SE Carolina Online Rules and Etiquette

Convention Chart:  The ACBL Open Convention Chart is used in all SE Carolina Games.

Cheating will result in ejection from the game and being blocked from playing in future games

Game Setup:  SE Carolina uses the following default game formats with ROUND x BOARDS, MINUTES/ROUND. Times are Eastern Standard/Daylight Time.

  Morning (9:30)             Early Afternoon (1;00)           Late Afternoon (4:30)             Evening (7:00)

499     6 x 3, 21 min                 6 x 3, 21 min                           6 x 3, 21 min                            6 x 3, 21 min

749     9 x 2, 14 min                 9 x 2, 14 min                           6 x 3, 21 min                            6 x 3, 21 min

2500   9 x 2, 14 min                 9 x 2, 14 min                           6 x 3, 21 min                            6 x 3, 21 min

Open  9 x 2, 14 min                 9 x 2, 14 min                           6 x 3, 21 min                            6 x 3, 21 min

Adjustments to 9 x 2, 6 x 2, Howell movement, and boards per round will be made based on the number of tables.

Canned Player Greetings, Prealerts, and Other Common Chats

Use BBO Chat to save and retrieve frequently used chats.   Or, set a Word or Notepad text file with common chats.

Open the file in a separate window during the game.

Copy (Ctrl+C on Windows PC) the message, then Paste (Ctlr+V on Windows PC) in the chat box or explanation line if a self-alert.

Programmed Alerts:  Alerts should properly describe the had at least 95% of the time.  

Physical Challenges

If you have a physical challenge, many of us do, please create a short canned message that you can paste and send to the director at the start of the game so the director is aware. 

Create a saved message that you can paste and send as a chat at the start of each round. Everyone I know will be exceedingly gracious and accommodating once they know.

Zero Tolerance

Don't be overly sensitive

Report abuses immediately so that they can be properly investigated.  Note your Table number.

Deceptive Play

Intentional slow play of a singleton is an example of illegal deceptive play and will be treated as cheating.

Pychs, deceptive signals, etc. are part of the game that you need to learn to be aware of and to handle.

Director Ruling Appeals:

Do call the director if you think we made a mistake.  Yes, the director is fallible.

Do not argue with the Director about his/her ruling.

Call Al at 910-457-6674 during the game or within 20 minutes after the game ends.  He will review and discuss the hand with you if he is available.

Self Alerts  Describe your partnership agreement in terms of cards in suit(s) and points.  Do not use convention names. 

No Self Alert:  Assume the bid is a natural Standard American bid.  Please self alert all the following:

• All artificial bids

• Range of 1 NT Open

• All Ace asking or Key card asking bids and their responses

• 3rd/4th seat overcall/X if they can be very weak.

• 3rd Seat Weak 2 Open if it can have 12-14 high card points

• 2+ C if 1C open can be bid with 4432 shape

• Cue bid that is a natural suit bid.  Example:1C-C2   Natural C bid and not Michaels.

Forgot to self-alert or realize you gave an incorrect or incomplete explanation

During the Auction: Click on the bid and enter the explanation as soon as you remember.

After the Auction:

Declarer Chat to the table as early as possible after the end of the auction

Defender Chat to the table as early as possible after the end of the play

Opponent Asks for a Bid Explanation

Type and enter an explanation before making your next bid

Describe your partnership agreement in cards in suit(s) and points.  Do not use the convention name.

If no agreement, enter “No agreement”.  Common response if subs or pickup partner.

If Natural 4+ suit bid, enter “Natural”

Call the Director if the opponent fails to provide an explanation or an inadequate explanation.  Note: if you are asked for more information than the opponent is entitled to, call the director.  Remember, you are describing your agreement, not what you have.

If the Opponent is asking for more information than they deserve, call the Director.

Planning Declarer Play and Defense

Declarer Play - doing the following will not be considered a break in tempo

Initial Plan - best done after the opening lead and then updated at the end of trick 1.

Updates - do after completion of a trick.

Defense - doing the following will not be considered a break in tempo

Initial Plan - best done at the end of the end of Trick 1.  Doing in the middle of a trick can be viewed as illegal deceptive play or communicating unauthorized information.

Updates - do after completion of a trick.

Hesitations and Unauthorized Information

Try and maintain an even tempo in your bidding.  Avoid fast PASSes and hesitations.

Timed bidding: slow versus fast Opens to communicate information is cheating.

Uncontested Auction - yes there can be unauthorized information!

A slow PASS can say "I have something and want to bid but am just not strong enough."

A slow BID can say "I have a borderline hand, be careful."

Can  Partner bid after this occurs?

YES, if 75% of the field would make the bid ignoring the hesitation. 

NO, otherwise.  If a bid is made, call the director and request the hand be adjusted if it results in a better score. 

Example:  1H (6 losers) - P -  3C Alert (4 H's, 7-9 pts) with hesitation - P  :  4H   Contract will be adjusted to 3H 

Contested Auction:  Same rules as for Uncontested Auction

Clock and Slow Play - our goal is for everyone to finish the round within the allotted time

Keep one eye on the clock

Do not send table chats like "tempo", "tick-tock", or "slow" to someone who appears slow.  It only exacerbates the situation and detracts from the enjoyability of the game.   

Tempo

Try to maintain an even tempo each time you bid.

Try to maintain an even tempo each time you play a card.  We recommend you turn the singleton autoplay setting off.

Be patient.

Some players have health issues (e.g., stroke victims) and it takes them a little more time.

Some hands are hard.  It is not slow play when someone takes a little time to think.

There may be a problem: Internet lost, BBO frozen.  Send a Table chat "W, you there?"  Call the director if no response.

Persistent slow play will result in an AVG Minus score

Intentional slow play will result in the pair being ejected from the game! 

Claim or Concession

If a claim is made, only the opponents see the hands, not the person making the claim.

If the claim is not obvious, define the line of play.

Partial Claim:  Only use the partial claim with a defined line of play.  Be careful when you claim or accept a claim for less than all the remaining tricks.  It can be very confusing and is easy to miss.

Outstanding Trumps:  If there are outstanding trumps, there MUST be a defined line of play, Call the Director.  Do not continue to play.

Reject Claim: 

If you do not understand the line of play, reject the claim.  Continue play until the line of play becomes obvious.

If there is no defined line and you have a trick, call the Director.  Do not continue to play.

Rectifying an Invalid Claim:  Call the director.  He/she will review the hand and adjust the score if needed.  You may request a claim be reviewed up to 20 minutes after the game is complete.  If you cannot reach the director, call Al at 910-457-6674 and he will review the hand if he is available. 

Misclicks (To err is human!)  To minimize misclicks, set the Confirm Bid and Confirm Play settings to ON.

There are no undos.   Do the best you can.

Do not tell the table or opponents.  You must play the hand as if you meant to make the bid.  If you have an opportunity per your CC to make an escape bid, do so.

If it appears that information was communicated in any way, the contract will be adjusted

Example: 1NT-P 2H (S's misclick for 2D)-P : 2S-P-3H (forcing)-P : P-P   Contract will be set to 4S

After the hand is completed, send a table chat explaining the mistake. It helps head off controversy. 

BBO Profile:  Update your BBO profile (click Account).

Use your real name.  Everyone likes to know who they are playing against.

Add your bidding system (Std Amer, 2 Over 1, Precision) and Attitude, Count, and Suit Preference signals

Click on a player's BBO name to see their name and profile.

Convention Card (CC)

Post a complete convention card, including signals  (click Account and Convention cards).  Keep it up to date!

If Opponents have no CC or missing information assume they are using Standard American bids and standard signals.

Call the Director after the hand if you think you were damaged.

Chat

Table Chat:  when and what to use table chat

At the beginning of the round for alerts and to say "Hi!"

Congratulate the opponents for stellar bidding or play.

Private Chat

Between Partners: Only available between rounds.

Complement your partner.  Even a "well-done partner" can be interpreted as gloating if in a table chat.

Do not ridicule your partner!

Do not try and educate your partner if you have not agreed to use private chat in this manner.

To An Opponent:   When a further explanation of a bid is needed or call the director

Missing Player  Causes: BBO frozen, lost internet, bio break, went to sleep, etc.

BBO Generates a Director Call Identifying a Player who has lost Internet connectivity OR who has logged off between rounds

A Robot will be substituted for the missing player

BBO will automatically reseat the player when the player returns at the start of the next hand

If the player does not return within one to two hands, we will put in a human sub

Player Director Call Identifies a Player in Non-Responsive

The Director will ask " W, you there?" if the player appears to be at the table.

If no answer, the director will assume the person is missing and replace the player with a Robot.

 Director Call After the Game Ends

After the game ends, chat with the director at vacb105346.  If the Director is gone, call Al at 910-457-6674.  The director generally is there until about 10 minutes after the game.  An adjustment can be made up to 20 minutes after the game.