EBU KNOCKOUT COMPETITIONS GENERAL REGULATIONS
1 INTRODUCTION Vrious regultions pply to ll English Bridge Union ompetitions tht involve mthes plyed privtely. These ompetitions omprise: The knokout stges of the Crokfords Cup nd the Crokfords Plte The Ntionl Inter-Clu Knokout nd the NICKO Plte The Huert Phillips Bowl nd the Huert Phillips Plte The Portlnd Bowl (Inter-University/College Knokout) The Gerrd Fulkner Slver (Seniors Knokout ) The Silver Plte The Online Knokout nd the Online Knokout Plte Bridge Gret Britin orgnises the Gold Cup nd issues its own regultions for it. In no irumstnes my BGB regultion e pplied to n EBU event, or the reverse. These regultions desrie rrngements leding up to mth, onditions of ply during it, nd rulings for suh mthes. There re lso speifi regultions tht relte to eh individul ompetition, nd these re found in seprte doument issued for eh ompetition. In the event of onflit etween the regultions in this doument nd those in the speifi regultions for prtiulr ompetition, those in the ltter shll previl. For some ompetitions there is n option to ply the mth online. In suh ses the Online Mth Regultions lso pply. All these regultions nd onditions re supplementry to the generl EBU regultions ontined in vrious EBU pulitions (e.g. Blue Book, White Book, Diry, Wesite), nd in some ses reple them. All the generl EBU regultions ontinue to pply unless over-ridden y more speifi regultions, or stted otherwise. EBU Knok-out ompetitions re mnged y mens of system known s EBU Knokout whih requires ptins to log into the Memers Are of the EBU wesite (ommonly known s My EBU ) to ess detils of drws nd ontt detils for opponents, nd to enter results. Any enquiries regrding these ompetitions should e ddressed to: The Competitions Deprtment The English Bridge Union Brodfields, Biester Rod, Aylesury, HP19 8AZ. Tel: 01296 317203 E-mil: knokout@eu.o.uk Generl KO Regultions - lst updted Nov 2017
2 SECTION A THE DRAW AND ARRANGEMENTS PRIOR TO A MATCH 1 Drws re mde in ordne with the following prgrphs: For round during the stge (if ny) of the ompetition where the speifi regultions for the ompetition require the drw to e regionlised, s erly s prtile during the period eginning one week efore nd ending two dys fter the ply-y dte for the previous round. How erly during this period it is prtile for the drw to e mde will depend on how mny mthes from the previous round remin to e plyed nd/or the geogrphil lotion of tems involved in suh unplyed mthes. For round during the stge of the ompetition where the speifi regultions for the ompetition do not require the drw to e regionlised, s soon s prtile fter the drw for the previous round hs een mde. In exeptionl irumstnes, s soon s is prtile in the light of those irumstnes (whih my result in n erlier or lter drw thn would otherwise e expeted). 2 The drw in the erly rounds will e rrnged so s to seek to void exessive journeys for the wy tem, nd so enourge the fixing of mid-week dtes. In order to filitte this, it is essentil tht the EBU Competitions Deprtment is wre of the tem s plying venue. In the sene of this informtion the ptin s home ddress will e ssumed to e the plying venue. The home tem s venue my not e hnged fter drw hs een mde to venue signifintly less onvenient to the wy tem without the greement of the wy tem. All plying venues must e in Englnd. 3 One the drw hs een mde notifition is sent to the tem ptins on the sme dy y emil. By entering ompetition tems gree: to provide n emil ddress for use y the EBU Competitions Deprtment nd their opponents for ommunitions relting to the ompetition; nd to uthorize the EBU Competitions Deprtment to dislose suh emil ddress to the ptins of tems ginst whih they re or my e drwn. 4 As soon s they re notified tht the drw hs tken ple, the ptins should log into My EBU to sertin the identity of nd ontt detils for their opponent. At this stge they should hek tht their own ontt detils re orretly shown on the EBU Knokout system nd mke ny neessry Generl KO Regultions - lst updted Nov 2017
3 mendments. They should then get in touh with eh other, preferly on the sme dy nd y telephone or emil. This should led to seletion of suitle dtes eing identified, nd one of them will eventully e greed without the need for forml offer of dtes. 5 If the tem s next opponents re not shown on My EBU, normlly euse the tem is drwn ginst the winner of mth whih hs not yet een plyed, opponents ontt detils will not e shown on the EBU Knokout system. Cptins re welome to ontt the EBU Competitions Deprtment t this stge for ontt detils for oth potentil opponents. 6 If dte nnot e greed without forml offer of dtes, the privilege of offering dtes generlly rests with the wy ptin. However: If the wy ptin hs een diltory in offering dtes, nd hs filed to offer four vlid dtes within seven dys of notifition tht the drw hs een mde (e.g. if the drw is dted Thursdy the 4 th, offers should hve een mde y Thursdy the 11 th ), then the home ptin my give notie of his intention to tke over this privilege. To do so, he must formlly dvise the wy ptin of his intention (usully y telephone). Suh n intention my not susequently e withdrwn. On reeipt of suh notifition, the wy ptin then hs 24 hours in whih to provide four vlid offers. Upon expiry of this time without suh n offer hving een mde, the privilege of offering dtes is trnsferred to the home ptin. If the wy ptin exerises his right to n intermedite venue, under Regultion 12, then the home ptin my tke over the privilege of offering dtes, ut only if notie of this intention is given to the wy ptin within 48 hours of notifition y the wy ptin tht n intermedite venue is required. 7 In the unfortunte event tht diffiulty rises in greeing dte, then the following tests will e pplied to determine whether or not vlid offer hs een mde y the wy tem (or, in the prtiulr irumstnes desried in Regultion 6, y the home tem). A vlid offer onsists of t lest four dtes tht meet eh of the following requirements: All dtes must fll on or efore the dvertised ply-y dte. There must e t lest four ler dys etween the dy tht the offer is mde nd the first of the dtes offered (e.g. if the offer is mde on Mondy, then Sturdy is the erliest vlid offer). No more thn two of the dtes fll into ny one seven-dy period. Generl KO Regultions - lst updted Nov 2017
4 d e f At lest one weekend dte (Sturdy or Sundy) is inluded in the offer (t lest two weekend dtes for mthes of 48 ords or more), nd t lest one weekdy dte is lso inluded in ll ses. None of the dtes is inluded in ny list of put side dtes notified to the EBU Competitions Deprtment (see Regultion 8) None of the dtes is offered onditionl on strting time mterilly different from the defult strting time mentioned in Regultion 9, unless tht strting time is eptle to the ptin to whom the offer of dtes is mde. 8 Cptins hve the opportunity to put side up to four dtes on whih their tem is not ville. Suh dtes must e notified to the EBU Competitions Deprtment efore the dvertised ply-y dte for the previous round, nd preferly s soon s the result of the previous round mth is known. In the se of the first round of ompetition the dedline for notifition is the dvertised losing dte for entries to the ompetition. Suh put side dtes will e notified to opposing ptins immeditely fter the drw hs een mde nd will not then onstitute vlid offer y the wy ptin. Cptins re dvised to use this fility to put side the dtes of mjor EBU events if they will not e le to provide tem during those periods. 9 Cptins re required to onfirm strting time when greeing dte. In the sene of ny mutully greed lterntive, this will e 2.00pm in the se of Sturdy or Sundy mth (1.00pm in mth of 48 ords or more), nd 7.30pm in the se of weekdy mth, (6.00pm in mth of 48 ords or more). d A strting time is mterilly different from the defult or greed strting time if it differs y more thn n hour in either diretion in the se of weekend mth or y more thn 30 minutes in the se of weekdy mth. If tem reks n greement s to strting time y inditing tht they nnot strt until time up to 90 minutes lter thn the greed strting time, the mtter is treted s one of notified lte rrivl nd delt with under the provisions of Regultions 20-22, whih pply on the sis of the tul rrivl time of the tem. If tem reks n greement s to strting time in ny other mteril wy, the mtter is treted s if it hd roken n greement s to dte. Generl KO Regultions - lst updted Nov 2017
5 10 Cptins re reminded tht they should onsider split mthes in rounds of 48 ords or more (e.g. 24 ords on eh of two osions). 11 A mth tht nnot e plyed will e wrded ording to the following priniples: d If dte hs een greed, the mth will e wrded ginst the tem whih roke the greement s to dte (ut see lso Regultion 43). If no dte hs een greed, then (unless prgrph pplies) the mth will e wrded to the wy tem provided tht the wy tem ptin hs offered t lest four vlid dtes s desried in Regultion 7; filing tht, the mth will e wrded to the home tem. If the privilege of offering dtes rests with the home ptin (see Regultion 6), the mth will e wrded to the home tem provided tht the home tem ptin hs offered t lest four vlid dtes; nd filing tht, to the wy tem. The terms of this regultion will e pplied stritly. It is therefore importnt for the tem with the privilege of offering dtes to ensure tht they do in ft mke vlid offer of suffiient dtes, even if they do not expet their opponents to ept them, or else they risk the mth eing wrded ginst them. 12 The wy ptin my require the mth to e plyed t n intermedite venue if the distne etween his norml home venue nd the home tem s proposed venue is more thn 100 miles. d For the purposes of this regultion the distne etween two venues is tken to e the distne y rod, using the route likely to result in the shortest trvelling time. The expenses for the intermedite venue, nd for refreshments, shll e shred etween the two tems. The responsiility for rrnging the venue rests with the wy ptin, ut the rrngements shll e sujet to the home ptin s pprovl. The home ptin hs the option to tke over the privilege of offering dtes s desried in Regultion 6. 13 Should the wy tem give suffiient notie tht one or more of its memers hs speil requirements in reltion to ess, plying onditions, toilet filities or ny other mtter rising from ny disility, inluding due to llergies, the home ptin is required to provide suitle venue to ommodte them. If he is unle to do so, then the wy tem my elet to ply the mth t venue provided y nd pid for y them (whih speifilly Generl KO Regultions - lst updted Nov 2017
6 inludes the option to ply the mth t their own home venue). The wy ptin retins the right to offer dtes s desried in Regultion 6. 14 Lte mthes disrupt the ompetition. However, n extension of one week will e redily given provided tht: oth ptins sk for it efore the finl ply-y dte; they show evidene of rel diffiulty in fixing dte; nd they hve lredy greed dte within the extension period. 15 A further extension of one week my exeptionlly e grnted if oth ptins sumit their request to the EBU Competitions Deprtment in writing efore the finl ply-y dte nd the request shows good reson for the dely. Suh extension is t the solute disretion of the Chief Tournment Diretor or Deputy Chief Tournment Diretor or n offier of the Bord ting on their ehlf. 16 In the event of mth eing plyed fter the finl ply-y dte under Regultion 14 or 15, the winning ptin must ontt the tem s next round opponent within 24 hours of the mth eing plyed. SECTION B LATE ARRIVAL 17 For the purpose of these regultions: A tem hs rrived t the mth venue when t lest four memers of the tem re present, ll of whom re oth willing nd eligile to ply. One memer of tem eing present within 45 minutes of the sheduled strting time is n indition of the intention of the tem s whole to rrive, nd the tem is therefore onsidered to hve notified its lte rrivl. If oth tems re lte, the regultions pply from the time tht the first tem hs rrived (so tht, for exmple, if one tem rrives 20 minutes fter the sheduled strting time, nd the other tem one hour fter the sheduled strting time, the seond tem is onsidered to e 40 minutes lte nd the first tem is onsidered to e non-offending). 18 If tem rrives less thn 30 minutes lte, no sntion is presried y these regultions. If tem rrives t lest 30 minutes lte, its opponents hve the rights set out in Regultions 19-22. Suh rights my e enfored or wived entirely t the disretion of the ptin of the non-offending tem. If Regultions 20-22 (removl of ords) pply, they my e enfored in whole or in prt. A deision to enfore or wive the rights must e mde nd Generl KO Regultions - lst updted Nov 2017
7 ommunited to the ptin of the offending tem efore ply strts nd nnot lter e hnged. 19 The mth is wrded to the non-offending tem if: The offending tem hs not notified its lte rrivl nd is t lest 45 minutes lte; or The offending tem hs notified its lte rrivl nd is t lest one nd hlf hours lte. 20 After 30 minutes of lte rrivl (whether notified or not), the mth is shortened y removing two ords from the numer sheduled to e plyed. For eh further omplete 15-minute period y whih the offending tem is lte, two further ords re removed. The mximum numer of ords whih n e removed is eight (whih ours when tem hs notified its lte rrivl nd is etween 75 nd 90 minutes lte). 21 For eh ord removed under the provisions of Regultion 20, the nonoffending side sores 3 IMPs (100 ggregte points in the Huert Phillips Bowl nd the Huert Phillips Plte). 22 The ords to e removed when Regultion 20 pplies re those onseutively numered from ord 1. The stnzs to e plyed re s follows: Where the mth does not involve ompulsory hnge of opponents (e.g. in the Crokfords Cup or the stges of the Ntionl Inter-Clu Knokout where mthes re of 32 ords or more), short stnz is to e plyed first, in order tht the remining stnzs onsist of the numer of ords originlly sheduled. Where the mth does involve ompulsory hnge of opponents (e.g. in the Huert Phillips Bowl or the stges of the Ntionl Inter-Clu Knokout where mthes re of 24 ords), s equl numer of ords s possile should e removed from ll stnzs. If this results in one or more stnzs of unequl length, then the shorter stnz(s) is to e plyed first. SECTION C SEATING RIGHTS 23 Seting rights in hed-on mthes in ll EBU Knokout ompetitions (exept the Huert Phillips nd the stges of the Ntionl Inter-Clu Knokout where mthes re of 24 ords) operte s follows. The ptins toss oin nd the ptin who wins the toss my tke the first hoie or my pss tht hoie to his opponent. The hoies re mde in ordne with whihever of Regultions 24-26 pplies, ording to the numer of stnzs to e plyed. Generl KO Regultions - lst updted Nov 2017
8 24 The hoies in mthes of four stnzs re s follows: 1 st hoie: the ptin selets one stnz in whih he will hve seting rights (i.e. the right to deide how to ple his own pirs fter opponents hve nominted their line-up) 2 nd hoie: the other ptin next selets two of the remining three stnzs in whih he will hve seting rights The remining stnz is then tken y the ptin who hd first hoie. 25 The hoies in mthes of five stnzs re s follows: 1 st hoie: the ptin selets two stnzs, whih my not e oth stnzs 4 & 5 (ut my e one or the other of these), in whih he will hve seting rights. The other ptin then hs seting rights in the three stnzs whih remin. 26 The hoies in mthes of six stnzs re s follows: 1 st hoie: the ptin selets two stnzs, whih my not e oth stnzs 5 & 6 (ut my e one or the other of these), in whih he will hve seting rights. 2 nd hoie: the other ptin next selets three of the remining four stnzs in whih he will hve seting rights. The remining stnz is then tken y the ptin who hd first hoie. SECTION D MISCELLANEOUS CONDITIONS 27 Tems my onsist of four, five or six plyers of whom t lest four must e nominted t the time tht the originl entry is mde. No plyer my represent more thn one tem in the sme ompetition in the sme seson. Where tem onsists of fewer thn six registered plyers, the rules (inluding time limits, where pplile) for registering further plyers re ontined in the speifi regultions for the ompetition onerned. 28 All plyers must e eligile to represent the tem t the time of entry, nd must ontinue to e eligile to represent it throughout the durtion of the ompetition. In the event of the loss of plyer due to deth, serious inpity or loss of eligiility, the tem my pply for permnent replement of tht plyer. This right extends even eyond the time t whih dditionl plyers n normlly e registered, nd if the pplition is pproved my result in the limit of six plyers per tem eing exeeded. 29 In the event tht plyer hs een registered in tem ut hs not plyed Generl KO Regultions - lst updted Nov 2017
9 mth for the tem in the ompetition: The plyer my e de-registered from the tem, in whih event Regultion 27 pplies s if the plyer hd never een registered memer of the tem. In the se of Plte ompetition plyer is tken not to hve plyed mth only if the plyer hs plyed mth in neither the Plte ompetition nor the prent ompetition. 30 A plyer who hs een de-registered from tem my e registered for nother tem ut only if: The tem for whih the plyer is now to e registered hs fewer thn six registered plyers; The ptins of oth tems onsent; nd The Chief Tournment Diretor or Deputy Chief Tournment Diretor, or n offier of the Bord ting on their ehlf, is stisfied tht the ddition does not mterilly strengthen the tem for whih the plyer is now to e registered. 31 Soring in ll EBU Knokout ompetitions exept the Huert Phillips Bowl nd the Huert Phillips Plte is y IMPs. Soring nd split-tie rrngements for the Huert Phillips Bowl nd the Huert Phillips Plte re ontined in the speifi regultions for those events. 32 In the event of tie in ny ompetition sored y IMPs, dditionl ords will e plyed equl to one-eighth of the originl sheduled numer of ords in the mth (rounded up to the nerest whole numer if neessry, e.g. four ords in mth of 25-32 ords). This proess is to e repeted s often s my e neessry until the tie is roken. 33 There re no seting rights during tie-rek. If neessry, ptins should exhnge written delrtions of the pling of their tems. 34 The home ptin should ensure tht the venue is ville for suffiient time for the mth to e ompleted, mking dequte llowne for possile lte rrivl, soring nd refreshment reks, nd tie reks s well s norml plying time. It is reommended tht the venue should e ville, s minimum, for one hour per 8-ord stnz (or equivlent for stnzs of some other length), plus one dditionl hour. In the event tht the venue is not ville for long enough nd the mth nnot e ompleted, the ptins must report the irumstnes Generl KO Regultions - lst updted Nov 2017
10 within 24 hours to the EBU Competitions Deprtment, who will rrnge for ruling to e issued under Regultion 42. 35 The home ptin should ensure tht: The duplite ords used for the mth re orretly mrked (i.e. s to deler nd vulnerility). The rds used re in good ondition nd omply with Lw 1C (whih provides for symmetril ks) Bidding oxes nd suitle soring sttionery re ville. 36 Bords should e shuffled nd delt t the tle t the strt of eh set, lthough the ords for the whole mth my e delt t the outset if oth ptins gree. A plyer of eh side must e present t the deling of every ord. Any plyer in dout my require ord to e re-delt efore it is first plyed. Alterntively, tem ptins my gree to nother mens of ord deling (e.g. vi Duplimte mhine) sujet to stisftory seurity rrngements eing in ple. 37 Cptins my gree to permit spettors nd/or tem memers not plying in prtiulr stnz to wth. Either ptin my opt efore the strt of mth to hve losed room, whih will e speified y the ptin who orgnised the venue. Spettors nd tem memers my only wth in the open room, whih should e lrge enough to ommodte resonle numer. If no losed room hs een speified, no spettor or wthing tem memer my move etween rooms one stnz hs strted. 38 The nominted tem ptin my nominte some other memer of his tem to e ptin for prtiulr mth, whether or not he is present t nd/or plying in the mth. If tem ptin is not present t mth ut hs not nominted sustitute ptin, the tem memers present my nominte one of their numer to t s ptin for the mth. If tem ptin is lte, the other memers of the tem my nominte one of their numer to t s ptin pending his rrivl. In either event ny deisions mde y suh nominee shll e inding on the tem s if he hd een the ptin. 39 In return for not hving to trvel, the home tem is expeted to provide refreshments to oth tems. The sle on whih this is provided should tke into ount the length of the mth nd the distne trvelled y the wy tem. 40 Moile phones & other eletroni ommunition equipment should wherever possile e swithed off in the plying room. Plyers should not telephone, emil, or text from the plying room, nd should not leve the room during Generl KO Regultions - lst updted Nov 2017
11 stnz to do so. An exeption rises where importnt ommunitions relting to the mth re required (suh s ommuniting with plyer who hs not yet rrived, or with tournment diretor in reltion to ruling). In this event memer of the opposing tem should e present when the telephone ll or other ommunition is mde. 41 The regultions onerning smoking re s follows: Smoking within the venue my e restrited y lw. All plyers shll respet ny restritions on smoking stipulted y the ptin who orgnized the venue. Unless otherwise greed etween the ptins, ll smoking is prohiited t the plying tle throughout the mth. This inludes the use of eletroni igrettes. 42 Exept for ny ppel ginst ruling (s to whih see Setion E), ny dispute should e referred to the EBU Competitions Deprtment, who will rrnge for the mtter to e onsidered y the Chief Tournment Diretor or Deputy Chief Tournment Diretor, or n offier of the Bord ting on their ehlf, whose ruling (inluding the wrd of mth) shll e finl. The EBU Competitions Deprtment my rrnge for suh ruling to e given on its own inititive in respet of ny relevnt mtter oming to its ttention in ny mnner. 43 In exeptionl irumstnes ( fore mjeure ), ny of these regultions my e suspended either in whole or in prt, nd other rrngements put in their ple in order to ttempt to ommodte the prtiulr irumstnes. 44 Either ptin hs the right to lodge n ppel ginst ruling lredy reeived (see setion E). Sujet to this, when oth ptins hve greed the result it is finl. 45 The winning ptin must log on to My EBU within 24 hours nd enter the result into the EBU Knokout system. If, exeptionlly, this is not possile he must emil the relevnt informtion to the EBU Competitions Deprtment t Aylesury within tht time. The informtion to e provided in either se is the dte of the mth, the sore nd the numer of ords plyed y eh plyer who plyed in the mth. SECTION E RULINGS AND APPEALS This setion of the Regultions is urrently eing updted. Pending the issue of revised version, the equivlent setion of the Septemer 2016 issue of the Regultions (Regultions 22-27 in tht version, heded Rulings in Mthes Plyed Privtely ) ontinues to pply. Generl KO Regultions - lst updted Nov 2017
12 Generl KO Regultions - lst updted Nov 2017