| Convention Cards |
Each player is required to have a convention card filled out legibly and on the table throughout a session. The convention card must include the first and last name of each member of the partnership, and the cards must be identical.
If a director determines that neither player has a substantially completed card, the partnership may play only the Standard American Yellow Card and may use only standard carding. This restriction may be lifted only at the beginning of a subsequent round after convention cards have been properly prepared and approved by the director. Further the partnership will receive a 1/6-board matchpoint penalty for each board played, commencing with the next round and continuing until the restriction is lifted. In IMP team games, penalties shall be at the discretion of the director.
If the director determines the partnership has at least one substantially completed convention card but has not fully complied with ACBL regulations, the director may give warnings or assign such penalties as he deems to be appropriate under the circumstances.
Please note that other types of convention cards, such as the WBF convention card or homemade cards that do not sufficiently resemble the ACBL convention card, are not acceptable substitutes.
The objective of these warnings and penalties is the encouragement of full compliance.
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| Alerts and Announcents |
When using bidding boxes, the ACBL requires that players tap the Alert strip and say “Alert” at the same time.
When making an Announcement, use the Announcement word (such as “transfer”) and tap the Alert strip at the same time. A player who Alerts or Announces a bid must make sure his opponents are aware that an Alert or announcement has been made. Other common bids we announce are One Club for those that open short club - then the Announcement should be “can be as short as xx”. 1NT when playing 2/1 the Announcement is either “Forcing” or “Semi-Forcing” depending on which you play.
Other common bids we alert are: Jacoby 2NT; Lebensohl; Smolen; Bergen; Bromad; Flannery; etc. You only have to alert, - and then explain if a player asks what the alert is for.
Click for further information.
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| Slow Play |
Failure to finish on time can do a great deal to chase players away from the game and is extremely distressing to waiting players. Bridge is a timed event. If a pair takes more than their share of the allotted time for each round, they are inconveniencing their fellow competitors as well as gaining an unfair advantage over them. When a pair has fallen behind it is incumbent on them to make up the time lost as quickly as possible whether at fault or not.
The actively ethical player makes a concerted effort to catch up when they have fallen behind, regardless of the reason for their lateness. All players are expected to develop this good habit.
Avoid hesitations by being consistently deliberate in your bidding and play. An acquired habit of playing smoothly and evenly (even on very bad hands) will always give you more time to think. Remember that a hesitation followed by a pass places an extra burden on partner as any bids by him or her must be very clear cut. Do not be upset if an opponent calls the director to monitor the auction in this situation as it is the proper thing to do.
Remember: Slow play is subject to penalty, and the penalties are well earned when slow pairs disrupt the normal progression of the game.
Additionally, players should be available to start each subsequent round promptly, avoiding wherever possible, being late to a table for non-bridge reasons.
If you are still playing when the next round is called, finish playing the trick then stop. You must pass the played boards to the next table before you restart play.
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| Good Habits |
BEFORE YOU LEAD
Make your lead face down and ask “May I lead?" This gives the rest of the table time to tell you if it isn't your lead.
WHEN PARTNER IS OUT OF A SUIT
Your responsibility is to announce “No spades partner”? if that is the suit being played, and partner trumps or discarded a non-spade. This allows partner to look at their hand again and make sure they are definitely out of the suit being played, and avoiding a revoke (also known as a renege). A revoke is “established” when you or your partner play to the next trick.
The misplayed card becomes a penalty card, which must be played at the first legal opportunity. If you or your partner are on lead any time while there is a penalty card, further lead penalties may apply. The penalty for a revoke is one trick. Plus, if the person who revoked also won the trick, a second trick is transferred if offenders win a trick after the revoke. If the offenders do noT win the revoke trick or any subsequent tricks, there is no penalty.
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