Lockdown Online Bridge League -Rules
1 The pair mentioned first in the draw for each match acts as Host, and arranges the time and date to play, in agreement with the other pair.
2 The intent is that pairs should be the same partnership for the whole of each League, though in the event that a player becomes unavailable for any reason, a substitute may be used instead.
3 In order that each League can be completed within a reasonable number of weeks, it will be organised on a Swiss Pairs basis: for round 1, the matches will be drawn at random. For round 2, the pairs with the nearest scores to each other will play each other, adjusted if necessary so that no pairs meet each other again. After two rounds, each team has an aggregate score over their two rounds played, and in round three matches, pairs play against each other with the nearest aggregate, again adjusted so that no pairs meet each other who have already met each other in the competition. After three rounds, every pair has an aggregate score over the three rounds played, and that determines the matches for round 4. In this way, we can complete a League without every pair playing every other pair, and finish in 4 or 5 rounds.
If there is only a small number of pairs entering a League, it may be played on an all-play-all basis (a round-robin).
4 Members (whether Full Members or New Player members) and visitors are eligible to play. Visitors are welcome, and will be encouraged to join Warrington Bridge Club after playing in one League.
5 The schedule will be for one match per week per pair. The intended day for matches to be played is Thursday, because this is a Club night, and does not clash with our programme of BWS virtual duplicate pairs events. Matches may be arranged for a different day by mutual agreement between the pairs concerned, in the event of genuine unforeseen unavailability of one or more of the players. It is obviously better if pairs do manage to play their match on time each week, as with Swiss Pairs we need the results for each round in order to determine the pairings for the next round.
6 IMPORTANT Use BBO Match Points scoring (not the BBO default, which is IMPs), so that results are all in %. Select casual bridge, relaxed game. The Host is responsible for inputting the correct settings. If incorrect settings are input, eg IMPs scoring, the match will have to be re-started.
7 Undo's are permitted for genuine mistakes (as opposed to change of mind) at discretion of opponents.
8 For alerting/explaining bids, it is preferred to use the BBO alert system, as it is useful to get used to doing that. Alternatively, you can use the BBO chat typing box, or verbal communication (eg if using WhatsApp in conjunction with BBO) - by agreement between pairs.
9 It is not permitted for one pair to use a communication method alongside BBO (such as FreeConferenceCall or WhatsApp) for private communication between themselves. If audio or video calling is used, at least one player from each pair must be included.
10 Matches are played over a fixed number of boards, which will be advised for each League. The first 4 Leagues were played over 12-board matches, but this was increased to 16 boards for League 5 onwards. Immediately at the conclusion of the fixed number of boards, which is as soon as the subsequent deal appears, the host notes the % scores. These are the scores shown in the MPs box as in the picture here, not the scores shown elsewhere, in the yellow History panel, since these tend to lag behind the scores in the MP's box. It is important that the scores are noted immediately (either by writing them down or taking a screenshot), as they are likely to change subsequently, as other BBO pairs play the same boards; we need to adopt an arbitrary rule, otherwise either pair could wait until the score changes in their favour, and it would be impossible to adjudicate which score was valid. However, the change will usually be small, and any perceived unfairnesses are likely to even out over time. The host is responsible for emailing the result to the competition organiser (presently Jim Steele).
11 It is recognised that there will be a certain amount of luck involved in how many other BBO pairs have played the same boards by the time the match finishes, and how they have done, but such things should even out over time.
12 Play may continue beyond the set number of boards if both pairs agree, but extra boards don't count towards the match score.
13 The competition will be decided on overall % score, not on matches won or lost.
14 Once a League has been completed, the results will be published on the Club website.
|