Rules and Regulations
(bylaws)
of
The Women’s Bridge League of Philadelphia
ARTICLE I
Section 1. Definition of By-Laws
These Rules and Regulations constitute the code of rules adopted by the Women’s Bridge League of Philadelphia for the regulation and management of its affairs.
ARTICLE II
Meetings of the League
Section 1. There shall be four meetings of the League. There shall be two business meetings of the Board, one in January and one in May. The remaining two meetings will be a meeting of all Captains and Chairmen prior to the first team match of the year and a meeting following the last team match of the year, which shall be the Annual Meeting,Luncheon and the Eleanor D. Hagy Memorial Charity Bridge Tournament.
The followingorder of business shall be observed at the Annual meeting of the League:
- President’s Greeting
- Approval of Minutes of the previous Annual Meeting
C. Secretary’s Report
D. Treasurer’s report
E. Report of Committees
F. Election of Officers and Committees
G. Presentation of Cups
H. Adjournment
ARTICLE III
The President
Section 1. The President shall appoint such Special Committees as may be found necessary.
ARTICLE IV
The Board
Section 1. The Boardshall perform the following duties, any part or all of which may be delegated to committees of three (3) appointed by the President.
A. Prepare and supervise rules of conduct of matches.
B. Arrange matches between representatives of this League and the representatives of like organizations.
C. Sanction as many tournaments under the direction of the Women’s Bridge League as it
sees fit.
ARTICLE V
Competitions
Section1. The Inter-Club Team Matches and all other competitions shall be played in accordance with the Rules of Duplicate Bridge as adopted by the American Contract Bridge League with such modifications as the Board may adopt.
ARTICLE VI
Conditions of Play in Inter-Club Team Matches
Section 1. Aschedule for team contests between members of this League shall be arranged by the Secretary as follows: The second match of the preceding year to be the first match of the current year and the first match of preceding year to be the last match of the current year. Hostess Clubs to be reversed. There will be no matchesscheduled on Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Yum Kippur, Rosh Hashanah, Passover Eve and the First Day of Passover.
Section 2. The number of teams in each League shall not exceed twelve (12) and the number of Leagues shall not exceed six (6). League vacancies shall be filled by teams from the next lower League in order of their present standing, even if the higher league already has a team from the same Club. The exception being that there will not be two teams from the same Club in the First League.
Section 3. Names of Chairmen and Team Captains for the succeeding season shall be in the hands of the Secretary by the date requested. Addresses, phone numbers and email addressesshall be included.
Section 4. Inter-Club team matches shall consist of eleven (11) six (6) table matches in Leagues with twelve (12) teams and shall be played on alternate Tuesdays starting at 1:00 PM, or at an earlier hour upon the agreement of both Captains. Play must begin within one half hour of the scheduled or agreed upon time. Failure to do so will be deemed a default by the offending team. The schedule shall be adjusted for the League with fewer teams.
Section 5. Unless changed by order of the Board, those Leagues consisting of twelve (12) player teams shall have six (6) table matchesfor the majority of the matches scheduled for the season.The remaining scheduled matches of the season shall consist of eight (8) player teams, having four (4) table matches. The Fourth or last League may play eight (8)player matches (four (4) tables)per team throughout the season.
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Section 6. Matches may be postponed because of weather conditions upon the agreement of the President and Secretary. Postponements must apply to the entire League and not on an individual basis. The first postponed match must be played on the designated snow date. If weather conditions at that time are bad, the President or Secretary must decide where and when the postponed match will be played. Any subsequent weather postponements will be considered cancellations. In cases where weather conditions have not sufficiently warranted a league- wide postponement, matches may be transferred to a central location only if agreeable to both Captains. Likewise, if a match has not been postponed due to weather conditions, but the Captains believe that weather and road conditions are worsening to the point of becoming hazardous, the Captains may agree to terminate the match already in progress and replay it before the next scheduled match. Both Captains must agree to terminate the match, otherwise it will be considered a forfeit by the team that terminates play.
Section 7. Emergencies during a match: If the team minus a player(s) cannot obtain a substitute(s), the opposing team must offer to reschedule the match.
Section 8. Captains shall exchange lists designating position and table number of each player prior to the match.
Section 8-A. In a Six Table Match:
(1) No pair shall be dropped more than three (3) places from one match to the next match they play. A pair is two players having played together twice previously in a season.
(2) No individual shall be dropped more than five (5) places from one match to the next match she plays.
Penalty: Loss of Match
Section 8-B. In a Four Table Match:
(1) No pair shall be dropped more than two (2) places from one match to the next match they play. A pair is two players having played together twice previously in a season.
(2) No individual shall be dropped more than three (3) places from one match to the next match she plays.
Penalty: Loss of Match
When going from a Six-Table Match to a Four Table Match, the Six-Table rule shall apply for the Four-Table Match.
Section 8-C. A Captain has the right to ask to see the line-up of the opposing team for its previous match and such line-up should always be available.
Section 9. In a Six-Table Match: Duplicate boards in play must be kept in correct position on the table. Penalty for removal: One hundred (100) points against North.
In a Four-Table Match: Three (3) Duplicate boards may be removed from their correct position on the table during the play of the remaining three (3) boards of the set. If the boards are removed, North is responsible for the removal and proper replacement.
Section 10. A hand record shall be made after play of the first set of boards and shall not be collected until after the match.
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Section 11. Entertaining Captains shall communicate by scan and e-mail the results and line-up of the match to the Secretary before 6PM. If this is not possible, the results may be phoned to the Secretary by 6PM and followed up with the mailing of the Team Line-Up and Results Form.
Section 12. Every time a team defaults, a letter stating the reason for the default shall be sent to the League Secretary. If any team defaults more than twice during a given season, the President and Secretary shall review the causes of the defaults. If such causes are not justified, that teammay be giventhe opportunity to move to the lowest cup in the up-coming season.
ARTICLE VII
Penalties
Section 1. The Captain of the entertaining team shall be responsible for any irregularity in seating teams. In cases of error, the Home team will be penalized one thousand (1,000) points. If the error is discovered before the fifth (5th) board is completed, the entire match will be restarted with players in their correct position. If discovered after the fifth (5th) board is completed, the match is replayed with eighteen (18) boards, three (3) at a table, for Six-Table matches; or twenty (20), five (5) at a table for Four- Table matches.
Section 2. For removing any hand from a tray during a match:
A From a played tray:
(1) Other than her own hand, one hundred (100) points.
(2) For touching another player’s card, one hundred (100) points.
B. From an unplayed tray:
(1) For removing an opponent’s hand and looking thereon: Said tray should not be played at that table, and the offending pair shall take the lowest score made on that tray in their direction. Their opponents shall take the highest score made on that tray in their direction with a bonus of five hundred (500) points.
(2) For a player exposing three or less cards from her own hand: They become exposed cards, are laid on the table in front of her and must be played at her first opportunity. Partner is barred from the auction.
(3) Fora player exposing more than three cards from her own hand: Tray shall not be played and is scored as in B (1) above.
(4) For removing partner’s hand and looking thereon: all hands are played with tray in reversed position. If any of these cards are exposed, rule B (2) covering “player’s own hand” applies.
Section 3. If an error is found in the hand: Hand is scored by giving the offenders average minus one hundred (100) points and their opponents average plus one hundred (100) points after the match. (Average is to be computed by adding the total score on this hand at all the other tables and dividing by the number of tables. If both sides are equally at fault: Score average only.)
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ARTICLE VIII
Ties
Section 1. If a Six-Table match results in a tie, the teams must play six or more additional boards. If a Four-Table match results in a tie, four or more additional boards must be played.
Section 2. If one or more members leave the premises before the scores have been added and checked and the match results in a tie, the team without its full complement of players shall forfeit the match.
ARTICLE IX
Play-Off to break a tie and Challenge Matches
Section 1. All Play-Off matches or matches to break a tie for the right to challenge, shall be Four-Table matches.
A. A Team has the right to break a tie for a League Cup.A Club may have two teams in any League Cup, except for the First League. No League may have three teams from the same Club.
B. In a Challenge Match or in a Play-off for the right to challenge, the original line-up shall be followed as closely as possible. The eligibility of players is as follows.
1a. For Clubs having one team all players should have played at least twice during that season, although members in good standing at the Club may be considered as substitutes.
1b. For Clubs having two teams, each player must have played at least half of her matches on the team involved, not higher, although members in good standing at the Club may be considered as substitutes for the lower team.
1c. For Clubs having more than two teams, each player may not have played more matches on a higher team than the team involved. Playing on a lower team cannot be counted when determining her eligibility, i.e,
4 times on team 2, 3 times on team 3, and 3 times on team 4 – not eligible for team 3
3 times on team 2, 3 times on team 3, and 3 times on team 4 – not eligible for team 3
When involved in a Challenge Match, or a tie for the right to challenge, the following rule applies:
In the event of irregularity of eligibility of players in a tie play-off at the bottom of the League, an automatic drop to the lower League by the offending team shall result. In the event of irregularity at the top of the League play-off, the offender loses the right to challenge.
Section 2. All Challenge Matches orties shall be played off at a neutral Club with a Professional Monitor hired by the Secretary.
A. All two-way ties shall be broken on theTuesday following the last match or according to the published schedule.
B. Based on a formula to be provided by the President, all three-way tiesshall be broken in one session on theTuesday following the last team match or according to the published schedule.
C. Four-way ties for the top of the League shall be broken in one session ontheTuesday following the last team match or according to the published schedule. Captains shall draw to see which two of the four teams shall play each other for twelve (12) hands. The two losing teams need not play any more hands. The two winning teams shall then play each other twelve (12) hands for the first and
second position. The winner of the first position can challenge the lowest standing team in the League above, even if the higher team is from the same Club.
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D. Four-way ties for the bottom of the League shall be broken in one session on the Tuesday
following the last team match or according to the published schedule. Captains shall draw to see which of the four teams shall play each other for twelve (12) hands. The winners need not play any more hands. The two losers shall play each other twelve(12) hands to determine last and next to last positions. The eventual loser assumes last place and can be challenged by the winner of the League below, even if the challenger is from the same Club.
E. Matches start at 1:00 PM unless otherwise arranged.
Section 3. Challenge Matches between the lowest standing team in a League and the winning team in the next lower League must be played at a neutral Club on the Tuesday following the Play-Off matches or according to the published schedule. If the Challenge Team is successful, it shall replace the losing team in the higher League the following year. Matches start at 1:00 PM unless otherwise arranged.
Section 4. The winners in the Team Competition shall be the Champion Team in their respective Leagues for the year and trophies shall be held by their Club for that year. Small permanent trophies will be awarded to become the property of the winning Club.
ARTICLE X
Protests pertaining to the Inter-Club Matches
Section 1. Protests or complaints, if telephoned to the Secretary, must be verified in writing and received by the Secretary within three (3) days before any action will be taken by the Board.
Section 2. A protest as to the score of any hand will not be allowed unless made within fifteen (15) minutes after the match, and then only if the opponents of the protesting party were present. This rule does not apply to vulnerability or errors in addition, which may be corrected at any time before noon of the following day after having been cleared with the other Captain.
Section 3. All other protest must be made immediately to the two Captains. The hand under discussion may then be played with a notation, “Under Protest.”
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UZS-WBLP-BY-Lawsrevised2016(9)0525-2017-2-Aug2017.docx