2009-2010 PHILADELPHIA CONTRACT BRIDGE LEAGUE CONDITIONS OF CONTEST CHARLES SOLOMON TEAMS 1.1 Introduction The following pages comprise the complete Conditions of Contest for the PCBA Charles Solomon Teams. These conditions govern all play during the event. They cannot be modified except with the approval of the event Coordinator. Besides the responsibilities shown below, team Captains are responsible for knowing the Conditions of Contest, for having a copy of the Conditions of Contest available at each playing session, and for his team's adherence to the Conditions of Contest. 1.2 Composition of Teams Teams may consist of four, five or six players. Players do not have to be members of the PCBA and there are no geographical restrictions on players’ eligibility. Any otherwise eligible player may be added to a team after the entry deadline and before the team completes the first round of play provided the Coordinator is notified in writing of the addition. Any addition to a team after it completes the first round of play will require the approval of the Coordinator. The player being added must be able to comply with other relevant paragraphs in these Conditions of Contest. Flight A is open to any team. Flight B is restricted to players with fewer than 3000 masterpoints. Flight C is restricted to players with fewer than 750 masterpoints. All masterpoint restrictions are based on the August 1, 2009, of the ACBL masterpoint cycle. No player may be on more than one team within a flight, but may play on another team in another flight as long as all eligibility requirements are met. The Coordinator may adjust the flights and masterpoint requirements depending on special circumstances and the number of teams entered. 1.3 Playing Requirements Each team member must play at least forty percent (40%) of all of the boards played by his or her team, plus at least fifty percent (50%) of both the semi-final and final (if applicable) to be eligible for overall awards. Once entered in the event, all players are expected to meet these playing requirements and to continue in the event as long as his or her team is eligible to do so. Although permanent replacements and substitutes to a team are allowed upon a showing of good cause, they may not substantially strengthen or weaken the team and the replaced players may not return to the event. The Coordinator must approve all replacements. 1.4 Coordinator’s Responsibilities The responsibilities of the Coordinator include:
1.5 Captain’s Responsibilities Team Captains will be responsible for the following:
1.6 Seeding If byes are required for the first round of a double elimination, byes will be given with this priority: 1) defending champion, 2) masterpoint ranking. Other than this, there is no seeding within any given flight. Seeding for any given match will be by coin flip unless the teams agree otherwise. 1.7 Scheduling Matches - Must Play Dates and Sites Matches are encouraged to be played at team member homes, but if no home is available they may be scheduled at local bridge clubs. Team Captains are encouraged to schedule and complete all matches as early as possible. You must complete each match by the must play date assigned to each match. The Coordinator will assign a must play date for each round of the event. There is no excuse for any team entering this event to fail to play each match by the must play date. Failure to play a match by the must play date assigned to that match will result in a forfeit by the team that fails to field a team to play the match (or to both teams if neither team fields a team ready to play). If the Team Captains cannot agree on a site for the match, a must play site must be used. These sites are must play sites and others may be assigned by the Coordinator: The South Jersey Bridge Club 856 795 7529 Cavendish Bridge Club 215 878 5777 The Bridge Club of Center City 215 732 1148 Must play dates and sites for each match will be set forth on the schedule provided to the team Captains by the Coordinator. The customary fee to the club hosting a Solomon match is $10 per team. If agreement between the two opposing Captains as to a site or date cannot be reached, the match will be played at 7:30 PM on the must play date at the must play site. A team will not be relieved of its obligation to play a match by the must play date even if it has played other matches in advance. If a team fails to field a team ready to play a match at the time and place agreed upon by the Team Captains or, in the absence of such agreement, at 7:30 PM on the must play date at the must play site, that team forfeits the match. A match is not forfeited until at least 40 minutes have passed after the starting time set for the match with the offending team not fielding a team ready to play. Any scheduling difficulties must be discussed with the Coordinator. 1.8 Lateness and Slow Play Arriving late to a match is a discourtesy both to your teammates and to your opponents. Lateness penalties may be appealed to the Coordinator but are not subject to discussion by the participants. Such discussion can only further delay the match and cause increased difficulties. Teams not ready to play ten minutes after the start of the session will begin to accrue lateness penalties. The only appropriate discussion of lateness is that team Captains should agree on the time that each team was prepared to begin play. Team Captains may agree to recommend the waiver of lateness penalties but they must be reported to, and approved, by the Coordinator. DEFINITION OF STARTING TIME: The starting time of a match is either the scheduled starting time or the time at which four members of one team are ready to begin play, whichever is later. In case of a legitimate difference about the agreed-upon time, the time shall be assumed to be 7:30 PM for the evening sessions and 1:00 PM for afternoon sessions. LATENESS PENALTIES: A penalty of 3 IMPs for each five minutes or fraction thereof after the ten minute grace period will be assessed against the late arriving team. In order to have a lateness penalty imposed in a KO match, the non-offending team must immediately notify the Coordinator of the fact that their opponent is not on time. FORFEITS: The intent of the PCBA is to have matches played and every effort will be made to have matches played rather than forfeited. The PCBA expects the full cooperation of all teams in accomplishing this goal. However, as set forth above, the match schedule will be adhered to in all events. If a team is over 40 minutes late, the Captain of the non-offending team must call the Coordinator to report a win by forfeit. Any evidence of intent to forfeit could subject a team, or the responsible members of it, to disciplinary action by the PCBA. SLOW PLAY: Complaints of slow play may be reported to any of the directors overseeing this event or to the Coordinator when reporting the scores. A segment of 12 boards should be completed within one hour and thirty minutes (average of 7 ½ minutes per board). 1.9 Substitutes Teams are required to field at least three registered members unless specific Coordinator approval is granted. If a substitute is needed, the approval of the Coordinator is required – and which approval will be freely granted - and the opposing Captain must be notified in advance. The substitute may not substantially improve the team. A substitute may not be a member of any other team entered in that flight of the event. 1.10 Length and Format of Matches Teams may agree to play matches of any length from 24 to 36 boards. If no agreement is reached, the matches will be 24 boards played in 12 board halves. Scoring for all matches will be done based on International Match Points (IMPs). 1.11 Conventions The ACBL General Convention Chart (GCC) governs which conventions may be used in matches in Flights B and C. In the top flight (Flight A) the ACBL Mid-Chart applies. Mid-Chart conventions must be pre-alerted and ACBL-approved defenses must be provided to the opponents. Special carding agreements must be pre-alerted. 1.12 Smoking This is a nonsmoking event. 1.13 Proper Behavior Participation in this event is a privilege not a right. The PCBA and the Coordinator expect all participants to act responsibly and cordially to opponents and teammates alike. The ACBL’s Zero Tolerance Policy toward rude and unsportsmanlike conduct will be strictly enforced. All behavioral problems are to be reported promptly to the Coordinator. 1.14 Rulings If the International Laws do not resolve an irregularity, the Coordinator or a director should be called. The Chief Director of this event is Chief Director: Rich Rothwarf 215 665 9621 Alternate Director: Dick Morgen 610 449 0292 PCBA Tournament Chairman Jay Apfelbaum 215 336 6421 Solomon Coordinator: Mike Giesler 215 806 9600 Appeals of any director's ruling or any decision of the Coordinator must be filed in writing, dated or hand-delivered, within 48 hours of the match and signed by the Captain or his or her designee. Such appeals will be promptly forwarded to the appropriate committee for review. 1.15 Special Notes on Late Round Pairing in Double Knockout Events This event is a standard double elimination knockout event with winners continuing to play in the winners bracket until they lose one match. After a team loses its first match, it drops into the losers bracket and continues to play in that bracket until they receive a second loss. In the late rounds, it may be required to schedule the remaining matches based on previous results of matches and on which teams have already played each other. The final late round schedules will be based on the following: Special Definitions: Early Round any double-KO match where there is more than one undefeated team remaining in the event; or any single-KO match prior to the semi-finals. Late Round any KO match where there is at most one undefeated team remaining in the event. Semi-Finals any KO match with 3 or 4 teams remaining. Finals any KO match with 2 teams remaining. Note that there may be multiple “Semi-Finals” and/or “Finals” in a double-KO. Special Notes:
In the event that insufficient teams are entered to hold a double elimination, a round robin may be used. 1.16 BBO Vugraph It is intended to broadcast the Flight A finals match on BBO Vugraph. All teams entering this event agree to participate and cooperate in any BBO Vugraph sponsored by the Solomon Teams Event. 1.17 Final Authority These rules have been written with the goal of addressing all situations that might arise during the event. In the event that there is a situation not addressed in the rules, the decision of the Coordinator is final. In the event that there is a dispute arising from the application of these rules the decision of the Coordinator is final. 1.18 Final Note Play well and good luck. mfg – 20 July 2009 |