DEVA BRIDGE LEAGUE

RULES

The Deva Bridge League is a teams competition run by the Deva Bridge Club, hereinafter referred to as

Deva BC. It is open to members of that club and non-members.

The Deva BC will have overall responsibility for the league. The league will be managed by a League

Committee comprising a Chairman and one representative, both nominated by the Deva BC, a Secretary

and a representative from each of the divisions of the League.

An Annua General Meeting of the League shall be held at the end of each League season, as defined in

Rule 9. It shall receive the report of the League Secretary, elect officers and respond to proposals from

member teams.

A league member wishing to submit a proposal to the AGM affecting the rules of the League must

advise the Secretary in writing at least fourteen days before the date of the AGM. Any proposals agreed

at the AGM must be approved by the Deva BC Committee.

All League matches are played according to the current Laws of Duplicate Bridge and the directives and

recommendations of the English Bridge Union as set out in their current 'Orange Book'. Level 3 conventions,

as defined in the Orange Book, may be played in all League matches

Local points will be awarded for the League competition in accordance with the scale laid down in the E.B.U.

Master Points scheme.

The League Committee has the power to call for the resignation of any team unable to fulfil its fixtures by the

end of the recognised League season. This does not debar a team from applying for reinstatement the

following season.

The League Committee reserves the right to refuse entries to this League.

The season for the league matches will normally commence on 1st September each year and end on 31st

May the following year.

10.

Teams wishing to compete in the League must register, including the names of all of their players, with the

League Secretary at least one month before the start of the season, to enable the fixture list for the

forthcoming season to be drawn up. Additions to the team squads can only be made during the season with

the approval of the League Secretary. All registrations are subject to the approval of the League Committee.

11.

Membership of the League gives permission for officials of the League to maintain whatever computer records

are necessary for production of League tables, Master Points and Captains address and telephone details.

The Data Protection Act will apply to these records.

12.

All matches are between the two teams-of-four played over twenty four boards and scored by International

Match Points (IMPs).

13.

Matches are normally played at the Deva BC on a Thursday evening in accordance with the fixture list drawn

up by the League Secretary. There is a maximum of two matches to be played on a Thursday evening at

the Deva BC. If teams wish torearrange to a different Thursday, they must firstly contact the League Secretary

to confirm that the date is available (i.e. that there are not already two matches taking place on that Thurday).

Matches can also be rearranged to either Wednesday or Friday evenings at the Deva BC. If teams wish to

rearrange to a Wednesday or Friday they must contact the Chief Tournament Director of the Deva BC to

confirm that the date is available. Matches may also be rearranged at a different venue.

14.

The home team is the first named in the fixtures. Matches played at the Deva BC are expected to start at

7:00pm unless agreed otherwise. However the starting time must not be later than the starting time for the

normal competition being played at the Deva BC on the same evening, in order to minimise any inconveniece

to that competition.

15.

For every match normal table money is to be paid by each member of the teams playing, currently £2 for

members of the Deva BC and £3 for non-members.

16.

A registered player may not play for any team other than his or her own.

17.

The home team shall ask their opponents to choose their positions at the start of the match and they shall

retain these positions throughout the twenty four boards. The home team will change their positions after

twelve boards.

18.

Where matches are played at the Deva BC the results shall be entered on the appropriate sheet on the club

notice board. Otherwise they should be notified to the League Secretary by the Saturday morning following

the match. This is the home captains responsibility.

19.

In the event of an irregularity occurring in the bidding or the play, which cannot be resolved by the two teams

themselves, the Chief Tournament Director, or other competent Tournament Director, should be contacted

within twenty four hours of the end of the match and asked to give a ruling (which may affect the result of the

match). All such rulings may be appealed.

20.

Players wishing to appeal against a ruling in a match must notify the Chief Tournament Director (or other

competent Tournament Director if the Chief Tournament Director is not available) within forty eight hours of

the end of the match.

21.

IMPs are converted to Victory Points (VPs) on the published scale.

22.

In the event of two or more teams finishing with the same number of Victory Points the tie will be split on the

basis of two points for a win and one for a draw. If the teams are still level, the tie will be further split on the

basis of the greater IMP margin and as a last resort on the basis of the matches between the two teams.

23.

Normally, the teams finishing in the first two positions of all divisions below the first shall be promoted to the

division immediately above them, and the teams finishing in the last two positions of each division, except

the lowest, shall be relegated to the division immediately below them. Fewer or more teams may be promoted

or relegated in order to facilitate the organisation of the League.

24.

Exception to Rule 23: If there is a major reorganisation involving changing the number of teams in each

division then the League Committee is empowered to arrange promotion and relegation as they see fit.

New teams joining the League will commence on their first season in the bottom division.

26.

In the event of a postponement, the home captain should notify the League Secretary of the date of the

rearranged match as soon as agreement is reached. If no agreement is reached, the matter should be

referred to the League Secretary for mediation. If agreement still cannot be reached the matter will be referred

to the League Committee, who will decide the outcome of the match.

27.

Any team failing to complete their fixtures by the end of the season, as defined in Rule 9, will forfeit their

outstanding matches. VPs will be awarded as set out in Rule 29.

28.

Any team failing to attend a match without notification shall be regarded as having lost, unless there are

exceptional circumstances, which satisfy the League Committee.

29.

When a team has been declared winners by default, the VP award will be calculated at the end pf the season,

and will be the greatest of:

(i) The average VP score of their winning matches rounded up th the nearest whole number

(ii) The complement, rounded to the nearest whole number, of the average VP score of their oponents

defeats

(iii) 7 VP

The defaulting team will receive 0 VPs

30.

In the event of a match being restricted to twelve boards by mechanical error, the result will be converted to

Victory Points on this scale:

0 - 3 : 4 - 4 4 - 8 : 5 - 3 9 - 15 : 6 - 2 16 - 24 : 7 - 1 25 plus 8 - 0

Other numbers of boards will be treated similarly.