1.1
The following paragraphs comprise the rules for the operation of the Premier
Leagues, Senior League, Intermediate, Junior and Novice Leagues.
1.3 Nothing in these rules shall be
interpreted as implying that the Laws of Contract Bridge,
as applied by the N.I.B.U., are in any way diminished or inoperative.
1.3 In all matters not specifically covered by these rules the power
of decision rests with the Honorary Competitions Secretary of the N.I.B.U. (Hon.
Comp. Sec.). (Subject to the right of the General Purposes Committee of the
N.I.B.U. (GP committee) to overrule any decision on appeal or on its own
initiative.)
1.4 The GP committee has the final decision on any matters relating
to the leagues and may initiate action. If the GP committee makes a decision on
a matter that has not been referred to the Rules and Ethics committee a team
whose match is directly affected by the decision may ask for the matter to be
referred to that committee. However, the GP committee is not bound by the
advice given.
1.5 All teams enter the league on the understanding that they accept
the rules and in particular any final decision by the GP committee.
2.1 The Premier League shall consist of a 1st division of 8
teams and, optionally, a 2nd division of up to 8 teams. Each of the
other Leagues shall consist of one division; if the number of entries exceeds 9
then the League shall be split into two and the final positions decided by a
play-off.
2.2
Entry to the Leagues and considerations of eligibility shall be the
province of the Hon. Comp. Sec. or an Organiser
designated by the GP committee.
2.3
It shall be the duty of the Hon. Comp. Sec. or Organiser to arrange for a suitable date for the receipt of
entries for Leagues. Depending on entries and composition of teams it may also
to necessary to arrange a suitable date or dates for play-offs before the
commencement of the season.
2.4 It shall be the duty of the Hon. Comp. Sec. or Organiser to
maintain a record throughout the season of team memberships and, in particular,
designations of regular and substitute members (see Para. 5
below)
2.5 Each League and each division of the Premier League shall be
administrated by an Organiser, who shall be appointed by Hon. Comp. Sec or the GP
committee.
The Organiser may appoint
Tournament Directors to act as proxies at a session of the League. Such Directors shall exercise all the powers
of the Organiser insofar as they apply during a session of the League.
2.6 Neither the Organiser nor the Tournament Director may play in
the division of the League for which
they are responsible. (But see 3.1.)
The Organiser may appoint an administrator who may play in
that division to assist in some or all of the following ways: Organising
venues, appointing a Tournament Director, receiving and recording results and
keeping a record of the accumulated League position. In no case may the Administrator decide or
advise on penalties, scores to be awarded, postponement of matches, or any other
disputation matters
2.7 Each team shall consist of 4 or more
members, each of whom must be members in good standing of an N.I.B.U.
affiliated club, and who are not otherwise ineligible. Some grounds for
ineligibility and definitions of membership are given in Section 5 below
.
3.1
Each team shall play each other team in its league or division or
section once over 28 boards except that in the case of the Novice and Junior
Leagues the number of boards shall be 24 and the rules following shall be
modified where necessary.
All boards must be played in
one session. Only 4 members of a team
may play in any match (unless illness affects a team member after the
commencement of a match).
If one player is temporarily
delayed, the Director/Organiser may, with the agreement of the opposing
Captain, play, or permit a spectator to play the first four boards (or if
eligible to play the full match). This
does not affect eligibility in any way for team or substitute.
If agreement is not
forthcoming, the match shall be suitably reduced in length.
3.2 Matches must, excepted as provided in Section 3.3, be played on
the due night at the due venue.
Each session shall commence at
Slow play or late arrival are
punishable at the discretion of the Organiser, see Section 8.
3.3 The Organiser
shall decide all matters to do with the dates on which matches shall be played subject to the following rules. Matches shall be
played on the published date (PD)
at the published venue or, with the agreement of both Captains, on the alternative published date (APD) and venue. In
the event of non-agreement to
play on the APD the Organiser may at his discretion decide whether the PD or the APD will apply, but
should ensure that as far as is just and equitable, the team prepared to play on
the PD is not disadvantaged.
3.4
If 2 teams play a match without the Organiser’s permission at other than
the normal date and time, then the match shall be null and void and both teams
shall be treated as if they conceded the match under Rule 6.
3.5
All matches shall, where practicable, use pre-dealt hands supplied by
the Organiser
and bidding boxes of a pattern approved by the N.I.B.U
Only systems and conventions
approved by the N.I.B.U. shall be used. These shall normally include all those
systems and conventions licensed by the English Bridge Union for use in events
of Level 2, 3 & 4.
Level 5 systems are approved
for use in Premier I and Premier 2 leagues, See page 9 for their regulation.
Pairs in any doubt as to the eligibility of their chosen methods should apply,
through the Organiser, to the Convener of the Rules, Ethics and Appeals
sub-committee of the N.I.B.U.
The Organiser shall apply Rule
8 below if any team uses unapproved methods.
All pairs shall have two
properly completed convention cards which shall be deemed to provide a complete
statement of their methods.
3.6 Under
exceptional circumstances a team may ask for a postponement. This may only be given by the GP committee at one
of its regular meetings and the team requesting
the postponement must have an agreed alternative date with their opponents. The Hon. Comp. Sec / Organiser do
not have the power to allow a postponement.
4.1 At the end of each season the lowest placed team in Premier I
shall be relegated to Premier II. The
place left vacant shall be filled by the leading team in Premier II.
Provided the second team in
Premier II wishes they shall play off against the seventh team in Premier I
over 28 boards, the arrangements to be made by the Premier I Organiser. The Premier I team must win by 1 IMP to
retain its place for the following season otherwise it is relegated to Premier
II.
If the second team in Premier
II does not wish to play then the seventh team in Premier I shall remain in
Premier I.
4.2
The winning team in the Senior League play-offs is entitled, if they
wish, to promotion to Premier II. If the
number of teams in Premier II thereby would exceed 8, then the lowest-placed
team in Premier II shall be relegated to the Senior League.
If the runners-up in the
Senior League play-offs wish to compete in Premier II they shall, if necessary,
play-off with the seventh placed team in Premier II. The Premier II team must
win by 1 IMP to retain its place for the following season; otherwise it shall
be relegated to the Senior League.
If the second team in the
Senior League does not wish to play then the seventh team in Premier II shall
remain in Premier II. The Premier II Organiser shall be responsible for the
playoffs described in this paragraph.
4.3 The winning team in the Novice, Junior and Intermediate Leagues
are entitled to promotion to the League immediately ranked above.
5.1
Every team must designate, in writing, to the Hon. Comp. Sec. on or before a specified date (see Para. 2.3), between four
and six of its members as regular members. Designation of regular team members can
have important consequences as outlined in the following rules.
5.2
Regular team members can play in any number of the
team’s matches. Other regular members
may be similarly notified during the season.
Additional members
may be designated as substitute members. Any substitute member who plays in
more than one-third of the team’s matches is automatically deemed to be a
regular member.
A team may never
have more than six regular members. If
as a result of this rule it would have more than six then the regular member
who has played the least number of matches shall be treated as a substitute
member. In the event of two or more members having played an equal number of
matches the one to become a substitute member shall be determined by lot.
5.3
No-one may play in any match until eligibility has been confirmed by the
Hon. Comp. Sec. or the Organiser for the appropriate league.
All notifications must include
the Master-Point numbers of the team members involved. No-one without a number can be eligible.
5.4
In the case of the Novice, Junior and Intermediate Leagues no proposed
member of a team or substitute is eligible if that member is registered as a
player of a category higher than that of the League in which the member is
intending to play.
5.5
In the case of the Senior and Premier Leagues no
regular member of a team or substitute is eligible if that player is a regular
member of a team in a higher league or division in the current season.
5.6
A regular member of a relegated team may only play in the higher
division or league in the following
season as a substitute.
5.7 A substitute member of a relegated team may play in the higher
division or league.
5.8 No regular member of any team may play, either as a regular or
substitute member, in a lower division or League.
5.9
Except as provided in Section 3.1. no player may play, either as a
regular or substitute member, for more than one team in any league or division.
Rules 5.10 - 5.15 apply in particular to the Premier
League and its divisions.
5.10
After promotions and
relegations in Division I of the Premier League, if the number of entries falls
below 8, the vacancy or vacancies may not be filled by reorganisation of
existing teams in Division I from the previous season but from the relegated
team or teams or from teams that were
members of Division II in the previous year, normally according to their
position in that division in the previous year. The organisation of this to be
handled by the Hon. Comp. Sec.
5.11 After promotions and
relegations in Division II of the Premier League, if the number of entries
falls below 8 the vacancy or vacancies may not be filled by reorganisation of
existing teams in Division II from the previous season.
Such a vacancy or vacancies
may only be filled from the relegated team or teams together with teams from the Senior League invited by the Hon.
Comp. Sec or Organiser to play in playoffs for such positions.
5.12
In the Divisions I and II of the Premier League if any team wishes, from
season to season, to change its regular personnel the following
rules apply.
a)
Only team members designated
as regular
members in the previous season have rights in decisions pertaining to changes
in personnel
b)
Two members of a team cannot
be considered a team.
c)
A team is only deemed to
remain in being if a majority of the players (at least 3 of those designated as
regular
team members in the previous season) wish to continue playing together in the
future.
If this condition
is satisfied, the team may therefore submit an entry by the addition of
suitable eligible players, excepting where 6, or more players, of the original
team were designated as regular team members and they wish
to split into two equal parts in which case 5.12(d) applies.
d)
If the team splits into two equal
parts the Organiser shall require the two resulting teams to play off for the
place. The winning team shall be the team winning by 1 Imp. The losing team
shall be relegated to the Senior League.
5.13
If two or more teams of the
same division wish to re-arrange regular personnel then, unless the
number of teams would thereby increase, the Organiser shall normally acquiesce
in the re-arrangements unless they are contested by regular members of one of
the teams involved, when Section 5.12 shall come into operation.
5.14
If for any other reason a team
does not accept its rightful place the vacancy shall be filled at the
discretion of the Hon. Comp. Sec. or Organiser.
5.15 If a team does not
complete at least two-thirds of its matches, then none of its regular members shall be eligible to
play in the Premier League in any capacity
the following season.
6.1 If a team completes fewer than half its matches, then none of its results shall count.
6.2 All matches shall be scored by IMPs converted
to victory points (VPs) on the scale on page 8...
6.3 The final placings in each division shall be decided on VP
aggregates.
6.4 No team may concede during a match (except for reasons of
ill-health) unless its opponents have already established a lead sufficient to
score a maximum victory (currently 25 VPs).
If a concession is made on
health grounds then, if the other team has a lead sufficient to give 20 VPs or
more it shall be awarded that score, else it shall be awarded 20 VPs.
The Director may, at his
discretion, complete, or ask a spectator to complete, the match in -place of
the ill player. This does not affect
eligibility in any way.
Wilful violation of this rule
shall invoke standard N.I.B.U. penalties for refusing to complete a fixture.
6.5 If a team concedes a match before its start their opponents
shall be awarded 17 VPs or the average number of VPs scored over all their
other matches, both before and after the conceded match, whichever is the
greater.
6.6 Any team conceding a match before its start shall receive 8 VPs
or its lowest score in all other matches, both before and after this match,
which ever is the lesser.
6.7 If a team completes a match in good faith and it was
subsequently discovered that the opposition has fielded an ineligible player,
the non-offending team shall be awarded 17 VPs or the average number of VPs
scored in all their other matches (both before and after the match) or the
score actually obtained in the match, whichever is the greater. The offending team shall receive 0 VPs.
7.1 If two or more teams finish with the same Victory Point score,
the tie shall be broken by (in descending order) :
(a) most points on a scale of 2
for a win and 1 for a draw (a draw being any
IMP differential of 7 or less), then
(b) the result of the direct
match in VPs, then
(c) the result of the direct match
in IMPs , then
(d) the total IMP quotient.
If a tie still exists, the
teams should play a further 28 board match, 1 IMP deciding. Followed if necessary
by 4 board sets until the tie is broken.
7.2 Conceded matches shall be assessed to have
scored the lower IMP’s shown on the Diary scale for the VPs received.
8.1 Slow
Play
This is specified as inability to maintain
a playing speed of 7 boards plus scoring per hour. The penalties quoted below may be levied
against any team whose members, in the Director’s opinion, are guilty of slow
play as defined.
Any player whose opponents are, in his
opinion, playing slowly should call the Directors attention to the situation
else the Director shall consider each pair to be equally guilty.
The Director may, at his discretion, rule
that one or more boards of the set cannot be played, in which case the
penalties for not completing 28 boards shall be invoked
The
Penalties are :-
First set of 7 boards 1 VP Subsequent offences 1 VP
Any penalty may be withdrawn if the
Director is satisfied that the team members have recovered lost time.
8.2 Non-completion
of 28 boards
If a match is running behind schedule the
Tournament Director shall decide the number of boards to be played in the last
set.
Failure to complete the prescribed number
of boards in time shall attract a penalty of 2 VPs. The Tournament Director shall have the power
to impose further penalties up to an additional 3 VPs for what is, in his
opinion, excessively slow play, or deliberately slow play.
8.3 Use
of unapproved methods.
Paragraph 3.6 of the Rules above gives the
criteria by which eligibility of methods shall be judged.
Any pair transgressing against this rule
shall be penalised, if using any unapproved conventions or
systems, 2 VPs or such other penalty as the Tournament Director , to a maximum
of 6 VPs, may decide is just and equitable.
The Director may award the non-offending
side such part, up to the whole, of the penalty where he thinks they have
suffered.
The use of unapproved methods must cease
upon discovery: continued use shall entail concession in addition to the fine
already incurred.
9.1 All
results, including those of re-arranged matches, must be received, in writing,
by the Organiser or Administrator within 48 hours of the completion of the
match. The Director will also accept
results. The Organiser may, at his discretion,
penalise any infraction.
9.2 The
information to be notified must include :-
a) the
names of all members of both teams,
b) the
actual IMP scores of both teams, and
c) the
signature of both captains.
d) the
Master Point number of all players on the team on the first occasion they play
in the season.
9.3 The
Organiser or Administrator should ensure that all results and the up-to-date
positions within the division are available at the start of each session.
Any appeals against decisions or rulings, either of
the Honorary
Competitions Secretary,Organiser
or of a Director, should be made in the prescribed fashion to the Rules, Ethics
& Appeals sub-committee of the N.I.B.U. The GP committee reserves the right
to intervene on its own initiative.
IMP to VP conversion for 28 board match and 24 board
match.
|
IMPS |
VPS |
IMPS |
VPS |
IMPS |
VPS |
IMPS |
VPS |
|
0 - 3 |
15 - 15. |
44 - 49 |
23 - 7. |
0 - 3 |
15 - 15. |
40 - 45 |
23 - 7. |
|
4 - 10. |
16 - 14. |
50 - 55 |
24 - 6. |
4 - 9. |
16 - 14. |
46 - 51 |
24 - 6. |
|
11 - 15. |
17 - 13 |
56 - 61 |
25 - 5. |
10 - 14 |
17 - 13 |
52 - 57 |
25 - 5. |
|
16 - 20. |
18 - 12. |
62 - 68 |
25 - 4. |
15 - 19. |
18 - 12. |
58 - 64 |
25 - 4. |
|
21 - 25 |
19 - 11. |
69 - 76 |
25 - 3. |
20 - 24 |
19 - 11. |
65- 71 |
25 - 3. |
|
26 - 31 |
20 - 10. |
77 - 85 |
25 - 2. |
25 - 29 |
20 - 10. |
72 - 79 |
25 - 2. |
|
32 - 37 |
21 - 9. |
86 - 94 |
25 - 1. |
30 - 34 |
21 - 9. |
80 - 87 |
25 - 1. |
|
38 - 43 |
22 - 8. |
95+ |
25 - 0 |
35 - 39 |
22 - 8. |
88+ |
25 - 0 |
"The NIBU has adopted the
English Bridge Union Orange Book as far as Systems and conventions approval is
concerned. Copies of this can be downloaded from the EBU website at www.ebu.co.uk on the Internet.
The following levels apply to NIBU events:
Open non-handicap NIBU
competitions Level
4
Junior, Intermediate and
Handicap
competitions
Level 3
Level 5 systems are approved
for use in Premier I and Premier 2 leagues provided at least 2 weeks notice of
such systems is given to the opposing team.
Any system may be played in the Premier League 1, provided 1 weeks notice
in writing has been given to the opposing Captain, of any systems not allowable
at level 4 with full description and a suitable defence. The opposing team
shall have sole seating rights whenever such systems are played and may consult
a written defence during bidding".
If pairs
wishing to play such methods from the first match of the season include this
information electronically with their entry, this will allow all other teams to
be informed. Changes during the season must be communicated directly to
opponents.