ACBL CONDITIONS OF CONTEST

Sectional Tournaments at Clubs (STaCs) provide bridge players with the opportunity to win Silver Points at their local clubs. All of the ACBL’s rules, regulations, and procedures for running a Sectional tournament apply to the organization and management of a STaC. ACBL’s current STaC guidelines and fees will apply.

• Sponsoring organizations may, with ACBL approval only, amend these conditions for a specific event. Such amendments should appear in all printed tournament schedules and be posted prior to the start of event.
  

• The final decision on any item in these conditions shall be made by the Director in Charge. Furthermore, any issue not specifically covered will be resolved by the Director in Charge.

I. SPONSORING UNIT

a)A STaC may be scheduled for up to seven consecutive days, but may include only one weekend -- however, Management may grant an exception to the weekend requirement for cause.. A sanction application must be sent to the appropriate District Tournament Coordinator at least 12 months prior to the scheduled tournament date. The ACBL may sanction a STaC when it receives the sanction application with fewer than 12 months advance notice if there are no scheduling conflicts and the STaC can be advertised in “The Bulletin” calendar schedule at least one month prior. No STaC may be sanctioned to conflict with any ACBL-wide event.

b)While only Units may apply for a sanction to hold a STaC there is no objection to a Unit nominating a District or Districts to conduct the tournament. In District-wide STaCs all Units within the District(s) must be offered the opportunity to participate. Participation is at the Unit level. If a Unit chooses to participate all clubs within that Unit must be invited to participate.

c)A sponsor may schedule morning, afternoon and/or evening sessions. For the purpose of determining in which session a club should participate use the standard club session designations. Many STaCs schedule only two sessions per day. The local sponsor must designate the sessions to be scheduled. As an example: Morning games would be those starting prior to 12:00 local time, afternoon games start prior to 17:00 local time, and evening games 17:00 and later.

d)STaC sessions may be scheduled at any participating club for any session that the club has a regularly sanctioned game at that club. Additional games may be held at the option of the sanctioned club. However, when a scheduling conflict exists preference shall be granted to the club that holds a regularly scheduled game at the time in question.

e)Each Sponsor must develop a schedule of games and Conditions of Contest. This schedule and the CoC must be sent to all clubs participating in the STaC. The types of events normally scheduled at a regular Unit Sectional are permitted. Open/Stratified Pairs are easiest for most club directors to run. All pair events are single-session events. Team games shall be stand alone events at the site played.

f)All masterpoints awarded are silver and sectionally-rated. Overall awards are based on the total entry in each event except that Swiss Team overall awards are based only on the entry at each individual site.

g)The use of hand records is encouraged but not required. For a STaC using hand records, the DIC may permit games at sites not using hand records to enter the main event or to enter as a side games for ranking and masterpoint awards.

II. PARTICIPATING CLUBS

a)Any club within the area of the participating Unit may hold a STaC game in lieu of its regularly scheduled club game. Additional games may be held, as noted above.

b)The ACBL General Convention Chart will be used unless the sponsor specifies and advertises otherwise.

c)A minimum section size of 10 pairs is needed to be included in the Championship session. Sections with fewer than 10 pairs may be reported, combined, and included as a Sectionally rated Championship event. This restriction may be modified or waived, prior to the start of the tournament, at sponsor option.

d)Invitational games will be scored and ranked as stand alone sectionally rated Championship event with 1 restriction unless these games are opened to all players and advertised as such.

e)Limited masterpoint games will be scored and ranked alone unless a like limited masterpoint game is held at one or more other STaC sites. In this case, these games will be scored together for overall rankings and masterpoint awards.

f)Playing directors may not duplicate the boards in games using hand records. The club director of such a game may play only with the consent, in advance, of the DIC of the STaC.

g)Non-playing directors are encouraged but not required for games with no more than one section of 17 tables or less. Non-playing directors are required in games larger than 17 tables or with two or more sections.

h)Each club must report its results to the(DIC) within the designated time limit. The time limit is 36 hours from the end of its game unless the sponsor specifies an earlier time limit. In no case may this time limit be less than 24 hours from the end of the game. Club games not reported within the time limit will be scored, ranked, and issued masterpoints as a sectionally rated side game if received prior to the final reporting period.

i)Reporting will be by e-mail attachment of the gamefile. Arrangements may be made with the DIC to report by FAX or voice. Reporting procedures will be distributed to the clubs with the STaC Conditions of Contest.

j)The final reporting period for the STaC ends 24 hours after the last event ends. Later reports will be returned to the club, to be reported as a regularly scheduled club session.

k)The correction period at each club is 24 hours after the completion of the session. A club must post a copy of the recap for inspection at the end of each session.

III. Director-in-Charge

a)The DIC of a STaC must be an ACBL Tournament Director or higher rank.

b)The DIC of a STaC, with the approval of the sponsor, will develop reporting guidelines.

c)The DIC will organize and provide results to participating clubs.

d)The DIC will create reports at the end of the StaC as requested by the sponsor.

e)The DIC will provide standard Sectional tournament reports.

f)In addition to the expected functions of a DIC, the DIC may be asked to perform a variety of additional tasks. Typical tasks may include distribution of hand record printouts, pre-tournament advertising, or a post-tournament bulletin. The DIC and the sponsor will determine the time and fees for these tasks.