournament Organiser when the notification is issued.
5. Captains are required to confirm a starting time when agreeing a date. In the absence of any mutually agreed alternative, this will be 2.00 pm in the case of a Saturday or Sunday match, 7.30 pm in the case of a mid-week match of less than 48 boards and 6.30 pm in the case of a mid-week match of 48 boards or more. The offer of a date with a starting time other than that prescribed above is, in effect, an invalid offer unless the proposed starting time is acceptable to the opposing Captain. Thereafter, breaking an agreement as to starting time is equivalent to breaking an agreement as to date. Captains are reminded that they should consider 'split' matches in rounds of 48 boards or more (eg. 24 boards on each of two occasions).

• Should a team arrive 30 minutes late or more, its opponents have the following rights:

1. After 45 minutes of unnotified late arrival or one and a half hours of notified late arrival, the match is awarded to the non-offending side. Note that one member of a team being present within 45 minutes of the scheduled starting time is an indication of the intention of the team as a whole to arrive, and thus constitutes notification within the meaning of this clause.
2. After 30 minutes of late arrival (whether notified or not), the match is to be reduced by two boards, awarding the non-offending side 3 IMPs or 100 aggregate points as appropriate per board removed. For each further complete 15 minute period of notified late arrival, further sets of two boards are removed and the non-offending side continue to be awarded 3 IMPs or 100 aggregate points per board. The maximum number of boards that can be removed is eight (which occurs for notified late arrival of at least 75 minutes but less than 90 minutes).
3. Where boards are removed from a match that does not involve a compulsory change of opponents, a short stanza is to be played first, removing board one onwards, in order to produce stanzas of the pre-scheduled number of boards thereafter. An exception to this arrangement arises in the case of matches that involve a compulsory change of opponents where as equal a number of boards as possible should be removed from all stanzas. If one or more stanzas must be one board shorter than the others, then the shortest stanza(s) shall be played first. The match shall begin with board number one, and shall finish with the highest numbered board now scheduled to be played.
4. If both teams are late, the above regulations apply from the time that the first complete team is present. Thus, for example, the other team has 45 minutes (unnotified) or 90 minutes (notified) in which to arrive from that time. For the purpose of this regulation, complete shall mean that four members of the team are present, all of whom are both willing and eligible to play together immediately.

• Scoring in all competitions is by IMPs unless specified otherwise. In the event of a tie in a knock-out competition, additional boards will be played equal to one-eighth of the original scheduled number of boards in the match rounded up to the nearest whole board (eg. four boards in a 25-32-board match). This process is to be repeated until the tie is broken. There are no seating rights during a tie-break. If necessary, Captains should exchange written declarations of the placings of their teams.

• Except for any request for a TD’s ruling or an appeal thereof, any dispute should be referred to the Tournament Organiser, whose decision (including the award of a match) shall be final.

• Unless otherwise specified in the regulations of a particular event, teams may consist of four, five or six players of whom at least four must be nominated at the time that the original entry is made. No player may represent more than one team in the same competition in a season.

• The standard arrangement in matches played privately is that all smoking is prohibited at the playing table throughout the match. However, the match host should strive to provide an area away from the playing table in which smoking will be permitted during scoring breaks. Team Captains should discuss smoking arrangements when arranging the match and the standard arrangement may be varied by mutual consent.

• In return for not having to travel, the home team is expected to provide refreshments to both teams. The scale on which this is provided should take into account the length of the match and the distance travelled by the away team.

• If the away team contains a disabled player and the home team is unable to offer a venue with appropriate facilities to accommodate the disability then the away team may arrange a suitable alternative venue at its own expense.

• Either Captain may opt before the start of a match to have a 'closed' room, which will be specified by the Captain who organised the venue. Spectators and team members may only watch in the open room, which should be large enough to accommodate a reasonable number.

• Seating rights will operate as follows:

1. The Captain who wins the toss may take the first choice or may pass that choice to his opponent.
2. 24 Board matches will be normally be played in two stanzas of 12 boards with a mandatory change of opponent at half-time. The Captain with first choice chooses in which stanza he will exercise his seating rights (ie. the right to sit his players after his opponent). This normally fixes the line up for the entire match except when a team of 6 is involved.
3. If, unusually, a 24 board match is to be played in three 8 board stanzas then the Captain with first choice picks one stanza in which he will exercise his seating rights. The opposing Captain then picks one of the remaining two stanzas and the final remaining stanza is taken by the Captain with first choice.
4. In matches of four stanzas, the first choice Captain selects one stanza in which he will have seating rights, then the other Captain next selects two of the remaining three stanzas in which he will have seating rights, and the remaining stanza is then taken by the Captain who had first choice.
5. In matches of six stanzas, the first choice Captain selects two stanzas in which he will have seating rights but not both of the last two stanzas, then the other Captain next selects three of the remaining four stanzas in which he will have seating rights, and the remaining stanza is then taken by the Captain who had first choice.

• Boards must be shuffled and dealt at the table and this may be done either at the commencement of each set or at the start of the match. A player of each side must be present at the dealing of every board. Any player in doubt may require a board to be re-dealt before it is first played. By mutual agreement, boards made up by an independent third party may be used but subject to the proviso that a player in doubt may still require any or all boards to be re-dealt before being played for the first time.

• The home Captain must post, fax, e-mail or telephone (as agreed) the result to the Tournament Organiser within 24 hours. The result notification should list every member of the two teams and show how many boards each member played. Either Captain has the right to lodge an appeal against a ruling already received (see below), provided that notice of such an appeal is forwarded with the result notification. Subject to this, the result is final when it has been agreed by both Captains.

RULINGS IN MATCHES PLAYED PRIVATELY

• In a match played privately, the regulations and directives of the EBU Laws & Ethics Committee shall apply as contained in the current Orange Book. In any respects not especially covered by these regulations, the current regulations and directives of the EBU shall apply. The following clarification of the factors affecting the application of law and regulations is issued in the light of the Laws of Duplicate Bridge 1997, sections 9B1(a) and 92B, with respect to matches played privately.

'End of Round'(Law 8B)

• A 'round' in a match played privately comprises a number of boards played without an interval in which scores may be compared. A pair who meet their colleagues and compare scores have already completed the round in which they have been engaged.

'Calling the Director' (Law 9B)

• The equivalent of summoning the Director in accordance with Law 9B1 is to inform one's opponents at the table that one wishes to have a ruling. The request for a ruling must be specific and must be made before the protesting side calls on the next board, or the end of the round, whichever is the sooner.

Drawing Attention to a Possible Irregularity

• Any comment at the table that points to the possibility of an irregularity draws attention to the irregularity within the meaning of Law 9B1(a). If no request for a ruling is then stated, the players are in the position generally of players when attention is drawn to an irregularity and the Director is not summoned forthwith.

(Reservation of Rights under Law 16A1 does not override this condition if the

Rulings of First Instance in Matches Played Privately

• It can be exceedingly difficult to settle satisfactorily a question that requires a Director's ruling - as distinct from a reading and application of the law - in a match that is played privately. There should normally be two distinct conditions fulfilled before any such matter is deemed to have a basis on which to proceed:

1. The player who suggests that an irregularity may have occurred that could have damaged his side should normally have raised the question (as, for example, by reserving his rights) before the board is quitted. To avoid questions of doubt, the appropriate period for doing so should be deemed to terminate when he removes his cards from their slot at the commencement of the following board (unless the significant information does not come to light until afterwards; and see also paragraph 25c above).
2. He should confirm his wish to have a ruling before the players go to compare scores for that set of boards. If, after scoring the set, he withdraws his request for a ruling, it will not subsequently be renewable.

When a Ruling of First Instance is Required

• If a ruling of first instance is required, the procedures outlined below should be followed:

1. Captains agree upon an outcome.
2. Captains agree upon a suitable arbiter, eg. a local club TD.
3. Captains contact an LMBA Referee listed in the LMBA Competition Brochure.
4. Captains contact a principal member of the EBU panel of Tournament Directors as listed in paragraph 29.
5. Captains contact any other EBU Tournament Director (as listed in the EBU diary), or a member of the panel of Referees (see paragraph 33a below), or a member of the Laws & Ethics Committee. If contacting a member of the panel of Referees for a ruling of first instance, it must be made clear to the Referee that this is a request for a ruling of first instance rather than an appeal against such a ruling.
6. Captains submit the case in writing to the Tournament Organiser as described below.

Means of Obtaining a Ruling of First Instance

• Under Paragraph 27f above, Captains may decide to forward details of the question with the match result for arbitration. In this case, or when it proves impossible to obtain a ruling, ensure that full details are supplied along with such statements as the players and Captains wish to make. The result notification should be endorsed 'Subject to ruling on board … and both Captains should sign or otherwise confirm the details forwarded.

• Alternatively, the names and telephone numbers of the principal members of the EBU panel of Tournament Directors are listed on the EBU site:

Effect of a Ruling of First Instance

• Any decision obtained by the procedures above is a binding ruling to be acted on (but see also paragraph 33 below relating to appeals). If a score adjustment is awarded on the board, no substitute board is played.

• A ruling that a board shall be cancelled, if within the knowledge of the Captains prior to the commencement of the last set of boards, allows a replacement to be added to the next set to be played (with identical dealer and vulnerability); such a decision becoming known later than this means that no replacement board is to be played.

• In all cases, the playing of a substitute board is not affected by a procedural penalty (normally 3 IMPS or 100 aggregate points) if the individual to whom reference is made deems this appropriate. A breach of Law 74 may lead to an increased penalty.

Appeals Procedures

• A ruling made under the provisions of paragraphs 27b to 27f above may be appealed by either Captain. Appeals may be dealt with in one of two ways. Appeals should be dealt with in writing (option b below) if either Captain so wishes or if the two Captains are unable to agree upon a suitable Referee.

1. By on-site telephone to a member of the EBU panel of Referees, as listed on the EBU Site.

   Both team Captains must be present at the time of the telephone call and the Referee must not have been involved in the ruling of first instance. It must be made clear to the Referee that this is an appeal against a ruling already received. See paragraph b below for guidance regarding the sort of information that the Referee will require. The Referee's decision may include the forfeiture of the deposit (see below), in which case the deposit should accompany the match result notification when it is submitted or otherwise sent to the Tournament Organiser.

2. By written correspondence to the Tournament Organiser, in which case a deposit of £20 (ie. the current standard sum for an appeal in a teams match) must be received before the appeal can be considered. To submit such an appeal, write down:
3. 1. Full details of the hand with bidding and play if relevant. Show dealer and vulnerability.
   2. The result on the board in both rooms and the amount of swing on any substitute board if one has been played.
   3. Details of the matter protested and any statements of players involved.
   4. The ruling of first instance and who gave it.
   5. A statement on behalf of each side signed by its Captain.

The report should accompany the match result when it is submitted. It is improper to change or add anything in a finally agreed report. The Tournament Organiser is responsible for arranging the appeal and for altering the match score, should this be the outcome.