1 - GENERAL RULES

As a service to its members, the ACBA has decided to publish this document, which is a guide to its main events, and the regulations governing them.

The Avon Contract Bridge Association (ACBA) is one of the 39 counties affiliated to the English Bridge Union (EBU). Each county holds a share in the EBU, normally held by the county Secretary. Each county also has a number of delegates to the EBU based on its total membership (Avon has two). It is these people who form the EBU council, and on behalf of their respective counties, elect nominees to the various EBU committees and its board of directors. They attend a number of meetings each year to put forward suggestions about, and to discuss and vote on, every aspect of the way in which bridge is organised and run in this country.

Whilst individual clubs have a very free hand in the way they organise themselves, their members and their competitions, the counties are closely tied to EBU regulations and directives. In the absence of its own specific regulations, the ACBA defaults to those published by the EBU. This can include areas such as tie-breaks, seating rights, methods of scoring etc. Reference is taken from the Orange and White books, the commentary on the laws of bridge, the bye-laws and other publications.

1.1 - MEMBERSHIP

Each county may organise a small number of events in which non-members may play. Two of these are the lowest league (when 3 or more exist), and the Inter-Club Simultaneous Pairs. They are intended to encourage new members. For all other events, membership of ACBA is obligatory. In order to join ACBA, membership of the EBU is required. A player becomes a member of the ACBA (and EBU) by either playing at one of its affiliated clubs, or by joining the EBU directly and nominating Avon as its county of primary allegiance.

1.2 - ELEGIBILITY

A pair/team fielding a non-member or otherwise ineligible player will be automatically sanctioned as follows:

• Pairs/Teams/Individual Events: Disqualification.
• League/Knockout: Loss of match.

Any prizes/trophies/masterpoints acquired will be forfeited by all members of the pair/team.

1.3 - ALLEGIANCE

In order to represent Avon in the Pachabo, Corwen, or Tollemache, players must have Avon as their county of primary allegiance. This is normally the county in which they play. Players can confirm (and change) their county of primary allegiance by contacting the EBU.

1.4 - CONDUCT & ETIQUETTE

The EBU bye-laws and the laws of bridge provide a firm footing, and members should acquaint themselves with these principles. Players breaching the conduct and etiquette requirements of Law 74 can expect to receive a procedural penalty in terms of the final method of scoring on each and every occasion and without a previous warning.

A member found in possession of an illegal substance at an ACBA event or on the premises of an affiliated club, will have their membership suspended. The matter will be referred to the EBU for their consideration.

1.5 - SMOKING

Goverment regulations prohibit smoking at affiliated clubs.

1.6 - DRESS CODE

Please refer to the current EBU guidelines.

1.7 - EVENT SELECTION & CHOICE OF VENUE

Before the start of the ACBA tournament season (which currently runs from 1st September until 31st May), the ACBA committee will decide which events to run for that season, and publicise these events in the ACBA diary, which is normally distributed to members early-mid August (and will also publicised on the ACBA website at http://www.avoncba.org.uk).

The choice of venue for theses events is based on a club's ability to host the event on the date specified. For weekend events, this will normally be Bristol Bridge Club, but any affiliated club may apply to host such an event provided it meets the required criteria. New applications will be considered for the following season.

1.8 - ENTERING EVENTS & ACBA FEES/TABLE MONEY

Where events require pre-entry, entry forms will be posted in advance at clubs by the ACBA Publicity Officer. Players can either sign up here, or send an email to the ACBA Tournament Secretary, using the email address .

Exceptions to the above are the League and Knockout, where the entry form provided in the ACBA diary (and downloadable from the ACBA website) should be used, and entry to the Avon/Wiltshire/EBU green-pointed weekend (entry form available for download from the ACBA website). For subsequent League and Knockout matches played at clubs, players will be charged table money at club rates.

Competitors who have failed to pre-enter but decide to turn-up on the day can usually be accommodated (although where tea is provided they may have to go without because of insufficient provisions). Conversely, competitors who pre-enter an event but fail to turn up may be asked to pay the host club a sum consummate with the catering costs incurred on their behalf.

Creating a half table in a small field (causing many other players to sit out for a large number of boards) or turning the event into a non all-play-all movement are examples. Organisers may well have gone to considerable trouble to achieve a full number of tables, and that should not be abused. The TD has the right to refuse entry where this would inconvenience other players or the movement.

In these days of Pay-2-Play, the entry fee for events will be based on the costs of hiring the venue for the event and the costs of the Director and catering staff/tea. It is anticipated that normal club table money will apply for events held during normal club duplicate hours, but will be more for events held at the weekend, where the cost of the venue/Director/catering staff/tea will have to be covered.

1.9 - WEEKEND EVENTS

Some ACBA events (especially finals) are played on a Saturday or Sunday. All such events start at 2.15pm. Players should be seated and ready to commence play at that time. Unless they have previously advised the TD, latecomers may be excluded from the event if their inclusion would disrupt proceedings.

1.10 - PERMITTED CONVENTIONS

In general, ACBA events are level 4 licence as set by the EBU. Exceptions are the lowest league (where more than two leagues exist), which is level 3 licence (unless both captains agree to play level 4) and the Inter-Club Simultaneous Pairs, which is played at the level used by the club concerned.

All players are required to have a fully completed and accurate convention card in all events. The TD may require a pair to play EBU "Simple System" until this duty is met.

1.11 - TIE-BREAKS

Where, for qualification or prize purposes, a tie needs to be split between two or more competitors, current EBU methods will be utilised. A tie in a knockout is broken by the play of a further number of boards, equivalent to one eighth of the original number of boards played (rounded up). There are no seating rights, so each captain should commit their line-ups to paper before play starts and play in those seats.

1.12 - ADJUDICATIONS

In the case of an adjudication being necessary in the League or Knockout, it will be made by a sub-committee of three ACBA members (appointed by the ACBA committee), and will not contain anyone who has a vested interest in the outcome of the result or who could be seen to have a conflict of interests.

Only a team captain (or a proxy team member) will be invited to put their case before the sub-committee, which can either be in person or in writing. One appeal will be allowed but it must be made to the sub-committee within 48 hours of the adjudication result being made available to the team captain.

1.13 - RULES APPERTAINING TO LATE ARRIVALS FOR THE LEAGUE & KNOCKOUT

• After 45 minutes of un-notified late arrival or 90 minutes of notified late arrival, the match is awarded to the non-offending side. Note that one member of a team being present within 45 minutes of the scheduled starting time is an indication of the intention of the team as a whole to arrive, and thus constitutes notification within the meaning of this clause.
• After 30 minutes of late arrival (whether notified or not), the match is to be reduced by two boards, awarding the non-offending side 3 IMPs per board removed. For each further complete 15-minute period of notified late arrival, further sets of two boards are removed and the non-offending side continues to be awarded 3 IMPs per such board. The maximum number of boards which can be removed is eight (which occurs for notified late arrival of at least 75 minutes, but less than 90 minutes).
• For the League, where a match is awarded to the non-offending team, they will normally receive the most beneficial of:
  1. 12 VPs.
  2. their season average excluding this match (rounded to the nearest whole number).
  3. the compliment of their opponent's season average (rounded to the nearest whole number). The offending team will normally score zero VPs.

1.14 - QUALIFICATION FROM HEATS

The ACBA permits any affiliated club to hold qualifiers, but clubs should liaise through that body to avoid a clash of dates.

It is not envisaged that any pair with a score of less than 50% or a team in the lower half of the field will qualify to play in a final. A minimum of 25% will qualify, but the total number will be determined according to the number of entries, usually on an historical basis. The final figure is normally decided by the ACBA Tournament Secretary, the CTD and the host club but with the committee having power of veto.

1.15 - FINALS

A one-winner type of movement must be used, i.e. for a Pairs event this must be a Howell or scrambled Mitchell. This result must not be merged with a normal club event, and all players must be bona fide entrants. An all-play-all movement will normally be used but in extreme circumstances the TD may alter this arrangement.

It is considered highly desirable that there be a non-playing TD at these events. The TD for a final is appointed by the committee.

1.16 - SUBSTITUTES

No substitutes are permitted in the later stages of Pairs events where the pair has qualified from a previous heat(s). A team of four may apply to substitute one member for due cause, as long as that player does not significantly improve the quality of the team, and has not played for another team in that event.

1.17 - APPEALS

The county requires a cash deposit in order to hear an appeal. That deposit is half the current rate set by the EBU. The deposit will be retained should the appeals committee consider the matter to be frivolous. Should a deposit be retained, it must be forwarded (along with the appeal form) to the ACBA committee. They will review the matter, reserving the right to return the deposit if appropriate.

An appeal can only take place where there has been a ruling from the Tournament Director (TD). For pairs, both players must wish to appeal, and for teams, the captain must agree. Under L80G, the Chief TD referred to in L90A shall be the Avon CTD or an appointed substitute if unavailable (or if that position is vacant).

An appeal will normally be heard at the time of the event. In the case of a match played privately, or where it is impossible to form a committee on site, the appeal may be held in abeyance and dealt with at a later date. The TD and those involved should ensure that all details have been agreed and fully documented. These must then be passed on to a member of the ACBA committee (normally the Chief TD) who will arrange for the appeal to be heard and the result to be published. Where, in the first instance, there is no TD, EBU arrangements should be followed, or an attempt made to obtain a ruling from a local TD at a club, or the Chief TD at home.

1.18 - OPEN EVENTS

Members and clubs are advised that all open events need to obtain a licence from the EBU. An open event is any event other than one held at the premises of a club or other organisation for the benefit of its members, employees, and bona fide guests only. Many of these open events are for charity, but that does not remove the requirement to comply with licencing procedures.

Any ACBA/EBU member involved with an event of this nature that does not have a licence, whether playing, organising, directing, or supplying the venue, can be subject to quite severe sanctions from the EBU, including suspension of membership.

The fact that a licence is held should be noted on the entry form and any promotional material. The licence itself must be prominently displayed at the venue.

1.19 - RESULTS

For the League and Knockout, as the tournament progresses, the results will be updated frequently on the ACBA website (http://www.avoncba.org.uk). For other events, results will be posted at the club hosting the event and on the ACBA website (normally within 48 hours).

1.20 - MASTERPOINTS

For the League, Knockout and Western League, masterpoints are issued at the end of the season by the ACBA Tournament Secretary (or a proxy). No masterpoints are issued for matches that are not actually played (for whatever reason). For other events, clubs are responsible for issuing the masterpoints for events held at their premises, and should be vigilant in using the correct scales for local and green (where appropriate) awards. Advice must be sought from the chief TD where doubt exists.

For the Inter-Club Simultaneous Pairs, masterpoints will be awarded (by clubs) for the heat in which they entered, and also awarded (by the ACBA) based on the final rankings.

1.21 - JUNIOR PLAYERS

Junior players can usually benefit from reduced entry costs. A junior player is defined as someone who is either under 19 years of age, or under 25 years of age and in full-time education.

1.22 - TROPHIES

Trophies are awarded to the winners of ACBA events. This includes the League and the Knockout competitions. Winners will receive a trophy (to keep).Their name will be inscribed on the ACBA results board at Bristol Bridge Club, with the exception of the Knockout Plate and Inter-Club Simultaneous Pairs.

Where a main trophy exists, the winners will be allowed to keep this for one year but it must be returned (in good condition) before the following year's AGM.

All trophies will be presented at the AGM, normally held in May.

2 - LEAGUE REGULATIONS

2.1 - ALLOCATION OF TEAMS AT START OF SEASON

Due to the fact that some teams break up and new teams form each year, the committee will allocate teams to the various leagues (also known as divisions). League I is the top league, league II is the next highest league, etc. Normally there are three leagues, depending upon the total entry (which tends to vary annually) but more may be added if entries permit. In order for a team to retain its identity, it must retain at least four of its members. Any other arrangement constitutes a new team. A new team does not have any rights.

Subject to the identity provision referred to above, the winners of League I will remain in that division. The winner of any other league will be promoted, and the bottom team in each league (except the lowest league) will be relegated. The committee does not anticipate that players from a relegated team in the previous season will be permitted to play (in the new season) in a league from which they were relegated. The committee will then allocate the remaining teams to a league.

The number of teams in each league will be as balanced as possible. In leagues of up to 7 teams, each team plays each other twice (on a home and away basis). In leagues of 8+ teams, only one match is played against each other team (with home and away status randomly drawn).

2.2 - PLAYERS

A team must contain between 4 and 6 players. After original entry, a team of 4 or 5 players will normally be permitted to add eligible player(s) provided they have NOT completed half their schedule. After that time, additions will only be allowed in exceptional circumstances. In all these cases, the additional player(s) may not be registered with (or have played for) another team, nor should their addition significantly improve the quality of the team involved. Authorisation to add players must be obtained from the ACBA Tournament Secretary before those players become eligible to play in the competition. Failure to do so could invalidate the match and impose a penalty on the offending team.

2.3 - MATCHES

A schedule of matches (and time-windows in which matches against particular teams should be played) is sent to team captains at the start of the season by the ACBA Tournament Secretary. The dates of matches are arranged between team captains and should be played within or before the time-window specified.

It is the duty of the Away captain to initiate contact with the Home captain and offer a minimum of 3 dates within the assigned time-window and in advance of the time-window in which the match is to be played. The Home captain must then reply within 5 days of receiving these dates. These dates must not a) all fall on the same day of the week, b) all fall within the same week, and c) must not clash with any other ACBA event, nor an EBU or BGB event in which the opposition might reasonably be expected to play. Teams are asked to have some flexibility in these matters, but under aggravated circumstances, the ACBA Tournament Secretary may be approached to expedite any problems.

If an agreed date is broken for a valid reason (e.g. illness), then the non-offending team should offer a further two (reasonable) dates on which to play the match (the offending team lose the right to choose dates), provided that these dates are before the final play-by date at the end of the season. If this cannot be achieved (or the date was broken for an invalid reason (e.g. someone forgot to turn up), then the ACBA Tournament Secretary must be notified by the non-offending team, who will then arrange for an adjudication. If no date can be agreed between captains, the matter must be referred to the ACBA Tournament Secretary by both team captains for adjudication.

The captain entering a team in the League and the rest of his/her side has a duty to complete their schedule for the season. The ACBA committee will take a very dim view of any team failing to fulfil this duty without permission. It reserves the right to sanction those involved. This may well compromise their league placement or the acceptance of their entry to the competition in the following season. The permission to withdraw will only be given under exceptional circumstances.

The final match for each team (barring an odd number of teams in a league) is played on the same night at the same venue, with duplicated boards and a Director in charge. The exception to this is if a league has an odd number of teams, in which case one random team will have to complete all of their matches prior to this date. Under exceptional circumstances, and with the permission of the ACBA Tournament Secretary, the match scheduled for that night may be played before that date. Under no circumstances will any matches be permitted to be played after that date and the match will be adjudicated.

It is the responsibility of the Home captain to arrange a suitable venue to play the match but the ACBA committee would expect the venue to be at one of the county's affiliated clubs so as to be even handed with regards to the travelling distances of the players participating. The cost of the match is to be shared equally between both teams. For matches played in an evening, teams are expected to complete play within a reasonable time frame. Playing 7 or 8 boards normally takes about one hour and teams should endeavour to have completed a match by 11.00pm.

The result of a match should be sent to the ACBA Tournament Secretary via E-MAIL on the day following the match. This should be done by the captain of the winning team, copying in the losing team captain. The E-MAIL should state the win in IMPs and list the members that played in the winning team. In the case of a draw (0 IMPs), the members of both teams should be specified, and it is the responsibility of both captains to send in the result.

It is the responsibility of the ACBA Tournament Secretary to monitor the League to ensure that matches are played in a timely fashion, and to arrange for any adjudication.

2.4 - METHOD OF SCORING/BOARDS PLAYED

All league matches are scored according to the relevant EBU VP chart for the number of boards played. Leagues I and II are 28 board matches, and lower leagues are 24 board matches. The only exception to this is on the last league night of the season when the lower leagues will also play 28 boards. A maximum of 6 players are allowed to play in any given match, any 4 of which may play in any given stanza.

Seating rights throughout the match are determined before the match starts. A coin should be tossed, and the team winning the toss may either choose first seating rights, or pass that option to the opposing team. The choice depends upon the number of boards/stanzas as follows:

Boards	Stanzas	Seating Rights
24	3 x 8 boards	The captain (A) who has to choose first seating rights chooses one stanza. The other captain (B) then chooses two other stanzas and (if applicable) the last remaining stanza goes to captain A.
28	4 x 7 boards
32	4 x 8 boards
48	6 x 8 boards	The captain (A) who has to choose first seating rights chooses either the odd numbered or the even numbered stanzas.

2.5 - WITHDRAWALS

Most situations where competitors are unable to complete an event are covered by EBU guidelines. The League however is subject to the following regulations:

• Withdrawals before any matches are played.

  The committee reserves the right to promote teams allocated to other leagues in order to rationalise numbers.

• Withdrawal before completing half of the scheduled matches.

  Any results of that team are cancelled. Should this result in the total of teams in that league being reduced to 7 or less, then (if practical) the committee may decide that each other team play each other twice, rather than the scheduled once.

• Withdrawal after half of the schedule is completed.

  All results stand, and unplayed matches are given an artificial score.

• Match abandoned.

  Should a match be abandoned for due cause (normally an 'act of God') then, if less than half the match has been completed, it must be replayed from scratch at a later date. Once the halfway point is reached, if both captains agree then the match may be completed at a later date. Otherwise the remaining boards are scored as flat, and the VPs calculated from the chart that would have been used for the full number of boards scheduled, with the score as it stands.

3 - KNOCKOUT REGULATIONS

3.1 - KNOCKOUT DRAW

The draw for the knockout will be made by the ACBA Tournament Secretary after the closing date for entries, and the draw will then be sent to all team captains. Depending upon the number of entries, at least two teams will be seeded. This will normally be the winners and runners-up of the previous season, but may be different if these teams do not retain their identity for the new season, or if a particularly strong new team enters the event.

A random draw will be made by the ACBA Tournament Secretary (which is witnessed by another person) with the following provisos:

• If there are at least two seeded teams, seeds 1 and 2 will be scheduled to meet in the final.

• If there are four seeded teams, seeds 3 and 4 will be scheduled to not meet seeds 1 or 2 before the semi-final.

• If there are any BYEs, they will be allocated to seed 1 first, and then seed 2, and so on and so forth.

Any team losing their first match will automatically be entered into the Knockout Plate. A random draw will be made by the ACBA Tournament Secretary (which is witnessed by another person) and will take place after round 2 of the main event has been completed.

In the Knockout Plate, any BYEs will be randomly assigned. After the draw has taken place, the ACBA Tournament Secretary will send out the draw to all team captains playing in the Plate. There may be a delay in the start to the plate whilst we wait to see if any first round BYEs in the main competition then lose in the second round. This is unfortunate but it was felt that each team should be able to have at least 2 actual played matches.

3.2 - PLAYERS

A team must contain between 4 and 6 players. After original entry, a team of 4 or 5 players will normally be permitted to add eligible player(s) provided they have not completed half their schedule. After that time, additions will only be allowed in exceptional circumstances. In all these cases, the additional player(s) may not be registered with (or have played for) another team, nor should their addition significantly improve the quality of the team involved. Authorisation to add players must be obtained from the ACBA Tournament Secretary before those players become eligible to play in the competition. Failure to do so could invalidate the match and disqualify the offending team from the competition.

3.3 - MATCHES

A schedule of matches (and play-by date for each round) will be sent to team captains at the start of the season by the ACBA Tournament Secretary (or after round 1 or 2 of the main event has been completed in the case of the Plate). The match must be played either before or on this date. An extension to play the match will only be granted in exceptional circumstances (because this has an impact on the next round) and both captains must apply for an extension to the ACBA Tournament Secretary, who will either grant an extension or arrange for the match to be adjudicated. Teams are asked to have some flexibility in these matters, but under aggravated circumstances, the ACBA Tournament Secretary may be approached to expedite any problems.

It is the duty of the Away captain to initiate contact with the Home captain and offer a minimum of 3 dates no later than 5 days after the draw has been made. The Home captain must then reply within 5 days of receiving the dates. These dates must not a) all fall on the same day of the week, b) all fall within the same week, and c) must not clash with any other ACBA event, nor an EBU or BGB event in which the opposition might reasonably be expected to play. Teams are asked to have some flexibility in these matters, but under aggravated circumstances, the ACBA Tournament Secretary may be approached to expedite any problems.

For the 48 board matches of the semi-final and final of the Knockout, two of those three dates must be a weekend date, i.e. Saturday, Sunday, or bank holiday, unless both captains agree to play two separate 24 board matches on different dates. They may not both be in the same weekend. Due to the length of these matches, if a definite play date within 1 week of the end of the time window is agreed between the captains, and reported to the ACBA Tournament Secretary, it will normally be allowed.

If an agreed date is broken for a valid reason (e.g. illness), then the match is to be played on the play-by date for that round of the competition (unless both captains can agree on an earlier date to play the match).

If the agreed date is the play-by date (or later) then the ACBA Tournament Secretary must be notified by the non-offending team, who will then either arrange for an extension period to play the match or will arrange for an adjudication. If no date can be agreed between captains, the matter must be referred to the ACBA Tournament Secretary by both team captains for adjudication.

The captain entering a team in the knockout and the rest of his side has a duty to complete their schedule for the season. The ACBA committee will take a very dim view of any team failing to fulfil this duty without permission. It reserves the right to sanction those involved. This may well compromise their ability to be accepted to play in the following season's event.

The result of a match should be sent to the ACBA Tournament Secretary via E-MAIL within 24hrs of completing the match, copying the losing team captain. The E-MAIL should include the results in IMPs and state the members that played in the winning team.

It is the responsibility of the Home captain to arrange a suitable venue to play the match. The cost of the match is to be shared equally between both teams. For matches played in an evening, teams are expected to complete play within a reasonable time frame. Playing 7 or 8 boards normally takes about one hour and teams should endeavour to have completed a match by 11.00pm.

It is the responsibility of the ACBA Tournament Secretary to monitor the Knockout (and Knockout Plate) to ensure that matches are played in a timely fashion, to notify winning teams of their next round draw in a timely fashion, and to arrange for any adjudication.

3.4 - METHOD OF SCORING/BOARDS PLAYED

All knockout matches are scored in IMPs. A tie in the Knockout is broken by the play of a further number of boards, equivalent to one eighth of the original number of boards played (rounded up). There are no seating rights, so each captain should commit their line-ups to paper before play starts and play in those seats. A maximum of 6 players are allowed to play in any given match, any 4 of which may play in any given stanza.

Seating rights throughout the match are determined before the match starts. A coin should be tossed, and the team winning the toss may either choose first seating rights, or pass that option to the opposing team. The choice depends upon the number of boards/stanzas as follows:

Boards	Stanzas	Seating Rights
24	3 x 8 boards	The captain (A) who has to choose first seating rights chooses one stanza. The other captain (B) then chooses two other stanzas and (if applicable) the last remaining stanza goes to captain A.
28	4 x 7 boards
32	4 x 8 boards
48	6 x 8 boards	The captain (A) who has to choose first seating rights chooses either the odd numbered or the even numbered stanzas.

3.5 - WITHDRAWALS

Most situations where competitors are unable to complete an event are covered by EBU guidelines. If a team has to withdrawal, then their opposition will automatically win that round.

If a match is abandoned for due cause (normally an 'act of God'), and if less than half the match has been completed, it must be replayed from scratch at a later date. Once the halfway point is reached, if both captains agree then the match may be completed at a later date. Otherwise the remaining boards are scored as flat.

3.6 - PACHABO CUP

The winners of the Knockout are invited to represent Avon in the EBU Pachabo Cup. Substitutes from the runners-up are permitted if some members of the winning team are unavailable. The ACBA will pay the entry fee for this event but players are expected to cover their own accommodation and travel costs.

4 - OTHER TEAM EVENTS

Prior to the start of the new season, the ACBA committee will review the type of team events that it will run for the forthcoming season, and publicise them in the ACBA diary for that season. Currently, all ACBA team events are held as one-day finals.

4.1 - GENERAL RULES FOR SWISS TEAMS EVENTS

Swiss teams are scored in VPs, using the relevant tables, depending on the number of boards per round. The exact form of the event needs to be flexible in order to accommodate various numbers of teams.

4.2 - GENERAL RULES FOR MULTIPLE TEAMS EVENTS

Multiple teams are scored in straight IMPs for matches <= 5 boards, but converted to VPs for matches >5 boards.

4.3 - ACBA TEAMS CHAMPIONSHIP

This is run as a multiple teams event. Teams must contain exactly four players.

4.4 - ACBA GARDEN CITIES QUALIFER

This is the county's teams-of-eight championship, leading to a regional and national final. All team members must have been bona fide members of the same club for 3 months, but need not have prime allegiance to the ACBA. The club representing the county may change the team it fields between the qualifier, regional final and national final. The county will pay the entry fee for the regional final (which also includes the entry fee for the national final). The ACBA will pay the entry fee for the regional/national final but players are expected to cover their own accommodation and travel costs.

5 - PAIRS EVENTS

5.1 - ACBA PAIRS CHAMPIONSHIP

This is the county's major Pairs event, and attracts green points. This may be played as a one-day 2-session event or a single 2-session event. This will be dependent on the total number of entries. Affiliated clubs are allowed to hold qualifiers for this event, and 14 pairs will qualify for the final from these heats (top N in each heat based on original entry). The ACBA committee may also decide on a consolation final, depending upon original entry numbers.

5.2 - ACBA MENS' & LADIES' PAIRS CHAMPIONSHIP

This is a duplicate Pairs event whereby, for the Mens' Pairs, both players in the partnership must be male, and for the Ladies' Pairs, both players in the partnership must be female. Each event is scored separately.

5.3 - ACBA MIXED PAIRS CHAMPIONSHIP

This is a duplicate Pairs event where the partnership must contain one male and one female player. A qualifier may be held at clubs if the ACBA committee feels that there will be sufficient interest to do so.

5.4 - ACBA INTER-CLUB SIMULTANEOUS PAIRS

This is played annually on a fixed date at any affiliated club that wishes to participate. Hand records and commentary are provided in a booklet at the end of play.

5.5 - CORWEN TROPHY

The top N pairs in the ACBA Pairs Championship final (dependant on the original entry, but normally three) are invited to represent the county in the EBU Corwen Trophy. If such a pair is not available to play, then the next eligible pair will be invited to play. The ACBA will pay the entry fee for this event but players are expected to cover their own accommodation and travel costs.

6 - OTHER EVENTS

6.1 - TOLLEMACHE CUP

This prestigious event is the EBU national inter-county teams-of-eight championship. It consists of a qualifying round, with seeding based on the result of the previous year. Each county plays in one of four leagues, with the leading two from each league progressing to the final at a later date.

The committee decides the method of selection, and from time to time it will review that process, changing it should they see fit.

The current method of selection is a selection process carried out by the committee as a whole, seeking advice where relevant from the winners and runners-up in League I from the previous year. Factors that should be taken into consideration are:

1. Performance of a partnership in county events and national events, and also raw ability and availability.

2. A willingness to support county events throughout the year and general attendance at ordinary duplicate bridge sessions at the county's affiliated clubs.

A squad can consist of 8-12 players plus an NPC and administrator. Current policy is for a squad of 10 players plus an NPC (with one reserve pair on standby). The county will pay the entry fee, and will consider reasonable applications from players for additional financial support. All costs for the NPC will be covered by the ACBA.

6.2 - WESTERN LEAGUE

The county participates in the Western League, which is a league run between eight of the south-western counties. It runs from September to May and comprises of three divisions ('A', 'B' and 'C'). Each county plays each other county once, each division playing a 40-board match, and the results are converted to VPs.

All matches attract green-points for the winning team and all county players (other than complete beginner) are invited to put themselves forward to play. Players interested in competing in this league should contact the organiser, whose email address is . Dates for matches can be found on the ACBA website or in the diary.

Some matches are played at home, others are played away. Home matches incur an entry fee for players to help cover costs (hire of venue, catering costs, bar staff etc). Tea is always provided.

The winners of each division get to play in a national final held by the EBU. Each division has its own winner, and there is an overall winner, which is the combined VP results of all three divisions.

7 - GLOSSARY

Term	Definition
ACBA	Avon Contract Bridge Association
CTD	Chief Tournament Director
EBU	English Bridge Union
IMPs	International Matchpoints
NPC	Non-playing captain
TD	Tournament Director
VPs	Victory Points