YORKSHIRE LEAGUE RULES 2015 – 2016
League structure
1. The league will consist of divisions each containing as near to eight teams as possible. New teams will normally be entered in the lowest division.
2. Two teams will be promoted and two teams relegated from each division unless the Management Board decides otherwise.
3. The winners of Division 1 will be invited to represent Yorkshire in the Garden Cities Trophy teams competition. 50% of the entry fee will be met by the YCBA.
4. The Management Board has delegated the responsibility for the day to day running of the Yorkshire League to the League Secretary and the Yorkshire League Committee
Entries
5. Affiliated clubs may apply to enter as many teams as they wish.
6. On receipt of an entry from a club which had no team in the League in the previous season, and is situated in the general locality served by a club or clubs which had a team in the League in the previous season, the League Secretary shall consult the club or clubs so affected. In making a decision whether to accept or refuse the entry the Management Board shall have regard to any representations it receives in response to the consultation
7. The Management Board shall have the power to refuse any application for reason(s) which they consider reasonable and proper.
8. The entry fee is £20 per team.
Player eligibility
9. Players may not represent more than one club during any season and should be members of that club.
10. No player shall play in more than one team in matches for which the match date (see rule 15) is the same. The Yorkshire League Committee may, at its discretion, impose on may team violating this rule a fine not exceeding two Victory Points per player.
11. The Yorkshire League Committee may, at its discretion, impose on any team fielding a player who is not a member of YCBA (see General Rules) shall be fined two Victory Points per ineligible player.
Matches
12. Matches shall consist of 32 boards and opponents shall be changed after each set of 8 boards. Rearranged matches played in the evening may, by agreement between the team captains, consist of 24 boards, in which case opponents shall be changed after each set of 6 boards
13. Teams shall consist of eight players. In the case of sudden illness or other exceptional circumstances, eligible substitutes will be allowed in order that a match may be completed. Details of any such substitute should be given to the League Secretary in the result notification.
14. Scores shall be announced after each stanza. Each board is scored by International Match Points (IMPs). At the end of the match total IMPs are converted to Victory Points (VPs) on the following scale:-
32 boards 24 boards
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Victory points
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IMPs
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IMPs
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10-10
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0-4
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0-3
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11-9
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5-10
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4-8
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12-8
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11-18
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9-14
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13-7
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19-28
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15-22
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14-6
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29-39
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23-31
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15-5
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40-51
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32-40
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16-4
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52-63
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41-49
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17-3
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64-75
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50-59
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18-2
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76-87
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60-69
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19-1
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88-99
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70-79
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20-0
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100+
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80+
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15. Teams will be placed in the division in accordance with the total VPs gained. If there is a tie between two or more teams, then the tie will be broken in accordance with the White Book.
16. A programme of Match Dates (Sundays) has been drawn up (for the current season’s Match Dates, go to the Home page of the YCBA website and click on Yorkshire League in the left hand panel) and all matches shall be played on or before those dates. No extensions of time will be permitted unless weather conditions prevent the play of a match.
17. Should any match not be played in accordance with the previous rule the League Secretary shall ask the teams’ Match Secretaries to state, within four days, the reasons for the failure to play. At the expiration of this period the Yorkshire League Committee may, on the information before it, take such action as it considers appropriate.
18. If a match has to be abandoned after the third stanza has been completed, the match will be deemed to be completed and the result at that point will stand using the VP scale for 24 boards (see rule 14). Otherwise, the match will be resumed at a later date resuming and retaining the score from the end of the last completed stanza.
19 Home teams are responsible for making all arrangements for playing matches.
20. All matches will commence at 2.00 p.m. unless agreed otherwise.
21. The Home Match Secretary must, not less than 10 days before the designated or agreed date of the match, notify the Away Match Secretary by email or in writing of the venue and telephone number, and the team captain's name and home telephone number.
Notification of results
22. The Home Captain is responsible for notifying the League Secretary of the result of the match.
23. Results may be sent by:
- email on the match day or the day after, including the result and details of the personnel of each team, or
- first class post sent not later than the day following the match, using the result sheet, which must be signed by both team captains.
If notification by email is chosen, the Home Captain must retain the result sheet, duly completed and signed by both captains, until one month after the final league table has been published, for production to the League Secretary if so required.
Disputes and appeals
24. If there is an irregularity, the team captains must agree a first instance ruling. Advice on the Laws of Duplicate Bridge may be obtained from the League Secretary or from any suitably qualified tournament director. (See also the General Rules and Who’s Who for contact details).
25. If either team wishes to appeal against the first instance ruling, this must be stated in the result notification. A deposit of £30 is payable in advance of consideration of the appeal. The deposit will be refunded so long as the appeal is not considered frivolous. Advice on appeals may be sought from the Appeals Adviser or from any suitably qualified tournament director. (See also the General Rules and Who’s Who for contact details).
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