BBO InterCity League (ICL)

[Curls77]

Hello IACers!
While running IAC trny our TD Ian received invite to join what seems to be fun event. We can not advertise for it on BBO, because we are limited to events in our club only. But nothing prevents our members join, and this sounds fun. 

Dear Friends,

The 33rd edition of BBO InterCity League (ICL) will start on Wednesday 4 March; it will being played each week and always on Wednesday, but 22nd and 29th Avril, and will end with the final which will be played on 3rd June.
ICL is the BBO international online Team Championship established in 2004 by the late Tonči Radelja, a Croatian professor of mathematics who loved the Bridge and used it as mean to become friends. So wrote Tonci several years ago: "Think of this as a night in your local club: be friendly and enjoy meeting old/new friends at the table".
The first edition was won by Beograd; the most rewarded team is Ascoli Piceno, eight times winner; the title holder is the Roumanian team of Buchurest Senior. In the past edition played forty-three teams from twenty-two countries.

The format is by round robin and knock-out stages. The teams are divided in groups; the best ones of each group (16 to 24 overall, depending on the number of participants), will forward to the knock-out stage.

There are no limits to the number of players: each captain can line up as many players as he likes, but players that haven’t played round robins shouldn't be employed in the knock-out stage, unless the team couldn't complete the foursome. The mandatory playing time is on Wednesday at 20:45-21:00 pm CET (GMT +1), unless both captains agree for different time or day; but displacements only should be done exceptionally.

In the round robin the matches will be by sixteen boards. In the final stage the matches will be by twenty-four. The default is barometer off, undo on (but concede it only for true misclick; the distraction is a technical mistake which has to be paid for), and silent kibitzers; the barometer can be on by captains agreement.

System policy. In general, whatever system we're playing, it must not be 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 plain Convention Card. If a system does fail to do this, it's sure a wrong one, and no tourney in the World can allow it. In particular, aren’t allowed systems which require that opponents have to study them earlier, as High Unusual Methods (HUM) and Brown sticker. Also are forbidden systems with conventional one level openings by less than 11 HCPs or natural level one openings by less than 8.

For the registration it suffices that you send me:
- The name of the team that you're setting up (or trying to set up). It must be the name of a town, no matter how small; nay, the smaller, the best.
- The name of the captain (BBO's and real name), and his email.
Please, read carefully the rules below, and don't esitate to further mail me for any question or doubt.
 
Aren't forbidden:
- Natural suit opening, that is 1C, 1D, 1H, 1S, in the range 8-10 HCPs by at least four cards in the named suit;
- Conventional Strong Club and its conventional responses and rebidding;
- 8-10 1NT opening (so called mini 1NT), with balanced hand;
- Psychics;
- Multicolor and other conventional two level openings.

About alert. Recommended reading: http://neapolitanclub.altervista.org/eng/ev-eng/notes-alerting-internet.html

Against Multicolor, Neapolitan Club suggests the "Difesa Cento Torri" (One Hundred Tower Defence): http://neapolitanclub.altervista.org/eng/tackling-the-multicolor-the-cento-torri-defence.html

About signalling. Suggested reading:
http://neapolitanclub.altervista.org/eng/defensive-signal-part-one.html
http://neapolitanclub.altervista.org/eng/defensive-signal-part-two.html

For any question contact Turbin or Willemm (BBO nicknames of Paolo Enrico Garrisi and Willem Mevius), or write to Garrisi at turbinazione@gmail.com

ICL Official Site (managed by Willem Mevius): http://intercity.cloudapp.net/Default.aspx

Looking forward to your registration.
Ciao.
Paolo Enrico Garrisi

 

[drac]

did you manage to enter a team? what city if so?

cheers,
Vlad