IAC COC
The IAC is a happy place to play; many enjoy playing there and we want to keep it pleasant. It is expected of all members to be polite and respectful towards everyone. Rude persons, quitters and trouble makers will not be allowed to keep IAC membership, and might be banned. All members are supposed to read, understand and follow IAC and BBO Code of Conduct: http://online.bridgebase.com/v2/doc_rules.htmlWhat will not be tolerated:
* use of profanity as well as racist or sexually explicit remarks
* insulting your partner, opponents, or any other player in the club
* kibitzers chatting with players about the content of unseen hands
* sending private chat to members who have asked you to stop doing so
* accusations of cheating
Guidelines for Friendly Club games
We encourage open discussion at IAC tables, about bidding, system, leads, carding, and boards already played, but of course if you’d rather have a silent serious game, none will impose otherwise on you. Even though IAC is teaching club, some members might not want to discuss the hands, please do not give unsolicited bridge lessons or criticize the bidding/play of other players unless asked.
Most issues and problems can be solved quietly, in friendly private chat, do not use public chat for private conversations or disclose in public what you discussed in private. We do not want drama that will only escalate bad emotions. If someone at the table is impolite to partner or to opponents, please call TD, or report to bbo_iac and let them handle the problem.
Not all IAC members like to play in tournaments or team matches. Everyone is very welcome to enjoy friendly game in the club, for as many or as few boards they want to play, never pressure anyone at your table to leave just because you and/or others would like to join a team match. When you start a table in IAC, it would be very helpful to say in table description what kind of game you seek (friendly, waiting for team match, etc). It will help others know if they want and can join that game, and also help TD to know whom to call if there is tm to happen.
Skill level of our members varies, many learnt bridge by watching lessons and assisting to games of better players, therefore never forbid kibs to watch your table. It’s table host’s choice to allow or not kibs chatting to players.
It is very rude to reject players. If you want to play in IAC club, you must be ready to accept each and any member for pard or opps. You are of course free to reserve seats for any friend you want, but unless you expect someone to come online soon, do not lock seats. Whoever first takes a seat, is free to stay and play as long as they can. Never remove a player from your table. Our members are not rude or nasty, it won’t be often that someone deserved to be kicked out. But if there is situation where you find someone impolite, save chat and call TD, or mail it to bbo_iac.
Let's not forget that our members are from all around the world, language and cultural differences often lead to misunderstanding. Try be calm, use of capital letters and abuse of exclamation and interrogation signs will only make things worse. Keep in mind that none at table is your enemy, just folks that, as you, came to have good games and fun.
Rules for IAC events (tournaments and team matches)
It is very important to agree with your partner about system, carding and leads before the event starts. Even though IAC is teaching club, table talk and system discussion in the middle of an auction in IAC events is not allowed. Without discussion, never assume that partner plays a given convention, or plays it exactly as you do. It is recommended that that you familiarize yourself with IAC 2/1 SYSTEM NOTES which Joe, Yleexotee, created and shared to help all members playing in casual partnerships avoid major misunderstandings.
We do not require IAC TDs to be certified by ACBL or any other bridge organization. Please keep in mind they are members volunteering their time so our club can run fun events. Accept their decisions without argument -- trust that they will make their best judgment. Also, never forget that the IAC tourneys are meant to be fun events -- not the Bermuda Bowl. Respectful competition is what we seek to improve our game, so there is no tolerance for rude and quarrelsome players, nor quitters. Each IAC TD is free to choose scoring, movements, number and length of rounds, include or not barometer, allow or not UNDO, psyching or some conventions, etc, etc. Yet, MAIN RULES are same for all IAC events, both team matches and tournaments, and they are:
* Whenever you get new opponents, greet them and announce System, Carding and Leads.
* Alert and explain all artificial bids by MEANING, NOT BY name, preferably before opps ask you to do so.
* Play fast and fair, claim ASAP and accept claim when you can, don't hold up the tourney!
* No table talk, nor teaching - ask system question preferably before the start of the event or between boards.
* All BBO rules apply in our Club. English only. Be nice to everyone, have fun and VGL! :)
More details:
ALERTS
Let's not forget that alerts on BBO differ from F2F Bridge. In BBO each player alerts and explains his own bids, which will not be visible to their partner, but both opponents and kibitzers see them. Any opponent can click again on alert and require further information. Even at friendly games in IAC club, or when volunteering in teaching and mentoring sessions, please alert artificial bids, it is so much easier on kibitzers and newbies to follow.
It is MANDATORY to announce in all rounds System Leads and Carding. If your opponents fail state their system, please stop bidding and call TD. Failing to alert may involve an adjustment in favor of the injured party.
Explanations as "Puppet", "Jacoby", "Precision" etc are NOT acceptable. You do not have to disclose your holding, but should say how your partner will interpret your bid. For example if you bid Jacoby 2N alert as "GF with 4+ trumps". If an opponent asks you for further explanation of your alert, answer them politely, even if you think it's obvious.
When you ask for explanation of a bid, STOP bidding and allow a few moments for an answer - not everyone can type quickly, BUT if no answer comes within 30 seconds call TD.
UNDOs
Not all TDs will allow UNDOs, nor will all allow it in any part of the game. They will clearly state what is allowed in rules they run at the beginning of the event. That said, whenever allowed, they will follow same general rule:
Please accept UNDOs for very, but very clear MISCLICKS, not for change of mind.
If you have any doubt about it, call TD and await. If TD decides that it is obvious misclick, you must accept the undo.
CHAT
Please do not slow the tourney with unnecessary chatter.
English only -- at all IAC tables, please chat only in English.
Discussion of bidding or play is not allowed until AFTER the board, and that ONLY IF partner wants to discuss it too.
Do not “preach” or "teach" partner or opps, negativity and criticism won't help, and will merely delay the game and create a bad atmosphere.
The dummy must remain silent during the entire play of the board. An impatient dummy will make the game less enjoyable for everyone. If the dummy comments have any possibility of influencing the declarer line of play, TD may adjust the board result to what is least favorable to the offending side. If dummy says, for example “CLAIM” it can, among other things, remind declarer that there are enough winners in a suit, or that a suit can be set up easily, or the defenders do not have any more trumps, which is why any benefit of the doubt should be given to the non-offending pair.
TIME
Most tournaments are timed events, so please Bid & Play promptly, accept valid claims and claim as soon as you can.
If you feel that opps are taking too much time, call TD timely. It's not fair to make all others wait because of only one player / pair. Every member is expected to be sure they will be able play until the end of the event, we will not tolerate quitting for any reason.
SUBBING POLICY
We always await min or 2 for our members to come back. But once TD puts sub in, they are to remain playing until the end, unless they offer on their own to return seat to the original player.
Most IAC events are exclusive, only our members can play in them, with rare exceptions -- as when we run Survivor Trny or a member player asks TD to allow non-member friend to pard them. We do not take subs from bbo sub list, BBO_iac will always seek a member when sub is needed through club chat and will take first offer. That way we can be sure all IAC games are fun and friendly, free of rude people and quitters. If you'd like to sub, please send private message to bbo_iac, and make sure you are not invisible or engaged in another event, or you won't be able to be summoned and delay finding sub.
Last but not leastZERO TOLERANCE
This is our policy towards any kind of rude behavior to TDs, partner and opponents. If you intentionally disconnect from an event because you dislike your partner, or are badly behaved, or argue with TDs, etc etc, you will be excused from the IAC Club. You are expected to read rules run at the beginning of every event and do as asked.