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This document is provided
courtesy of the
American Contract Bridge League
2990 Airways Blvd.
S
Memphis TN 38116–3847
901–332–5586
S
Fax 901–398–7754
NOTE: to view the latest revision of the
handbook go to ACBL
TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR CHAPTER 4 and 5 OF THE
HANDBOOK JANUARY 2000
INDEX FOR HANDBOOK CHAPTER 4 AND 5 JANUARY 2000
CHAPTER.4
(Rev.02/01) CHAPTER.4 (PAGE 1)
__________________
THE CLUB SANCTIONED BRIDGE GAME
ACBL issues sanctions to bridge clubs
authorizing them to run duplicate
games at which masterpoints are awarded, thus
permitting ACBL members and
others to compete on a regular basis in their
own community. This
chapter presents ACBL rules and regulations
pertaining to clubs running
sanctioned masterpoint games.
It is the responsibility of the club to comply
with all local, state and
federal laws. Clubs are not authorized to use
the ACBL name or logo or
other ACBL identification except in connection
with the issuance of
masterpoints.
SECTION ONE: ACBL CLUB MASTERPOINT GAME
SANCTION
An ACBL club sanction grants the right to an
entity to conduct bridge
games at regularly scheduled times and
locations and award masterpoints
at those games in accordance with specific ACBL
rules and regulations.
There are approximately 3,600 clubs that
conduct ACBL sanctioned games.
Some operate only a monthly game, while others
operate as many as 18
games a week. Altogether, nearly 2.5 million
tables of sanctioned games
in clubs are played annually throughout ACBL
territory.
Games must be conducted in accordance with both
the letter and the spirit
of ACBL regulations as well as the Laws of
Duplicate Contract Bridge.
The success or failure of games conducted by a
club is the responsibility
of the club manager. The club manager is free
to operate the club as he
or she sees fit, as long as the operation of
ACBL sanctioned games falls
within the limits prescribed by ACBL and the
unit within which the club
is geographically located.
I. ELIGIBILITY
Any individual ACBL member, group of ACBL
members, or nonaffiliated
organization (such as a country club, a
fraternal or industrial
organization, or a church or other religious
group), may apply for a
sanction. When ACBL issues a sanction, the
sanction holder is given the
right to conduct bridge games and award club
masterpoints in accordance
with ACBL rules and regulations. Sanction
application forms are available
from the ACBL Club Membership Department.
II. SANCTIONED GAME PROVISIONS
A. SCHEDULING MASTERPOINT GAMES
A club may conduct one or more regularly
scheduled games under one
sanction, at varying sites. The club must
list all regularly scheduled
games that will award masterpoints and all
addresses where these games
will be held on the sanction application.
Once the sanction is granted,
only those game sessions listed on the
application may award
masterpoints. If a schedule change is
contemplated or proposed, two
weeks notice must be given to ACBL before the
change may be made.
However, no notice is necessary if a club's
regularly scheduled session
falls on the evening (6:00 p.m. or later) of
December 31 (New Year's
Eve). The club may schedule two sessions of
play that night-one to
begin before midnight and the other after.
CHAPTER.4 (PAGE 2)
__________________
B. ADDING GAMES
A club may add or change game sessions on a
sanction any time during the
year, provided that it notifies the ACBL Club
Membership Department and
pays a fee (SEE Appendix G) for each game
session changed.
C. CANCELING SESSIONS
ACBL regulations permit the canceling of a
specific session without
penalty (SEE CHAPTER.4, Section Three-V.E).
The club manager or
director must note the canceled game session
on the Monthly Report Form.
No fees are refunded for canceled game
sessions.
D. NON-EXCLUSIVITY OF SANCTION
ACBL sanctions are not exclusive. ACBL
encourages open competition
among clubs and will sanction two or more club
games simultaneously in
the same community but usually not at the same
location. When two or
more club games do occupy the same quarters
(as happens when a group of
sanction holders cooperate to maintain a city
bridge center), they may
not operate simultaneously unless their games
are of a different class.
Units may not compete with existing club
games. A unit may sponsor a
club game or games when no existing club
game(s) is in operation in a
given area. Exception: Units operating a
club-type game prior to a new
game receiving sanction may continue to do so.
E. CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS
Every club holding ACBL sanctioned games has
the right to run one
special club championship game each calendar
quarter for each game
session sanctioned. For example, a club that
meets twice each week may
hold two club championships per quarter.
Regulations that cover club
championships are explained in detail in
Section Six of this chapter.
When a club recruits 10 new members, one
additional club championship
may be upgraded to a sectional-rated, black
point game (SEE CHAPTER.4,
Section Six-I.)
F. CLUBS IN GOOD STANDING
Clubs that operate in full compliance with
ACBL regulations remain in
good standing. On application, ACBL will
renew their game sanctions for
the following year. However, ACBL will not
renew sanctions for clubs
that have unresolved problems with monthly or
special game reports until
the problems are resolved. ACBL is not
obligated to renew sanctions for
clubs with significant violations of ACBL
rules and regulations.
III. COST OF A SANCTION
All fees and charges for sanctions are payable
in U.S. funds or
designated equivalent.
A. NEW CLUB GAMES
ACBL considers a club game new if it has not
been sanctioned previously
at the specific location for which it is
applying, if it fails to renew
its sanction by January 31, if it is on
inactive status, or if it has
not conducted regularly scheduled duplicate
games during the preceding
calendar year. However, if a club moves to a
new location in the same
playing area and retains its regular clientele
and club number, ACBL
does not consider it new. Should a new club
game sanction be denied, a
specific reason will be given.
CHAPTER.4 (PAGE 3)
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B. ANNUAL FEE
When a club files its annual sanction
application, it must include a fee
for each regularly scheduled game session it
intends to conduct. This
fee is paid once a year (SEE Appendix G). A
regularly scheduled game
session is held at approximately the same time
of day, on the same day
of the week, either weekly, every other week
(for example, every other
Wednesday), twice a month (for example, the
second and fourth Wednesday
of every month), or monthly. Games that
operate for only a short time
during the year (for example, during summer
months or fall holidays) are
subject to this fee, just as if sessions were
held throughout the year.
C. TABLE FEES
A club must pay a fee for each sanctioned game
session held plus a fee
for each table in play. ACBL charges only one
game session fee if
different levels of games are held
simultaneously. The club must show
on the Monthly Report Form the number of game
sessions played, as well
as an exact listing of the number of tables in
play at each game session
(SEE CHAPTER.4, Table 4.1, page 5). The club
must send this report to
ACBL along with the remittance to cover the
fees due.
NOTE: Sanction and session fees are waived for
any game that a club
schedules to recruit new members and for which
it charges no entry fee.
IV. OBTAINING A SANCTION
A. WAITING PERIOD
When ACBL receives an application for a new
club game sanction or
reinstatement of a lapsed sanction, there is
an automatic 30-day
probationary period before the sanction is
issued. During this period,
copies of the application are sent to an
official of the unit that has
jurisdiction and, on request, to the district
director for their
assessment.
ACBL also requires a 30-day probationary
period when a club game
sanction is transferred to a new owner or
group. During that time the
unit and/or district director may assess the
club's new management. The
ACBL will waive the 30-day probationary period
if the unit or the
district director agrees in writing to the
waiver.
B. ALLOWABLE OBJECTIONS TO A SANCTION
A unit or district director may object to a
masterpoint game sanction
being granted on the grounds that: (1) the
proposed quarters are not
suitable, or (2) the applicant's record as an
ACBL member indicates
previous failures in meeting ACBL standards.
ACBL may refuse to grant a
new sanction because of the applicant's and/or
club manager's history of
failure to adhere to ACBL regulations. If
ACBL rejects an application
because of an objection from the unit or
district director, the
applicant may appeal the rejection to the ACBL
Board of Directors. The
applicant must make the appeal within 30 days
of the date he or she
received notice that the application was
rejected.
C. DURATION OF A SANCTION
A sanction is valid only until the end of the
calendar year for which it
was issued (SEE CHAPTER.4, Section One-V.D).
ACBL will not renew a
sanction if the club fails to observe
regulations, including those that
concern reporting and paying for special
events sanctioned by the club.
CHAPTER.4 (PAGE 4)
__________________
If for some reason, such as remodeling playing
quarters or location
loss, a club must close a game for an extended
period of time, ACBL will
place the sanction on an inactive status.
ACBL will not renew the
sanction for the following year unless the
club has a location and a
specific date when games will resume.
V. SANCTIONED CLUB GAME REQUIREMENTS
A. MANAGER
Every ACBL sanctioned masterpoint club game
must designate an active
ACBL member as its manager, except as noted
below. The manager may be
the owner or may be elected, appointed, or
hired. If the club sponsor
is a non-bridge-related organization, the club
manager may be a non-ACBL
member employee of the sponsoring
organization. The club manager is
accountable to ACBL for the enforcement of
ACBL rules and regulations in
all sanctioned games the club conducts. The
club manager must supervise
the following activities:
- Issuance of club masterpoint receipts
- Preparation and filing of the Monthly Report
Form
- Correspondence with ACBL on club game
matters
- Application for sanction renewals and
reporting any change of club
managers or session changes on a form
provided by ACBL. The
signatures of both club manager and owner
(proprietary club), or club
manager and president or secretary
(membership or sponsored club) must
be on the form when it is filed.
B. IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS
CLUB IDENTIFICATION NUMBER: Each club holding
ACBL sanctioned games
receives an identification number, which
should be included on all
correspondence with ACBL.
GAME SESSION NUMBER: For ease of
identification, especially in filling
out the Monthly Report Form, all game sessions
are assigned identifying
numbers as shown in Table 4.1 below:
GAME SESSION IDENTIFICATION
NUMBERS
GAME SESSION NUMBER GAME
SESSION NUMBER
Monday morning 1
Thursday evening 12
Monday afternoon 2
Friday morning 13
Monday evening 3
Friday afternoon 14
Tuesday morning 4
Friday evening 15
Tuesday afternoon 5
Saturday morning 16
Tuesday evening 6
Saturday afternoon 17
Wednesday morning 7
Saturday evening 18
Wednesday afternoon 8
Sunday morning 19
Wednesday evening 9
Sunday afternoon 20
Thursday morning 10
Sunday evening 21
Thursday afternoon 11 Any
other games
(cruises, etc.) 22
Games that start prior to noon are morning
games; games that start from
noon to but not including 6:00 p.m. are
afternoon games; and games that
start from 6:00 p.m. to but not including
midnight are evening games.
CHAPTER.4 (PAGE 5)
__________________
C. CLUB OWNERSHIP OR SPONSORSHIP
PROPRIETARY CLUB: The club manager and the
club owner(s) of a
proprietary club (a club owned by one or more
individuals) must sign the
sanction application.
SPONSORED CLUB: For a sponsored club (one that
has a governing body such
as a board of directors), the club manager and
either the president or
the secretary of the club must sign the
sanction application. For a
club that is sponsored by a non-bridge related
organization (such as a
private company or industry, a government
agency, a YMCA, or a country
club), the club manager and an official of the
sponsoring organization
(for example, the director of recreation, the
building manager, or the
program director) must sign the sanction
application.
D. SANCTION RENEWAL
In September, ACBL sends every club holding
ACBL sanctioned masterpoint
games a renewal application. The application
lists all information on
record with ACBL concerning the club's
operation except the names of the
owners. The club should indicate corrections,
additions, or changes on
the renewal application. The club should then
return the application
form to ACBL headquarters with the appropriate
fees. Noted changes
become effective January 1 of the year for
which the sanction is
granted, unless otherwise noted and approved.
Renewals for sponsored
club games must have the signatures of the
club manager and the
president or secretary. If ACBL does not
receive an application for
sanction renewal before January 31 of the new
year, the sanction will be
canceled.
E. ARBITRATION AGREEMENT
An application for an ACBL club game sanction
will not be accepted until
the club manager or responsible party signs
the following arbitration
agreement: SHOULD ANY DISPUTE, OF WHATEVER
KIND OR NATURE, ARISE BETWEEN
ACBL, OTHER CLUBS, UNITS OR DISTRICTS AND THE
UNDERSIGNED CLUB, IT IS
AGREED THAT SUCH DISPUTE SHALL BE RESOLVED BY
BINDING ARBITRATION
PURSUANT TO THE RULES OF THE AMERICAN
ARBITRATION ASSOCIATION OR OTHER
METHOD OF BINDING ARBITRATION AS MAY BE AGREED
UPON MUTUALLY BY THE
PARTIES.
F. MONTHLY REPORT FORM
ACBL sends a year's supply of Monthly Report
Forms (SEE page 46) to the
club manager on approval of the sanction
renewal. The club must file
the report for each month by the tenth of the
following month and must
include the appropriate remittance. If a
club's monthly report(s), with
fees, is not received on time, a late fee will
be assessed.
G. SUSPENSION OF SANCTION
SUMMARY SUSPENSION BY MANAGEMENT: ACBL
management has the right to
cancel a club game sanction summarily for
refusal to comply with ACBL
regulations or with management's
interpretation of those regulations.
The club may appeal such a cancellation to the
ACBL Board of Directors
but must suspend operations pending the
hearing of the appeal.
CHAPTER.4 (PAGE 6)
__________________
SUSPENSION BY THE UNIT: The unit, by
committee or the unit board, may
hold a hearing and recommend to ACBL that a
club game sanction be
canceled for violation of ACBL rules and/or
regulations during ACBL
sanctioned games. If ACBL follows such a
recommendation, the club
holding the game so canceled may appeal to the
District organization.
Pending the outcome of the appeal to the
district, the club may continue
to operate. Appeals from district
recommendations are appealable to the
ACBL Board of Directors.
SECTION TWO: TYPES OF CLUB MASTERPOINT GAMES
There are four types of regular club games:
open,
invitational/restricted, newcomer, and Bridge
Plus. One or more types of
games may be listed on a single sanction.
For ease of identification, especially in
filling out monthly reports,
these games are assigned classes as follows:
Open
Class 4
Invitational/Restricted
Class 3
Newcomer
Class 2
Bridge Plus
Class 1
On written request to the ACBL Club Membership
Department, the club may
change the status of a game.
I. OPEN GAME
This game is open to all ACBL members.
Prohibiting or allowing
non-members of ACBL to play does not affect
open game status.
In an open game a club may not bar players
because of their bridge
proficiency, religious or political
affiliations, sexual orientation,
race or national origin, nor may it prohibit
partnership formation
because of the skill of the pair. The club may
not place the majority of
strong pairs in one direction, nor may it
otherwise segregate entries
into strong and weak groups (SEE CHAPTER.4,
Section Three-IV.B).
A. ALLOWABLE MASTERPOINT RESTRICTIONS
In an open game a club may stipulate that each
participant hold a
minimum number of masterpoints but cannot
stipulate a maximum. For
example, an open game could specify that all
players must have no fewer
than 20 masterpoints but could not refuse
entry to a Life Master.
B. ALLOWABLE RESTRICTION OF CONVENTIONS
Club managers may regulate conventions in
games conducted at their
clubs. A complete list of conventions that
may be used for club play is
shown on the ACBL General Convention Chart/SuperChart
(SEE Appendix
A; additional copies may be purchased from the
ACBL Sales Department).
C. OPEN GAMES IN CLUBS WITH MEMBERSHIP FEES
A club that charges a membership fee may
conduct an open game, but the
game must be open to all ACBL members, whether
or not they are members
of the club. However, the club may allow its
own members to play at a
reduced fee.
The entry fee for a non-member may be as much
as 50% more than a
member's entry fee. However, if the member
entry fee is less than
$1.00, a surcharge of $.50 for non-members is
permissible.
CHAPTER.4 (PAGE 7)
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D. NUMBER OF BOARDS
An open pair game must have a minimum of
two-and-one-half tables. A two
table individual with a one-winner movement or
a two table team game
(.01 masterpoints per board played, match
awards only) is allowed. In
any open club game every contestant must play
AT LEAST 18 boards.
Sanctioned clubs may hold shortened regular
open games (not to include
any special games awarding extra masterpoints)
with a minimum number of
boards played of 12. Masterpoints will be
awarded at 80% of the award
for open games. Sanction fees will be the
same as for open games.
II. INVITATIONAL/RESTRICTED GAME
An invitational game is one that limits or
places restrictions on who can
participate in its events. Participation
commonly is limited to:
- Members and guests of the organization that
holds the sanction (such as
a country club or a fraternal organization)
- Personnel (and their families and guests) of
industries that are
currently participating in commercial and
industrial leagues
- Players who hold fewer than a stipulated
number of masterpoints (when
the maximum permitted is fewer than 20, the
game is defined as a
newcomer game)
- Sections or directions segregated according
to strong and weak pairs
- Strong players forbidden to play as partners
- Husbands and wives only
- Life Masters excluded or required to play
with non-Life Masters
- Members of one sex only
Eligibility may be restricted for any reason
except those that violate
ACBL bylaws.
An invitational/restricted game may have no
fewer than two-and-one-half
tables (except in the case of a two-table
individual with a one-winner
movement), and every contestant must play AT
LEAST 18 boards.
III. NEWCOMER GAMES
A newcomer game is limited to players who hold
fewer than 20
masterpoints, although a club can set a lower
maximum, such as 1
masterpoint, if it so desires.
A newcomer game is conducted to acquaint new
players with duplicate
bridge and to encourage participation by
inexperienced players.
A newcomer game must consist of at least
two-and-one-half tables.
However, there are masterpoint awards for
two-table newcomer games
conducted as individuals or team games. AT
LEAST 10 BOARDS MUST BE
PLAYED.
Any club with a sanctioned game may conduct a
newcomer game session. The
game session may be run any time, even if
another regular club game
session is running concurrently. However, the
club must list the
newcomer game session on the sanction
application and the monthly report.
CHAPTER.4 (PAGE 8)
__________________
ACBL recognizes that some relatively skilled
players, through failure to
register their club masterpoints, retain
masterpoint eligibility to
participate in newcomer events inappropriate to
their skill and/or
experience. When the director or club
management determines that the
ability of a player is vastly superior to that
of the other newcomer game
participants, the club may refuse entry of that
player in its newcomer
events.
In such a case, the director should advise the
player, as diplomatically
as possible, that he or she is too proficient
to play in the newcomer
game. The director should encourage the player
instead to participate in
the club's games with a higher masterpoint
limitation or the open games.
A. PLAYERS WITH 20 OR MORE MASTERPOINTS
Subject to specified conditions, a club may
allow one or two players who
hold 20 or more masterpoints to play in a
newcomer game. This would be
the case when there is a single newcomer
player available whose
participation would eliminate a half-table
movement. For example, if
there were 13 pairs plus one single, there
would be a 6 1/2 - table game
which, by adding a player, would become seven
tables. In this instance,
the club may allow one non-newcomer to play.
In addition, when there is
an odd number of newcomer pairs entered,
resulting in a half-table
movement, the club may allow two non-newcomer
players to participate if
each plays with a newcomer partner and if a
Mitchell-type movement is
used; that is, the two newcomer/non-newcomer
pairs sit in opposite
directions. These pairs are ineligible for
masterpoint awards from the
newcomer event. In no case may the two
non-newcomer players play as
partners.
A partnership, including one with a fill-in
player (non-newcomer), may
use only the conventions the club allows for
that game.
B. LOSS OF RANKING
Pairs in which one partner is a non-newcomer
will not receive
masterpoints and will not be ranked. For
example, if an ineligible pair
earns sufficient matchpoints to have finished
second, that pair is not
ranked. Instead, the third-place pair is
ranked second and receives the
second place masterpoint awards. In such a
case, all lower-ranked pairs
move up one rank, accordingly.
C. TABLE TOTALS
Ineligible pairs count in table totals. For
example, ACBL considers as
a three-table game one that consists of four
pairs of newcomers and two
other pairs, each of which is made up of one
newcomer and one
non-newcomer, even though the two mixed
(non-newcomer and newcomer)
pairs are ineligible for masterpoint awards.
CHAPTER.4 (PAGE 9)
__________________
D. THREE-MEMBER PAIRS
At the discretion of club management,
three-member pairs may participate
in newcomer games. The club will apportion
earned masterpoints among
the three players in a ratio that approximates
the number of boards each
played. For example, a pair consisting of
newcomer players A, B, and C
finishes first in a newcomer game where each
member of a two-member pair
is entitled to .40 masterpoints, or .80
masterpoints for the pair. In
this three-member pair, however, A, B, and C
split .80 masterpoints
according to the number of boards each played.
IV. SPECIAL GAMES
In addition to regular games, ACBL designs
special programs to stimulate
bridge activity. If the sanctioned activities
listed below do not meet
the requirements of a group or organization,
ACBL may be able to prepare
a special program that does. Anyone interested
may contact the ACBL Club
Membership Department.
A. ACBL INTRODUCTORY GAMES
A club may conduct ACBL introductory games
without first obtaining
sanctions, but the games must have ACBL
approval. The purpose of these
games is to acquaint members of nonaffiliated
groups or organizations
with duplicate bridge and the American
Contract Bridge League.
Bridge teachers, club managers, or
enthusiastic individual members are
usually the ones who organize introductory
games. Groups, such as
luncheon clubs, religious organizations, or
industries interested in the
social or promotional possibilities of these
games often sponsor them.
The individuals who direct these games should
have reasonable
qualifications. The director usually issues
club masterpoint
certificates, which are available from the
ACBL Club Membership
Department (SEE CHAPTER.4, Section Four-II.A).
Each game must have at least three tables, and
each player must complete
at least 10 boards.
B. HANDICAP GAMES
Handicapping of regularly sanctioned club
games can encourage players
with limited experience to attend the games by
giving them more
opportunity to win club masterpoints.
Stronger players also may be
freshly challenged by having to play better in
order to win.
When a club holds a handicap game, it must be
held during one of the
club's regularly scheduled sanctioned games.
The game may be organized
in any of the following ways:
- Creating a new game at a time different from
that of existing games
(with the expectation of drawing players not
now engaging in duplicate
play).
- Converting one session per week from an
existing game to a handicap
game.
- Converting an existing game to a handicap
game for half of its
sessions (for example, every other week
there could be a handicap
game).
- Where the clientele is large enough,
converting a section of play to
handicap format, keeping one section as
regular duplicate bridge.
CHAPTER.4 (PAGE 10)
__________________
- Creating a bridge team league in which all
players have handicaps for
a round-robin season.
- Conducting Swiss team sessions at specified
times with the teams
handicapped.
Clubs may establish handicaps by averaging a
player's previous
performances in comparable club game sessions
or by considering the
player's ACBL rank.
To establish handicaps for existing clientele,
directors should use past
recap sheets from recent game sessions. For
example, to compute each
participant's percent of possible score for
the last three games in
which each took part, the player's matchpoint
score would be divided by
the maximum possible score, then a percentage
average would be computed.
The average is the sum of the three
percentages divided by three. The
handicap percentage would be determined by
subtracting the average from
0.650 (par) and multiplying the result by 0.80
(or 0.90). This method
would provide the player with a handicap of 80
or 90% of the difference
between their "average" and a stated par of
65%.
A sample handicap determination follows:
Scores were 0.510, 0.537, and
0.610, for a total of 1.657. Dividing the
total by 3 yields an average
0.552. Then, subtracting 0.552 from 0.650
yields 0.098, which,
multiplied by 0.90 equals a handicap of 0.088,
or 8.8%.
To arrive at the handicap for a pair, the
handicaps of both players are
added together and divided by two. While the
game is being played, the
percentage handicap for each pair is converted
to handicap matchpoints.
This is accomplished by multiplying the
percentage handicap by the
possible matchpoints (for example, 156 average
equals 312 possible).
The handicap matchpoints for each pair are
posted in a column in which
they can be added easily to the raw score
matchpoints. The after-game
calculations are merely a matter of adding two
matchpoint totals
together. A sample calculation follows.
Percent handicap times
possible matchpoints equals the matchpoint
handicap, which is to be
added to raw score. 0.088 x 312 =
27
0.081 x 312
= 25
0.102 x 312
= 32
0.125 x 312
= 39
0.075 x 312
= 23
This calculation may be eased by subtracting
the lowest matchpoint
handicap from all the others. Thus the pair
with the lowest handicap
has nothing added to their raw score, and the
other matchpoint handicaps
are reduced appropriately. As an example, if
the lowest handicap in the
field is 15 matchpoints, subtract 15 from each
pair's calculated total.
When a contestant has not played in three
previous games, the club
director may use any of the following options:
- Explain that the player cannot use a
handicap until he or she
completes three games at the club.
- Establish the handicap based on only one
game (at the conclusion of
that game, or at the conclusion of two or
three games).
CHAPTER.4 (PAGE 11)
___________________
- Base the handicap for the first game on the
player's rank (SEE Table
4.2). For non-members, ACBL suggests that
the handicap shown on the
chart for the Club Master category be
arbitrarily assigned.
There are two methods of awarding masterpoints:
split masterpoint awards
or 100% awards for scratch winners and 50%
awards for handicap winners.
In the split method there are two winner
categories, or fields: raw
score and handicap score. The first-place
award in each field will be
one-half of what it would be normally (maximum
in each field for first
place will be 0.75 club masterpoints). Players
placing in both fields
(which is what often happens) receive the
total of the two awards added
together.
In the other method the scratch winners
receive 100% awards while the
handicap winners receive 50% awards. Players
receive the higher of the
awards, but NOT both.
ACBL suggests that club masterpoint
certificates be marked with an "H"
to indicate handicap place of finish and with
an "R" to indicate raw
score place of finish.
The club should indicate on its Monthly Report
Forms and on the Club
Masterpoint Certificates those games that are
handicap games.
Handicaps based on rank are easier to
administer and maintain than any
other form of handicapping. Using the rank
format, each member's
handicap is added to that of his or her
partner to determine the size of
the handicap. One board equals the maximum
matchpoints possible on a
board. For example, a Junior Master (1 1/4
boards) playing with a
Sectional Master (3/4 board) would have a
handicap equal to two boards.
For further information about handicapped
games, the pamphlet
"HANDICAPS" is available from the ACBL Club
Membership Department.
TABLE 4.2 HANDICAP BONUS
TABLE (RANK)
Player Rank Masterpoints Percent
Handicap Bonus Board
Rookie 0- 4.99
25 1-1/2
Junior Master 5- 19.99
22 1-1/4
Club Master 20- 49.99
19 1
Sectional Master 50- 99.99
16 3/4
Regional Master 100-199.99
13 1/2
NABC Master 200+ (not LM)
10 1/4
Life Master Under 500
5 1/8
Life Master 500+
0 0
C. STRATIFIED PAIRS
A stratified pair game is one that produces
more than one set of
winners. All pairs are ranked in the top
stratum; the pairs in the top
stratum are eliminated in determining the
ranks in Stratum B; both A and
B pairs are eliminated in determining the
ranks in Stratum C. It is
possible for Stratum B and C pairs to place in
the higher strata, but
Stratum A pairs are eligible for A awards
only; and Stratum B pairs are
eligible for A and B awards only. The stratum
in which a pair plays is
determined by the player who has the most
masterpoints.
CHAPTER.4 (PAGE 12)
___________________
Stratified pair games may be conducted with
two or three strata. The
lowest stratum may have any upper masterpoint
limitation suitable for
the club. The lowest stratum must have at
least five pairs for overall
awards to be issued and at least three pairs
in a comparison group for
section awards to be issued. There should be
approximately the same
number of pairs sitting N/S and E/W in each
stratum, so that the section
awards will be equal.
The game is first scored on the total number
of tables in play, and
masterpoints are computed from the
Open/Invitational point award chart.
Awards for the second stratum include tables
in the remainder of the
game (all but the top stratum) and are
computed from the appropriate
point award chart.
In a Newcomer stratum (0 to 20 masterpoints),
only tables in this
stratum receive masterpoints, from the
newcomer award chart.
The club issues masterpoints to each player
based on the place of
finish. If the player places in more than one
stratum, the player
receives the higher of the two awards, not
both.
For further information about stratified
games, the pamphlet
"STRATIFYING YOUR CLUB GAME" is available from
the ACBL Club Membership
Department.
D. HOME STYLE
The purpose of the home style bridge concept
is to attract primarily the
non-duplicate bridge playing public to ACBL
clubs. Home style bridge is
an easy-to-run, fun game. Since cards are
shuffled and dealt for each
hand, social and rubber bridge players adapt
to it easily.
The Swiss pairs format is the most popular
among the clubs that have
tried this program. Pairs are each assigned a
different number and are
seated at random for the first round. Players
cut for the deal and, in
most movements, play four deals per round. At
the end of the round they
total their scores and report the point
difference (either plus or
minus) to the game director. The game
director converts the score to
victory points (SEE CHAPTER.4, Section
Seven-I.B.2) and records this
figure on the recap sheet. Starting with the
two highest victory point
totals, the director assigns the seating for
the next round so that
pairs with the closest scores play against
each other. The same
procedure is used for all succeeding rounds.
A record of the pair
assignments for each round must be kept by the
director so that pairs
play against each other only once in the same
session. After all the
players receive their seating assignments, the
next round begins.
Overall and match awards are issued for this
type of contest. Match
awards are based on total score before
conversion to victory points. In
the case of a tie, each pair receives one-half
of the individual match
award.
Match awards, which are based on the number of
boards played in the
match and the classification of the club, may
be found in the
Masterpoint Award Charts located in files
MPSWISS or MPKOS.
CHAPTER.4 (PAGE 13)
___________________
Open clubs issue .04 club masterpoints to the
winners of each four-board
match, and invitational/newcomer clubs award
.03 club masterpoints for
each four-board match. Overall rank is based
on the total victory points
won in a complete session of play. Players
receive either the overall
award or the total of the match awards,
whichever is greater. For
overall masterpoint awards, refer to the files
MPPAIRS, MPSWISS, MPKOS.
These games earn the same overall masterpoint
awards as any other
regularly sanctioned club game; that is,
awards are based on the type of
club (open, invitational/ restricted, or
newcomer).
When issuing Club Masterpoint Certificates for
these games, the letters
H.S. should be printed to the left of the box
in which the amount of the
award is written.
Home style bridge may be used in club games
only. It may be used in
club championships and charity club
championships but not for ACBL-wide
events, district-wide events, or any other
special events. Clubs must
apply to the ACBL Club Membership Department
to conduct home style
bridge games that will issue masterpoints.
The Alert procedure and skip
bid warning are not encouraged for this type
of event.
Regular convention cards should not be used
for home style games. An
inexpensive, specially designed home style
convention card is available
from ACBL.
E. COLLEGE PROGRAM
ACBL offers a plan for duplicate bridge
activity on college campuses.
On request, the ACBL Education Department will
send an information
packet and a sanction application to any
student or faculty member who
is interested in operating a sanctioned bridge
game on any campus within
ACBL jurisdiction. The sanction application
should be completed in
accordance with the regulations listed below
and returned to the ACBL
Education Department.
- Games are to be open to students, faculty
members, and their spouses
only.
- No matter how many times a year a game is
scheduled, an annual fee for
each game session must accompany the
application. The sanction year
runs from January 1 through December 31.
- The college game is not required to operate
on a regular schedule.
The day of the week may be changed if the
change does not interfere
with the schedule of an existing open club
on the campus.
- The game will be allotted one session with
club championship rating
for every 12 regular sessions played.
- The college game is rated as an invitational
game.
- Each game must submit a Monthly Report of
all game activity that
occurred during the preceding month. Report
forms are sent along with
sanction approval. The Monthly Report must
be mailed to ACBL no later
than the 10th of the month following the
month in which the reported
games were played.
- A fee for each game plus a fee for each
table must be sent with the
report form.
- A faculty adviser must co-sign the sanction
application and must agree
to serve as the official ACBL contact.
CHAPTER.4 (PAGE 14)
___________________
F. JUNIOR MONTH
The month of February is designated as Junior
month. During this month
each club is authorized to hold
sectional-rated black point Junior Fund
games. All clubs may run as many fund games
as they have games. Up to
four Junior Fund Games may be run in any other
month. The additional
fees (see Appendix G) go to the ACBL Junior
Fund in the USA and the
Canadian Junior Fund in Canada (Canadian
dollars). Bermuda and Mexico
fees can go to either of the above funds or an
equivalent fund.
G. HIGH SCHOOL GAMES
A high school interested in adopting a program
similar to that offered
to a college should write to the ACBL
Education Department for more
information.
H. PUPIL GAMES
A bridge teacher may apply for a special
sanction to conduct a pupil
game. ACBL will issue the sanction free of
charge if: (1) the applicant
is an ACBL member, (2) the game is restricted
to bona fide students of
the sanction holder, (3) the lessons run for a
minimum of 45 minutes,
and (4) at least nine boards are to be
played. A minimum of at least
eight participating students is required. If
there are only two tables,
the game must be run as a team event,
individual event, or Swiss pair
game.
The game may be sanctioned as a regularly
scheduled session or
periodically, subject to ACBL regulations.
The sessions may be run at
different times and places from the lessons.
A monthly report form is
not required for pupil games, and there are no
session or table fees.
The teacher who runs the game need not be an
ACBL club director. The
interests of both the teacher and the pupils
are advanced substantially,
however, if the teacher has such a rating.
I. BRIDGE PLUS
These games provide a transition from ACBL
beginning bridge classes to
newcomer games conducted at ACBL-sanctioned
games. They are operated by
ACBL accredited teachers. Players are
encouraged to ask the teachers
for advice on bidding and playing the hands
after play has been
completed.
A sanction is required to conduct an ACBL
Bridge Plus game. Bridge Plus
sanctions are issued free of session fees if
all of the following
conditions are met:
- The applicant must be an ACBL accredited
teacher or a club manager in
conjunction with an ACBL accredited teacher,
but only the teacher is
authorized to run the game.
- Only bona fide students with fewer than 5
masterpoints may participate
in the game.
- The game must consist of 10 to 14 boards.
- The game must be sanctioned for weekly
operation and should be run for
no fewer than two hours and no more than
two-and-one-half hours.
CHAPTER.4 (PAGE 15)
___________________
- Monthly Reports must be sent to ACBL by the
tenth of the month
following the month in which the game was
held, and the reports must
show the dates the games were held and the
number of tables in play.
Per table and per game fees must accompany
the reports. The ACBL Club
Membership Department provides the blank
Monthly Report forms.
If an accredited teacher is not able to meet
all the above conditions,
he or she may conduct a cost-free sanctioned
pupil game.
ACBL recommends (but does not make mandatory)
the provision of a non-
smoking environment in a separate room in
which there are no other games
being conducted.
Club Masterpoint Certificate pads are
available to the sanction holder,
and only the club manager or co-manager can
issue the masterpoints. A
minimum of 0.10 masterpoints will be awarded
to the winners of three
table games.
The teacher who runs the game need not be a
club director, although ACBL
encourages teachers to have this rating. The
teacher/director resolves
all irregularities.
At the teacher's discretion, beginning bridge
players with whom he or
she is acquainted or friends of the students
may play in Bridge Plus
games.
The teacher may use pre-dealt hands each
week. A set of newcomer hands
can be purchased from the ACBL Sales
Department.
J. CRUISE SHIPS
The ACBL sanctions duplicate games as part of
the social program aboard
cruise ships. Any ship that conducts
sanctioned bridge games must pay
an annual sanction fee. This fee permits the
ship to conduct sanctioned
games on all its cruises for the entire year.
A letter of permission
from the cruise line authorizing a director to
conduct a bridge program
on the ship for a calendar year must accompany
the sanction application.
The ACBL provides a free supply of club
masterpoint reports and
receipts.
The ACBL will sanction games on a ship for a
single cruise that does not
exceed 14 days, charging a sanction fee.
There is one sanction fee for
cruises of one to seven days and a larger
sanction fee for cruises of
eight to thirty days (see Appendix G).
Whoever receives sanctions for
cruise ships is expected, within the
constraints placed upon them by the
cruise lines, to actively promote ACBL for the
purpose of recruiting new
members.
ACBL defines the duration of a cruise as the
period from the time the
ship leaves the port of embarkation until it
either returns to that port
or terminates the advertised cruise at a
different port. A 40-day
cruise to the Orient, for example, is a single
cruise, even though it
may involve 18 days going, 4 days in port, and
18 days returning.
CHAPTER.4 (PAGE 16)
___________________
Cruise ships need not hold club masterpoint
games at regularly scheduled
intervals. Since the games are part of the
social activity, they must
suit the convenience of the players. The
technical operation of the
games must follow the regulations set forth
for most sanctioned club
games, with the following exceptions:
- There are no table and session fees, and the
director of the
sanctioned cruise game does not have to
submit a Monthly Report form.
- Masterpoint awards are 50% of the award for
an open club game.
Directors also may hold newcomer games if
warranted.
- ACBL regulations require that these games
have a club or higher rated
director.
- There is no requirement that a specific
number of boards be played
during a session. Masterpoint awards for
such events are the same as
they are for a complete game.
As a supplement to the cruise games
authorized, cruise championships may
be scheduled in accordance with the following
regulations:
- A limit of one cruise championship event of
each kind every 14 days
may be held during the cruise. The event
may be of one or two
sessions. Typical cruise championship
events are open pairs, men's
and women's pairs, mixed pairs, and
individuals.
- Masterpoint awards for cruise championships
are 50% of an open game
championship. Players who earn masterpoints
in a cruise game receive
their points from ACBL.
Directors or managers on cruise ships need not
pay the per table session
fees, but must submit club masterpoint reports
to ACBL at the end of the
cruise.
K. LAND CRUISES
The sanction fees for land cruises are the
same as they are for ship
cruises. The only difference is that the
"cruise" is held on land.
Land cruises that operate at a single site in
an ACBL country for more
than 14 days will be sanctioned as a club game
and report as one. All
other land cruises held in an ACBL country
that are open to all ACBL
members will be able to award masterpoints at
full open club value.
ACBL would consider, for example, a sanctioned
bridge game held over a
weekend at a vacation resort as a single land
cruise.
L. SANCTIONED ONLINE COMPUTER GAMES
Masterpoints can now be awarded in online
computer bridge games. The
recognition of these points will be in the
form of a new type of
masterpoint and they will have no
pigmentation. No more than 1/3 of the
masterpoints needed to achieve established
ACBL status levels can be
from online play. Thus no more than 100 of
the required 300
masterpoints for Life Master may come from
online play. The total
number of masterpoints available to be awarded
in an online club game
will be the same as in a comparably sized
face-to face game.
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Index
Part 2 - page 17-32
Part 3 - page 33-51
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