Grand National Teams
DISTRICT 19 CONDITIONS OF CONTEST FOR GRAND NATIONAL TEAMS
ACBL PDF of 2013 Conditions is here-->>
DISTRICT 19 CONDITIONS OF CONTEST FOR GRAND NATIONAL TEAMS
BASICS The Grand National Teams is a grass-roots event that begins at the club or unit level, continues with District semi-final and final competition in the Spring, and concludes at the Summer NABC. Players qualify as individuals at the club/unit level, and may form new teams for the District semi-final stage. There are four flights: Championship Flight; Flight A; Flight B; and Flight C. Each winning team at the District Final is invited to participate at the National Final of the GNT at the Summer NABC. District 19 awards the winning team in each flight a subsidy to assist in transportation and expense accommodation, provided they play in the national final stage. Players who win should expect to represent the District at the North American Bridge Championship. Captains should verify that all team members expect to play the entire event. Entering the event with the knowledge that one cannot compete throughout is a violation of ACBL ethics guidelines.
THE 2012-2013 EVENT
All information specific to this year’s event, referred to in the Conditions of Contest is on this page:
The DISTRICT COORDINATOR for the GNT is:
The DISTRICT DIRECTOR for District Nineteen is:
STRAT LIMITS (based on the September 2012 cycle) for the 2012-2013 event Open Championship Flight: unlimited Flight A: all members of the team under 5000 masterpoints Flight B: all members of the team under 2000 masterpoints Flight C: all members of the team under 500 points and non-Life Masters (A player who moves up a level over the course of the event is still eligible to compete at the original level.)
NOTEWORTHY DATES for the 2012-2013Event
April 06-April 07 , 2013 District Semi-final and Final stages for Open & B-Flights, at the Vancouver BC Bridge Club at 2776 E Broadway, Vancouver, BC
Participating teams may pre-register with the District Coordinator. Registration closes at
STAGE ONE Club/Unit Surcharge for 2011-2012; $6.00 US per team, whether a one- session or two-session event is held. The surcharge enables the district to provide subsidies for teams winning the District Finals. The surcharge amount is sent by the clubs to the GNT Coordinator, and is not part of the proceeds directed to ACBL with the monthly report. An additional ACBL sanction fee or $1.25 US per table per session is automatically paid with the club’s ACBL monthly report.
SUBSIDY for the winning team (in each of the four flights) at the District Final is $1400 US. This subsidy is paid only if the team(s) play in the National Final according to the conditions below and the ACBL conditions of contest.
CONDITIONS OF CONTEST
Semifinals and Finals (conducted together as a two-day event), and the National Finals. The ACBL GNT Conditions of Contest specify that each District determines the method by which its champions are determined. This document covers the first three stages of play in the GNT. The ACBL conditions cover the National Finals.
masterpoint limits for each flight are listed on page 1. In Stage One competition, clubs and/or units may combine the four flights into one stratified event. (Stage One games are normally stratified into three strats with the Championship and A Flights together in the top strat.) A club or unit may also schedule games that are limited to one, two, or three of the four flights, as long as there is at least one chance for players in all four flights to qualify. The final three stages of the event, The District Semifinal, the District Final, and the National Final, shall be conducted separately for each flight. September 1, of the calendar year prior to the Grand National Teams National Finals shall establish the District in which the member is eligible to participate beyond the qualifying stage. The ACBL’s GNT Credential Committee may request documentary evidence from the member whose eligibility is in question. Players wishing an exception from these requirements must by July 1, seek permission in writing from the District Directors of both the District in which the Player lives and the District in which the player wishes to play. Both District Directors must agree for the exception to be granted. For the Open Championship Flight, this written permission from both District Directors will be forwarded to the ACBL’s GNT Credentials Committee for final approval. If the District Directors do not agree, the exception is not granted. There is no appeal from this decision.
Must be a playing member of a qualifying team at a STAGE ONE competition, Playing at least 50% of the boards that your team played, or "buy in" at the District Semifinals. Players qualify from STAGE ONE as individuals, in the Flight(s) qualified for by their team and any flight below the qualified flight for which the player is also eligible. At the District Semifinal, the number of teams entering each flight will be reduced to two finalists by the process described in Section 6 below. At the District Final, the winning team in each flight will qualify for District subsidy to attend the National Final. Three members of the winning team must agree to participate in the National Final, with possible augmentations. Augmented players are expected to be equal in strength to the other players on the team. In particular, it is our policy to exclude from the augmentation pool any player who does not play in any part of the event, expecting and or hoping to join the winning team via augmentation. If a team winning the District final cannot attend the National Final under these conditions, the District subsidy will go to the second place team, if they can attend the National Final. If both finalists cannot attend the National Final, the District Coordinator and the District Director will combine the two teams to form a team. If a team cannot be formed in this fashion to represent the District, then no team will be sent to the National Final. Qualifying games during the qualifying period listed on page 1. No STAGE ONE Game may be scheduled in conflict with any portion of the following: ---
---District 19 Regionals ---The District Finals or local Unit Finals of the North American Pairs ---National championship events of the USBF or CBF Any of four to six players may form a team for STAGE ONE competition. This team need not compete together at future stages. Each member of a team that qualifies can play with any team participating at the District Semifinal and District Final stages, no matter how many players there are from any particular club or unit. The purposes of STAGE ONE competition are to provide for qualification to the District Semifinals by local match play, and to raise money through surcharges to support the four District 19 teams at the National Finals. The current surcharge for STAGE ONE events is at the top of this document.
STAGE ONE games may be one-session or two-session games. In a one-session game, all teams must play at least 24 boards. In a two-session game, all teams must play at least 48 boards total (but the number of boards played by an individual may vary). The Director must be a club or higher rated Director, but may play if there are 17 teams or fewer. Clubs and units may decide which conventions to allow in STAGE ONE competition, but it is suggested that the ACBL General Convention Chart be the limit. In Flight A and the Championship Flight, contestants will be allowed to use ACBL Mid-Chart conventions in the District Semifinal and Final, but at club level games, especially stratified games, all participants should be limited to the General Convention Chart, even in matches between two teams in Flight A or the Championship Flight.
The format for a STAGE ONE qualifying game may be decided at game time, when the number of teams is known. Any of the following can be used: ---Swiss Teams scored by Victory Points or by Win-Loss ---Round Robin Teams scored by Victory Points, by net IMPs or by Win-Loss ---any ACBL-acceptable team format
In STAGE ONE games, individuals qualify for the next stage in a strat by being on a team that accomplishes any of the following:
---finishes average or higher in the scoring system used to rank teams(VP or win- loss) ---finishes "middle or higher" within a strat in the scoring system used
Two Teams. A two-session match on Saturday decides the championship.
--if two teams are tied for one spot in the next stage, a four-board match will be played between the tied teams. If this is tied, two- board matches will be played until a winner is determined. --if more than two teams are tied, the Director will determine the nature of the tie-breaking procedure; a short round-robin or knockout round or rounds may be required. The Director may also postpone the start time of the survivor’s match to allow for a reasonable break after the tie-breaking procedure.
The permanent replacement of a player who, for cause, cannot continue in the event is permitted only with the permission of the GNT Coordinator or, in his or her absence, the Tournament Director. A team whose player is removed for cause shall NOT be eligible to continue to the next stage and shall be removed from the field by the Director at the first reasonable opportunity. Prior to replacement, the replacement need not have played in the event, but must: ---be a member of District 19 ---not have played in the event beyond STAGE ONE, and ---not appreciably strengthen the team
A replaced player permanently leaves the event with all masterpoints earned and the replacement earns masterpoints thereafter. A team cannot start the District Semifinal competition with a non-qualified replacement. However, the proposed member may follow the "buy-in" procedure. All team starting members must have qualified at STAGE ONE or "buy-in". Replacement players are not allowed if a team has four members available. Other than approved substitutions and approved replacements, no augmentation of a team is allowed after the District Semifinals begin. Teams can be augmented to play in the National Finals (see ‘Qualifications’ above). Members of teams are required to play at least 50% of each session, except that a member may choose to play one full session of a two-session Swiss. A team becomes ineligible to continue in the event when fewer than three members of the original team can continue and meet the play percentage requirements. . 8. This year’s Conditions of Contest have been modified to increase participation levels and allow individuals (or teams) to compete in more than one district semi- final or final stage. Should a player or players prove victorious in more than one flight, he, she, or they must determine by
APPENDIX I
District Nineteen has not, to date, adopted a Plan for Conducting the District GNT Finals on the Internet. However, the National Board of Directors in its Summer 2011 Meetings in Toronto have established General Conditions of Contest for those Districts developing a District-wide plan for such a competitive format. Accordingly, the following Appendix is added to the District 19 Conditions for our future reference.
APPENDIX II Conditions of Contest For District GNT Finals Hosted Online
General Conditions
1. This event will be conducted at a variety of playing sites, and hosted online by an ACBL approved host. (See Appendix III) 2, Regarding any of the below, the decision of the Director In Charge (DIC) will be final. The DIC is empowered to remedy any omissions in these Conditions of Contest.
3.Unless specifically noted below, the Laws of Duplicate Bridge, the ACBL Convention Charts, the ACBL Alert Charts, the Conditions of Contest for the 2011/2012 GNT, General Conditions of Contest for team play and ACBL Zero Tolerance shall govern this event. 4, The DIC must be an ACBL Director, hold the rank of Tournament Director or higher, and shall have the authority to assign his own staff. 5. The Tournament Organizer will provide a format for the event which includes Contingencies for any number of teams in each flight. 6. If feasible and except in #10 below: Contestants in each flight will play the same deals as others within their flight, and no two flights shall play the same deals.
7. Each Contestant shall have access to these conditions of contest, and the event’s format (#5 above). Failure to have reviewed these conditions, or lack of proficiency with computers or the software used by the online host does not excuse any irregularity, or violation of these conditions. 8. Each team must pre-register by three weeks prior to the announced date of the Contest. Late entrants may be accepted for the convenience of the movement and only at the discretion of the DIC. At the time of pre-registration, teams are required to submit funds for participation and the following information for each team member: a. Name b. ACBL Number c. User ID for online host d. Site of participation e. Any special needs addressed by these Conditions of Contest
9. In the event a Contestant is handicapped, where he is unable to use a computer, and in all cases where a Contestant does not have the requisite computer skills, said Contestant may bring an Operator to relay calls, plays, and explanations thereof. Communication between the Contestant and his Operator is to be conducted in writing. Any notes from a Contestant/Operator interaction may be used to settle disputes. The Operator must be named in pre-registration and is subject to the approval of the DIC.
10. Should a technical difficulty arise, which delays play for one or more matches, play in all unaffected matches shall continue, and 15 minutes will be allotted to resolve the issue before play is suspended. If play is suspended for one or more matches, and in the DIC’s opinion, the rest of the contest is unaffected (as in the final match of a Swisss) the affected matches will continue at a later time with different hands than those played during the main competition.
1. Each Contestant must pre-register to participate at a particular site, and no Contestant may participate from a physical location other than a site designated by the Tournament Organizer, and approved by the DIC. The DIC shall be informed, no later than 2 days after the close of registration of each designated site.
3. Monitors shall ensure the enforcement of these conditions of contest, and will be primarily responsible for the enforcement of any security related issues at their designated location.
6. Chatter at each physical location shall be kept to a minimum. No discussion of hands is permitted at any given location until all bridge play at that location has been completed.
7. Contestants must connect to the internet through a designated on-site router.
8. Contestants may only run the following applications during the play period:
a. Online Host Software, or b. An internet browser for the purpose of accessing the Online Host and/or (in the Championship or A Flights only) for the purpose of accessing the ACBL’s defense database.
9. Monitors shall ensure that Contestants cannot view the Computer Screens of other Contestants within their own flight.
10. Monitors shall ensure that Contestants, competing at the same site as members of their own team, are seated in positions which obscure their view of one another.
11. Contestants must not relay, through chat visible to partner, any extraneous Information. The Play
1. Contestants are required to post a complete convention card, in ACBL format, Inclusive of any supplemental notes.
2. The ACBL Mid-Chart applies to Flight ‘A’ and the Championship Flight. Pairs playing methods requiring a written defense must pre-alert their opponents, and post a written description of the method(s) along with their convention card. Contestants opposing a pair playing such methods are permitted to access the ACBL’s defense database and keep said defenses open in their internet browser. http://acbl.org/play/defenseDataBase.html
3. The ACBL General Convention Chart applies to Flights B & C.
4. The Director must be summoned electronically for any irregularity which occurs during play. Once the Director has been summoned, all play and bidding shall cease until the Director authorizes its continuation.
5. Contestants are required to alert and explain their own calls (not their partner’s). When one makes an alertable call, the bidder must give a full explanation of the agreement to his opponents (and only his opponents). Stating the common or popular name of the convention is not sufficient.
6. Any Contestant may request, but only at his turn to call or play, information concerning an opponents methods. Such inquiries may be asked of either or both opponents, but must be asked in a private chat. Replies to these inquiries must be given in a private chat.
7. Violations of conditions, which make available to one’s partner extraneous Information by a remark, a question, a reply to a question, an unexpected alert, failure to alert, special emphasis, tone, gesture, movement or mannerism (Security 9-11 & The Play 5-6), shall be rectified under the Laws of Duplicate Bridge, and are subject to procedural penalties. The Monitors and Contestants must report any such violations to the DIC.
8. Any deviation in tempo does convey extraneous information, and is subject to rectification under the Laws of Duplicate Bridge. Any Contestant experiencing technical difficulties which may be construed as conveying extraneous information should immediately inform the Monitor or Director.
9. Claims, concessions, agreement thereto and contention or cancellation thereof will be rectified under the Laws of Duplicate Bridge.
10. Unintended calls or plays will be rectified under the Laws of Duplicate Bridge. If a Contestant makes an unintended call or play, he should summon the Director immediately. As in live play, undoes are permitted only upon instruction of the Director.
APPENDIX III
Requirements for ACBL approved Online Host
1. Online hosts must be accessible to all of the events participants.
2. The host must have the ability to run four separate flights.
3. The host must have the capability to run distinct sets of deals for each match, as well as distinct sets of deals for each flight.
4. The host must ensure the conditions of each deal are consistent with the Laws of
5. The host shall ensure that each participant may chat with either or both of his opponents, and will all of the contestants at his table, but not privately with partner.
6. All deals, auctions, play and chat shall be recorded and available for review, in real time by the Director.
7. If feasible, the auction should appear for each contestant three bids at a time.
8. The host must have the capability of running a Swiss, Knockout, and/or Round-Robin movement. Specific movements are listed below:
a. Three table Round-Robin in 2 rounds with distinct sets of deals for each match. b. Four table Round-Robin: Three rounds with identical deals for both matches of each round. c. Five table BAM movement. Four rounds with comparison after round four. d. Five table Swiss Round-Robin: Four rounds with comparisons after rounds two and four. e. Five table Round Robin: Five rounds with a sit-out and identical deals for both matches of each round. Comparisons after each round. f. Six table Round-Robin: Five rounds with identical deals for all three matches of each round. Comparisons after each round. g. Seven table BAM: Six rounds with comparison after round six. h. Seven table Swiss Round-Robin: Six rounds with comparisons after rounds two, four, and six. i. Seven table Swiss Round-Robin: Seven rounds with a sit-out and identical deals for all three matches of each round. Comparisons after each match. j. Eight table Round-Robin: Seven rounds with identical deals for all four matches of each round. Comparisons after each match. k. Nine table BAM: Eight rounds with comparison after round eight. l. Nine table Swiss Round-Robin: Eight rounds with comparisons after rounds two, four, six, and eight. m. Nine table Swiss Round-Robin: Nine rounds with a sit-out and identical deals for all four matches of each round. Comparisons after each match. n. Ten table Round-Robin: Nine rounds with identical deals for all five matches each round. Comparisons after each match. o. Any odd number table Swiss Team movement with 11 or more teams, consisting of a three table round robin and four or more head to head matches. Pairing to be based upon the aggregate VP results of each team. p. Any even number table Swiss Team movement with 12 or more teams. Pairing to be based upon the aggregate VP results of each team. q. Any KO movement from 9-16 teams, to be completed in four rounds, with no sit-outs. r. Any KO movement from 6-8 teams, to be completed in three rounds, with no sit-outs. s. KO movement with 2 or 4 teams.
Pat Dunn,
He can be reached at (425)746-3930
And by e-mail at pjdunn@comcast.net
Don Mamula,
He can be reached at (425)357-1964[home] (425)269-7936 (cell)
And by e-mail at don@d19director.net