Rules

General Conditions of Contest

To play, we need:

•  The name of your team. It must be the name of a town, no matter how small.

•  The name of the captain (BBO username and real name) and his email.

Entry is free, and the rewards are substantial: recognition from our peers for our sportsmanship and the thrill of competition.

The tournament structure is straightforward: a round-robin group stage followed by a knockout phase. Approximately half of the teams (with a maximum of 40) will advance from their groups to the knockout stage.

There's no limit to the number of players on each team. However, any player who didn't participate in the round-robin stage is ineligible for the knockout stage, unless the team was unable to field a complete foursome. 

The mandatory playing time is on Wednesday at 20:45-21:00 of Central Europe Time (in New York, 15.00; in London, 20.00), unless both captains agree for different time or day; but displacements only should be done exceptionally.

About the playing time: some specifications

The normal playing time is 20.45 - 21.00 in Central Europe Time (CET), whatever be solar time or Daylight Saving Time. It also implies that:

• If two teams are in different time zones, one in Central Europe, the other outside it, the normal starting time remains. For example, an Italian and an Egyptian team have to play at 21.00 CET.

• If two teams are in different non-CET zones, the starting time is to be at 21.00 of the zone closer to Central Europe and after that.

• For example, if the team A is in CET+1 zone, and B is in CET+2 or later, the starting time will be 21.00 of the local A's zone. If the team A is in CET-1 (in British Isles, for example, or in Portugal), and B in CET+1 or later, the starting time will be 21.00 CET.

• If two teams are in the same non-CET zone, they have to play at 21.00 in their local time.

About the matches

The matches are self-managed: the home team’s captain will meet in BBO the away team’s, and will set up the match. After the match, the winning captain will send the result and the link to the hands using the Result Entry button on the website (this opens a form).

In the round robin the matches must be sixteen boards; in the knock-out stage they must be  twenty-four boards.

In the knock-out stage, in case of tie, the winner will be the team which has won more boards (Board-A-Match criterion). If the teams are still tied, then the captains should agree on how many extra boards to play (default is 4 boards). If the match is still tied in IMPs and BAM, the team who first will have won a board, will be winner of the match.

In the final, if the match is tied both in IMPs and BAM: both teams will be winners of that edition and will be registered as such.

The Convention Card isn’t compulsory, but fixed partnerships had better set it. Anyway, with or without CC, a pair might be asked to give information about their  agreements, and in case of doubt they might be asked to use the ACBL Standard American Yellow Card (SAYC).

By default, the barometer is off; it can be allowed after captains’ agreement. The undo is on, but it is only for true misclicks; the distraction is a technical mistake which has to be paid for. In doubt, it’s advised to concede the undo, and after the match to inform us of the issue.

Kibitzers must be allowed, but silent. About this matter, read the Anti-cheating Policy below.

Bidding system policy

Whatever system we're playing, it must be never forgotten that the first requisite of a bidding system isn't to get better contracts, but to make itself clear to opponents by concise and accurate alerts and a plain Convention Card. If a system does fail to do this, it's for sure a wrong one, and no tourney in the World could allow it.

In particular, systems are not permitted that require that opponents have to study them earlier, such as High Unusual Methods (HUM) and Brown Sticker Conventions as defined by the WBF. Also forbidden are systems with conventional one-level openings with less than 11 HCP or natural one-level openings with less than 8 HCP.

Permitted:

• Natural suit opening, that is 1C, 1D, 1H, 1S, in the range 8-10 HCP by at least four cards in the named suit;

• Conventional Strong Club or Strong Diamond and its conventional responses and rebids;

• 8-10 HCPs 1NT opening (so called mini 1NT), with balanced hand;

• Psychics. But frequent psychics are forbidden.

• Multi-coloured Two Diamonds and other conventional two-level openings.

Anti-cheating policy

During the match, it’s strictly forbidden to consult our CC and notes on our system.

We know that some big online Organisations are allowing it on the ground that “...Being impossible to check it, let’s allow it...”. It’s a mistake; there are signs, like wrong alerts, suspicious undos and unduly slowness in bidding, which reveal the violation.

Don’t talk to your partner privately or to a kibitzer, but allow kibitzers. The Tŏnci Radelja Memorial should remain what it was intended to be: a competition between friends. An opportunity to play matches with other friendly players. We do not want people to look for possible cheating in every hand. We definitely do not want to limit kibitzing, as it is part of the fun. Furthermore, in IMP team matches, which require far greater technique than MP pair tourneys (Eric Rodwell, Bob Hamman, and many others say it), it is virtually impossible to cheat without being detected; it’s only matter of time.

We study many hands even without allegations, and we take any allegations of cheating seriously, and we do analyse all hands. If we find evidence of foul play we will report it to BBO and to the competent national bridge organisation, besides ruling out the team.

For any question contact Turbin (BBO nickname of Paolo Enrico Garrisi, or write to Garrisi at turbinazione@gmail.com