A Guide for Members

Before Play  ̶  Please toss a coin to decide who sits N/S. Heads sits N/S. If you wish to have seating rights for health reasons please arrive early to arrange with the Director.

Table Money ̶ Your table money is subtracted from your Compass Wallet when your bridge number is entered into the scoring tablet.  For more information click Compass$$

To check your Compass  Wallet please log in to  Compass Dollars

Table Responsibilities 

North ensures the board is correctly placed on the table at all times during play.

South records details of the contract and result.

East checks the score and okays it.

East and West move the boards to the next table.

Count the cards before looking at them.

Shuffle the cards after you have played them.

After the Session has finished ̶  Please assist the director and the committee by returning tablets, table numbers, cards and boards to the director’s table.

Pencils and bidding sheets are to remain on tables.

Please asssit the club by taking dishes and glasses into the kitchen, helping with the washing up on occasion and leaving the club how you found it, clean and tidy.

All assistance with other tasks is expected and appreciated.

Opening Leads ̶ The Opening Lead card is to be made face down. Before it is faced, the leader’s partner and the declarer may each ask for explanations of an opponent’s bids.

Session Results ̶ Published online. Please see home page

Mobile phones ̶ Must be turned off during play or switched to silent mode.

Master Points ̶ The purpose of Master Points is to stimulate interest in competitive bridge and to provide a means of measuring and recording players’ achievements. They are used to calculate your Rating Points, Ranking and Grade. For a more detailed explanation of Master Points please see  Master Points

Visitors  ̶  Please introduce your guest to the Director.

Visitors may play in 3 sessions before becoming a member. They are not eligible to substitute in a competition or be awarded any Club Trophy. Non- affiliated visitors will not receive C points nor count in the final results.

Recorders  ̶  Recorders deal with complaints arising from incidents which do not meet the expected standard of conduct for members. This includes unethical, offensive or intimidating behaviour which is not serious enough to require a ruling by the Director at the table or is outside the role of the Director.

Directors  ̶  The Director is responsible for all aspects of play, including order and discipline. Call the Director for all disputes, complaints and irregularities however minor.

Do not accept discourteous or unethical behaviour from other players – please call the Director.

Scoring Errors  ̶  Corrections can be made up to one week after the session. Please put all details in writing in an email to the Secretary.

Substitutes  ̶  Substitutes are permitted for absent players only and must be Club Members. When one member from each of 2 pairs play together on one night the score will be credited to both pairs.

Non-Financial Members  ̶  Members who have not paid their yearly subscription will not be eligible to play the last three rounds of the Individual Championships, the Intermediate or Senior Championship Pairs, Simpson Cup or the Presidential Trophy Teams, Non-financial members may not represent the club in any event.

Appeals – You may appeal against a ruling related to an incident where the facts are in dispute or against a ruling based on the Director’s bridge judgement rather than his/her interpretation of the rules.

If you disagree with a ruling by the Director you may ask the Director to convene an Appeals Committee of three senior players present who are familiar with the Rules of Bridge.

Dummy’s Rights

After the opening lead:

• Dummy must place all 13 cards face up on the table, sorted into suits, with trumps (if any) on Dummy’s right.
• Each suit must be sorted high to low with the low cards closest to Declarer.
• There is no Law which prescribes the order of the other suits in dummy.

Dummy’s functions during play are to:

• Play the cards on Declarer’s instructions.
• Turn over the bidding pad at the end of the first trick - Any other player may do this if the dummy has not.
• Tell the declarer if a card is about to be played from the wrong hand.(you cannot tell after they have played from the wrong hand)
• Ask Declarer if he/she has revoked. “No clubs, partner?”

Otherwise, dummy is there to play the cards on Declarer’s instruction and may not:

• Tell partner he has a trick pointed the wrong way after a lead has been made to the next trick.
• Tell Declarer a card has been played from the wrong hand. It’s up to the defenders to point out the mistake and call the Director.
•  Play a card before it is called for by the declarer, even if it’s a singleton.
• Express surprise at any play from dummy.
• Indicate in any way which card should be played from dummy.
• Call the director before Declarer or one of the
• Defenders have drawn attention to an irregularity.
• Ask defender if there has been a revoke.
• Dummy can bring attention to any observed irregularities when the hand is complete.

Becoming a Better Bridge Player

• Develop a positive mental attitude. Show optimism and confidence. Show poise and keep your wits about you.
• Always bid and play in an even tempo.
•  If you are defending, plan how you will play your cards in each suit based on what you see in dummy. This will prevent you from hesitating before you play your cards.
• Don’t lose interest when holding uninteresting cards.
• Show no emotion when dummy appears.
• Don’t dwell on previous hands. The past is history.
• Keep discussion of the bidding or play of any hand to a minimum and out of earshot of other players.

Some things to Remember

• Greet players and be courteous at all times
• Be especially encouraging to new players.
• Pre-alert your system and give full details of your partnership agreement when asked.
• Bid and play to time.
• Call the Director after any irregularity and accept the Director’s Ruling.
• Congratulate opponent’s good play.
• Thank your partner when she/he puts down the dummy.
• You should not indicate in any way to show approval or disapproval of partner’s call or play.
• Do not remark, question or gesture in a way which might convey information or mislead other players.
• Do not attract attention to the number of tricks won.
• Never detach a card from the hand before your turn to play or lead nor detach a card and then replace it.
• Don’t voice criticism of your partner or opponents. 

Alerting

Pre-alerts
Before starting the auction briefly explain your bidding system or show a simple system card. For example: Acol, 5 card majors, better minor, the strength of your No Trump and 2 level openingbids.

Announcing
Your partner should announce the minimum number of cards in your suit after a 1C opening and the strength of your 1NT bid.

Stop Cards (jump bid warning)
Before making a jump bid, the bidder should place a stop card infront of left hand opponent, bid then remove it after about 10 seconds. This is to prevent inadvertent underbids.

Alerts
Bids which should be alerted (circled):

• Multi bids up to and including the 3 level
• Weak jumps & responses that are normally regarded as forcing that can be passed. Also, please use the Stop Card.
• 2C opener which shows Clubs or is not a Game Force
• Any non-standard opening bid
• 2NT opener followed by 3C (Stayman) must be alerted.

Do not alert

• 2C opener which is Game Force and the 2D negative response
• 2C simple Stayman and its negative 2D response denying a four card major after a 1NT opening.
• Self-alerting bids – no need to alert
• Doubles, Redoubles, Cue bids of the opposition suit and all bids at the 4 level or higher.

If the opposition wants to know what the bids mean they will ask.

After the auction

• Declaring side should mark self-alerting bids that may have an unusual treatment.
• The opposition can ask the meaning of the bid.
• If you are defending do nothing until asked.

2 Club Opening Bids

A non-alerted 2C opener must be a Game Force.

The definition of a Game Force is a hand containing:

• 23+ HCP if balanced or semi balanced or;
• 20+ HCP if unbalanced (with allowance for
• distribution -- 1 point for every card after the ninth in the two longest suits).
• Any other 2C opener must be alerted.

Note: The Losing Trick Count, alone, is not adequate for determining whether a hand qualifies as a Game Force.

Bidding

• The marking of the bidding pad with ‘vulnerability” and ‘Dealer’ is not permitted. Any markings on the bridge pads must be made after play of the hand is completed.
• The bidding sheet should be turned face downwards after the first trick has been completed, normally by dummy but any other player has the right to do so.
• Bidding can be reviewed up until this point.
• The Board must remain on the table in the correct orientation, at, or close to the centre of the table.
• Bids must be neat and legible. Do not vary the strength or size of and do not use full stops or any other markings.
•  Do not pass or double with exceptional haste or with reluctance or hesitation – this may be seen as giving information to your partner.
• Information should be given only in response to a question. 

Nelson Player Classifications

The Match Committee will determine Nelson Club Members’ classifications.

If a Monday Player is notified of promotion to the Tuesday night grade, that player may continue to play on Monday nights only with Committee approval but will do so as a Tuesday player and will not be eligible to win any series.

A Monday player may be invited to play on Tuesdays. During a trial period of up to six months the player may choose to go back to Monday night play or remain as a Tuesday player.

Club Competitions

All competitions will be played under the Rules of NZ Bridge and the Laws of Duplicate Contract Bridge. Individual Competitions

Players must play with a different partner each night to be eligible to win. The final result is the average of the best six scores.

Three Night Competitions
Pairs must be represented on all three nights to qualify; one substitute is permitted.

Championship Pairs

• Held over nine nights in three, three week sessions.
• Senior Championship – played on Tuesday nights and is open to all Tuesday night players.
• The Championship Plate will be awarded to the best pair below Open Rank.

Intermediate Championship – played on Monday nights.

• Only Monday night players are eligible.
• Pairs must be represented for eight sessions to qualify.
•  Each pair is allowed a substitute on two occasions, but each player must play a minimum of seven nights.
• The final scores is the average of all sessions played.

President’s Trophy – Teams of Four

• Run over six Tuesday nights in two, three week sessions.
• Teams may be made up of players of any grade.
• Each team must be represented on all competition nights. Multiple substitutes are permitted but substitutes may not be a member of another team.

Swiss Pairs

• Pairs Competition held over three Tuesday nights for all Club members and is scored as you would score a Teamevent (IMPS).
• Each Pair is to be represented on all competition nights with one substitute allowed over the three nights.
• Monday night players are very welcome.

Acol Cup

• The Acol Cup now a three night Monday series for Monday/Tuesday partnerships.
• The Cup will be awarded to the Monday/Tuesday combo with the highest average Handicap score.
• Other members may play on these nights but will not be eligible to win.
• No Multi2D opening may be used by any pair as this can alter outcomes in the competition.
• One substitute is allowed but must be the same classification as the player who is being replaced.

Thursday Night Competitions

• Thursday night sessions are handicapped.
• One substitute is allowed over three night competitions.

The Ann Urquhart Memorial Trophy, Dorothy Clark Cup and the John Oliver Cup are

• handicapped competitions for partnerships between Monday and Tuesday players for all sessions.
• Two Monday or two Tuesday players may play together but are not eligible for trophies.
• Substitutes must be the same classification as the player who is being replaced.
• No Multi2D opening may be used by any pair as this can alter outcomes in the competition.

Simpson Cup

• Handicapped event held over nine Thursday nights in three, three week sessions.
• Open to all members.
• The final result beginning 2024 is the average of the best seven scores with one substitute allowed per player.

Nelson Bridge Club

Psyche Bidding Protocol

   Sometimes antagonism is caused by Psyche Bids, therefore the Nelson Bridge Club has established the following Protocol regarding Psyche bids when they occur. It is in line with the 2022 Bridge Laws and the NZBridge Manual.

EXPLAINER AND ADVICE

A Psyche is a gross and deliberate bid which misrepresents the bidder’s holding. Generally, it involves making a call with values and/or suit length which is well short of the partnership agreement/understanding. “Gross” is usually considered to be a King or less in hand values or two or more cards in suit length less for the bid than stated in the partnership’s system. The word “gross” is well established in bridge as meaning a significant degree of departure from the system norm. It is not “deliberate” if made due to an accident or lack of understanding.

Essentially this means that if the number of HCPs in the bidder’s hand are 3 or more fewer than their system agreement it’s a gross departure and thus a psyche. An example would be when playing 5 card majors and opening 1S with fewer than 8 HCPs with only one or two spades. The Director should be able to make a decision via the partnership’s system card or by questioning bidder’s partner.

“Psyches” are a legitimate part of the game, but they should not be used by a player often enough that any partner of that player may be aware of the tendency to psyche and thus adjust their bidding accordingly (known as “fielding a psyche” and considered a serious offence).

It is OK to Psyche very occasionally. It is not OK to psyche more than about once per session or to do so rather regularly or frequently. Such behaviour would contravene the Laws regarding enjoyment of the game.

How often is too often? Psyching too often is likely to gain you a reputation for spoiling the enjoyment of other players including your partner. It is also discouraging for inexperienced players to encounter Psyches whether by the opposition or partner. You decide, but once or twice a year seems a fair number.

Nelson Bridge Club Protocol

· Only one Psyche Bid per session is permitted.

· If you make a Psyche Bid you must self-report to the Director at the first possible opportunity or failing that it must be done at the supper break or at the end of the session. Failure to do so may result in a procedural penalty against your side.

· The Director must record the incident in the Psyche Register along with relevant details, regardless of whether the opponents noticed or were affected by the psyche. The Psyche Register is in/on the Director’s table.

· The affected opponents are entitled to check with the Director that the Psyche has been reported and recorded.

· A form of censure such as a score deduction will be imposed for the offending side for any failure to self-report. There is no compensation for the opposition.

· Repeated failure to self-report is likely to result in stronger action by Committee

· Excessive psyching by a player may result in some form of further action as such behaviour interferes with the enjoyment of the game by other players.

SPOTTING A PSYCHE BID

Because we now have readily available hand records and most of us keep an eye on these on the scoring tablet, it should not be too difficult to notice whether a bid meets the definition of a Psyche. If you are the opponent, politely raise the matter with the bidder and/or call the Director regardless of whether you are playing at Nelson or elsewhere. All Clubs/Tournaments should have a means of recording Psyche bids.

NZ Bridge Manual, page D79 – Psyche Bidding, Regulation 35

35. Appendix 15. Deceptive Calls and Play
35.1 A "psyche" is a deliberate gross misrepresentation of your high card strength 
and/or the length of one of your suits (Laws of Duplicate Bridge 2017, page 21). Note:
The key words are "deliberate and "gross".
To make a wrong bid accidentally is not a "psyche" – it is not deliberate. To
shade an opening bid by a couple of points is not a "psyche" – it is not gross.
35.2 A player may depart from his agreed partnership methods in an attempt to
deceive the opponents as long as his partner is no more aware of the violation
than the opponents.
35.3 A partnership understanding exists when the frequency of psychic calls is
sufficient for the partner of the player who made the call, to take his awareness
of this possibility into account, whether he actually does or not.
35.4 Opponents must be made aware if a partnership, from time to time, makes calls
that are gross violations of the normal meanings and where the nature or type
of violation may be anticipated. These understandings may be explicitly agreed
or they may have developed from partnership experience or mutually shared
knowledge not available to the opponents.
35.5 If a partnership has an agreement that so-called psychic calls are to be
expected, or there is provision for systemic protections for them, are classified
as HUM (Yellow). These calls, based on partnership understanding, cannot
properly be called ‘psychic’ and such methods are only permitted as detailed in
the relevant System Regulations (Page D47)
35.6 If the Director judges that there is undisclosed knowledge adversely affecting
the result, he shall adjust the score and may award a procedural penalty.
35.7 The psyching of a conventional bid which is unequivocally forcing and
systematically indicates the strongest possible hand (eg a Game Forcing 2C or
a Precision 1C) is strictly forbidden.
35.8 In response to an opening bid, responder is prohibited from psyching any bid
that:
(a) Is by partnership agreement a game try or game force, and
(b) Neither relates to a specific suit or suits nor shows a balanced hand
35.9 Opponents have no recourse if they are misled or damaged by a "psychic" bid
unless they can establish that they were given an incomplete or erroneous
explanation of the opposing side's methods.
However, if your bidding or play is inconsistent with your explanation of partner's
bidding, you lay yourself open to an accusation of improper conduct and, if
challenged, must establish that your subsequent actions were based on
information gained from your opponent's bidding or play or from your own cards
and not from a concealed partnership agreement. Any doubt will be resolved in
favour of your opponent

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