CONDITIONS OF CONTEST

I General Rules and Format

• FORMAT
  1. QUALIFICATION SWISS
     • First 8 matches, are the qualification stage, played as the Danish, 14-board matches.
     • The seeding to the 1st round matches will be based on the average ranking of the team players according to average WBF Senior Masterpoints of all team members (1st vs 2nd, 3rd vs 4th etc.).
     • After 8 rounds of Danish, first 16 teams will play the play-off.
     • The rest of the teams will compete in the Swiss for the 3rd place, which will be also joined by the losers of play-off matches.
     • For the Swiss phase, each result will be converted from IMPs into VPs according to the WBF 14 boards VP scale
  2. KNOCKOUT PHASE
     ROUND OF 16 (2x14 boards)
     • The team placed 1st at the end of the Qualification Swiss has the right to choose their opponent among the teams placed 8th-16th. Then, the team placed 2nd will choose their opponent among the teams placed 8th-16th, etc.
     QUARTERFINALS (2x14 boards)
     • Among the winners of the Round of 16 matches, the team which was highest placed in the Qualification Swiss will choose the opponent of the Quarter-final of all available teams, later the highest placed in the Qualification Swiss will choose, etc.
     • If 4 teams of one country qualify to QF, the highest placed in Qualification Swiss team will choose its opponent of 3 other teams, while 2 remaining will play one against another.
     • If 3 teams of one country qualify to QF, general rules apply till 2 teams remain, or if one, having first right to draw will choose another as the opponent, it is over; if it chooses team of another country, remaining teams are paired automatically. If all three teams are subject to draw, when one of them is chosen, remaining teams are paired automatically.
     SEMI-FINALS (2x14 boards)
     • Among the winners of the Quarter-Finals, the team which was highest placed in the Qualification Swiss will choose the opponent of the Semifinal. If two teams of the same country qualify to semifinal, they will play against each other.
     CARRY OVER
     • Carry over in R16, QF and SF matches is 0.1 imp for the team higher placed in Qualification Swiss.
     FINAL (2x14 boards)
     • There will be no Carry-Over.
     • In case of tie at the end, it will be solved by 1-board Sudden Death.
  3. SWISS FOR THE 3RD PLACE
     • Swiss for the third place will be played as 8 rounds swiss, two rounds a day
     • Result will be converted from IMPs into VPs according to the WBF 14 boards VP scale
     • Carry over is 1/3 of VP from the Qualification Swiss.
     • Draw to the first round is done according to the carry over.
     • Losers of the Knock-out matches will join 3RD PLACE SWISS (according to the rank in Qualification Swiss – highest ranking team the lowest place)
     • after round of 16 – to the 3rd-10th places with number of VP equal to the average of 3rd and 4th team after a previous round; the positions and pairing of the matches will be based on the places at qualifications swiss (highest placed will play with the lowest placed etc.); if less than 10 teams will play in the first round of the 3rd Place Swiss, than the pairings will be made on the rules with similar logic.
     • after quarterfinal – to the 9,7,5,3 places (according to the rank in Qualification Swiss), with number of VP equal to the average of 3rd and 4th team after a previous round.
     • after semifinal – to the 5th and 3rd place (according to the rank in qualification Swiss) with number of VP equal to the average of 2nd and 3rd team after a previous round.
• KIBITZERS
  1. All matches will be transmitted on BBO vugraph with delay.
• STARTING TIMES
  1. Starting time of each round according to Schedule.
  2. All players should be logged in at least 10 minutes before. We hope all of us can accept a few minutes delay in some cases.

II Line-Up Procedure

1. Website of the tournament will provide a system for entering the line up.
2. Detailed instruction will be sent to all persons responsible for line up of their teams.
3. QUALIFICATION SWISS
   • line up is blind
   • Line up should be entered no later than 30 min before start of the match.
4. PLAY OFF
   • Players of the team placed higher at the Qualification Swiss sits as second in second segment. In final first and last segment.
   • Time schedule for line up:
     • 1st segment of the day:
       first sitting team no later than 60 min before start,
       second sitting – no later than 30 min before the start.
     • 2nd/3rd segment of the day:
       first sitting team no later than 20 min before start,
       second sitting – no later than 15 min before the start.
5. 3RD PLACE SWISS
   • line up is blind
   • Line up should be entered no later than 30 min before start of the match
6. PENALTIES - delaying or not providing the line-ups will be subject to VP penalties, starting from a 0.5 VP penalty for the first lack and increasing each time by 0.5 VP (1, 1.5 and so on).
7. LINE-UP CHANGES - It is possible to change the submitted line-up only for an emergency, and they must be communicated through an e-mail or a phone call if less then 30 minutes left to the start of the match (also WhatsApp but not a message) to the organization.
8. In case of any problem with line up system, please contact tournament director.

III Anti-Cheating rules

1. We assume full trust to all players, kibitzers, and other members of the bridge society. All the disciplinary violations will be solved by the Disciplinary Commission of Polish Bridge Union. The captains of all participating teams will be its advisory body at more complicated cases.
2. If somebody wants to report suspicious hands, it should also be forwarded to the Disciplinary Commission of Polish Bridge Union (e-mail [email protected]). All proceedings will be carried out with the appropriate discretion and confidentiality. Ruling of the PBU Disciplinary Commission will be final.

IV Zero tolerance for rude comments or behavior

1. Zero tolerance for rude comments or behavior.
2. If you need to ask something of your opponents, please use the private chat instead of the table chat.

V Convention Cards

1. Before the start of the tournament all teams should send their convention cards, preferable in the WBF standard to tournament directors. The cards will be available at the tournament website.
2. In more complex cases (like brown sticker, HUM, etc. the appropriate rules of World Teams Championships 2023 will be applicable).

VI Starting time and missing players

1. All players are kindly asked to log in on BBO at least 10 minutes before the starting time of their match. We are playing pre-dealt duplicate boards. Delays can affect the event schedule as we are playing all the matches using the same boards, therefore all delays will be penalized (unless the team is not responsibile, e.g. BBO’s server issues, etc.).
2. If at some point during a match a player loses his/her connection, the partner of the missing player must immediately call tournament director to the table (by pressing the usual button) who together with the team’s captain will find another player of the team available for a prompt substitution.
3. Only in case of BBO’s server issues when it is not possible to start some matches, the delayed matches will not play pre-dealt boards, but we are confident that this will not happen too often.

VII Players of the team

1. Because the tournament is played online, the number of players registered for the team is limited to 12. Players can be added/replaced during the tournament.

VIII Undos

1. UNDO is available and fair. We strongly encourage you to accept UNDOs. If you feel that there is a damage due to the UNDO you can call the director at the table but we will be very happy if you play this tournament in a friendly way and allow UNDOs because most of the time it is a true misclick.
2. UNDOs are allowed and encouraged, but only for a misclick.
3. UNDOs for correction of errors are not appropriate and should not be requested.
4. If the opponent questions the reason for an undo, they should call the director as long as it becomes evident that this may have been the case.

IX Alerts

1. Bids must be alerted before being entered. In this way, the left hand opponent knows about the alert before making his/her bid. If you don’t alert before sending your bid, your opponent may think that your bid is natural, make his/her bid, then see the Alert and legitimately ask for an UNDO in case the information changes his/her perspectives. This may lead to unauthorized information. Thus, you need to click the Alert button before entering your bid. Also, during this procedure it is very important to include the explanation in the proper box. During each match, players are not allowed to click on an unalerted bid of the opponents in order to have more information. If they want information, they can privately ask the opponent (by chat). The reason is that it is important to avoid any possible UI between partners. If you notice this, please call the director who will explain this rule to the opponents (BBO software allows this, but it could lead to some issues).

X System Notes

1. Every player is given the right to check his/her own bidding system during play.

XI Tournament Director and rulings.

1. The Tournament Director can be summoned to a table as soon as attention is drawn to an irregularity.
2. After the Director has given the ruling, the only appeal against such ruling can be addressed to the Chief Tournament Director.
3. The decision of the Chief Tournament Director is the final one.

XII Tie-breaking procedures

According to the WBF Tie-breaking procedures:

A. Two Teams
If two teams are tied with the same number of Victory Points at the end of the round-robin, the tie shall be broken as follows (in the sequence shown):

1. IMP quotient (total IMPs won divided by total IMPs lost) in all matches played by the tied teams in that particular event. If the tie remains, then:
2. IMPs earned by the tied teams in the match they played against each other. If the tie remains, then:
3. Total points earned by the tied teams in the match they played against each other. If the tie remains then:
4. Total point quotient in all matches played by the tied team in that particular event. If the tie remains then:
5. One board (“sudden death”) matches will determine the winner.

B. Three Teams
If three teams are tied with the same number of Victory Points at the end of the round-robin, the tie shall be broken according to the following:

1. IMP quotient in all matches played by the tied teams in that particular event. If one tie still remains it shall be broken in accordance with the previous section. If the three teams remain tied, then:
2. If one of the teams earned more VPs against each of the other two in the matches it played against them in that particular event, it shall be declared winner and, if necessary, the tie between the remaining two teams shall be broken in accordance with sub-section. If the three teams remain tied, then:
3. If one of the teams earned more VPs against one of the remaining teams and tied with the other in the matches it played between them in that particular event, it shall be declared winner and the tie between the remaining teams shall be broken, if necessary, in accordance with the previous section. If the three teams remain tied, then:
4. If one team has been beaten by the other two teams in matches it played against them in that particular event, it shall be ranked third in the tied positions and the tie between the remaining teams shall be broken in accordance with the previous section.

In all other cases, ties shall be broken in accordance with the following:

5. Highest net total IMPs earned by the tied teams in the matches they played against each other. If one tie still remains, it may be broken in accordance with the previous section. If the three teams remain tied, then:
6. Highest net total points earned by the tied teams in matches they played against each other. If one tie still remains, it may be broken in accordance with the previous section. If the three team remain tied, then:
7. Total points quotient earned in all matches played by the tied teams. If one tie still remains, it may be broken in accordance with the previous section. If the three teams remain tied, then:
8. One-board (“sudden death”) matches will determine the winner.

C. Four Teams or more
If four or more teams are tied with the same number of Victory Points at the end of the round-robin, the tie shall be broken according to the following:

1. IMP quotient in all matches played by the tied teams in that particular event, shall govern. Any ties remaining will be broken in accordance with the previous sections if appropriate. If there are more than three teams that remain tied after use of IMP quotients, then:
2. If one of the teams earned more VPs against each of the remaining tied teams in that particular event or if it has, uniquely, tied one and defeated the other tied teams, it shall be declared winner and ties for the remaining teams will be broken in accordance with the previous section, if appropriate. If there are more than three teams that remain tied, then:
3. Total points quotient in all matches played by the tied teams in that particular event, shall govern. Any ties remaining will be broken in accordance with the previous sections if appropriate. If there are more than three teams that remain tied after the application of total points quotient, then:
4. One-board (“sudden death”) matches will determine the winner.
5. In case of “sudden death” match, the appeal (protest period) is over when the “sudden death” match begins.

XIII

1. In all cases, not specified in this CoC, appropriate rules of 2023 World Senior Teams Championships will be applied.