The rule regarding the use of convention cards is actually a bit of an inverse, at the Club level the restrictions are not in place (except by Local Rule.) This rule only applies at Sectional and higher events: “Each player is required to have a Convention Card legibly filled out and on the table throughout the session. Both cards of a partnership must be identical.” Why worry about it in a club game? How you do anything, is how you do everything for starters. Even practiced partnerships will have things they do not think about until they happen and remembering particular agreements may be helped by a pregame refresher.
From the ACBL General Conditions of Contest - All Events
CONVENTIONS AND CONVENTION CARDS
The appropriate ACBL Convention Chart will govern bidding and play methods, as defined by the Chart Usage parameters for the level of the event. A partnership is responsible for knowing its methods. In cases of potential misinformation, it is the obligation of the offending side to prove
actual agreement.
4. ACBL convention cards or convention cards that are similar must be used at all ACBL sectional- or higher-rated events. The color red on the convention card indicates that the agreement must be alerted but the Alert Procedures are the final authority in disputed cases. Similarly, blue indicates a call requiring an announcement.
5. Each member of a partnership must have a completed convention card available.
a. Both cards of a partnership must be identical.
b. If a TD determines that neither player has a substantially completed card, the partnership may only play the ACBL Standard American Yellow Card (SAYC), if available, or other basic methods approved by the TD, and may only use standard carding. This restriction may only be lifted at the beginning of a subsequent round after convention cards have been properly prepared and approved by the TD. 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-scored team games, penalties shall be at the discretion of the TD.
c. If the TD determines the partnership has at least one substantially completed Convention Card but has not fully complied with ACBL regulations, then the TD may give warnings or, if the deficiency is not corrected in a timely manner given the circumstances, assign such penalties as he deems appropriate.
As an interesting aside. While a completed convention card is not required in Club Games a card showing "carding methods" Is to wit: 4) A pair must have a carding agreement listed on their convention cards. This requirement is not part of the subsection limited to Sectional and higher rated tournaments.
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