http://www.worldbridge.org/departments/systems/policy.asp
Nied³ugo przed niniejsz± wersj± by³a System Policy 2002.htm
1. OBJECTIVES
The objectives are to
ensure that WBF Championships can be properly operated and adequately
administered, with a fair and equal chance for all competitors, while at the same
time affording proper consideration to progress and innovation; to ensure that
players are in no doubt as to what is expected of them with regard to
preparation and filing of systems material for WBF Championships.
Additions or amendments to this policy will normally
be put into effect only after four months' notice.
2. DEFINITION
2.1 General
Average Hand |
Hand a hand containing 10 high card points (Milton
Work) with no distributional values |
Weak |
high card strength below that of an average hand |
Strong |
high card strength a king or more greater than that
of an average hand |
Natural |
a call or play that is not a convention (as defined
in the Laws) |
Length |
three cards or more |
Shortage |
two cards or less |
Long Match |
a match of 17 or more deals |
Short Match |
a match of less than 17 deals |
2.2 HUM Systems
For the purpose of
this Policy, a Highly Unusual Method (HUM) means any System that exhibits one or
more of the following features, as a matter of partnership agreement:
1.
A
Pass in the opening position shows at least the values generally accepted for
an opening bid of one, even if there are alternative weak possibilities
2.
By
partnership agreement an opening bid at the one level may be weaker than pass.
3.
By
partnership agreement an opening bid at the one level may be made with values a
king or more below average strength.
4.
By
partnership agreement an opening bid at the one level shows either length or
shortage in a specified suit
5.
By
partnership agreement an opening bid at the one level shows either length in
one specified suit or length in another.
EXCEPTION: one of a minor in a strong club or strong
diamond system
2.3 Classification
of Systems
In order to
facilitate recognition and handling, systems material will be identified by one
or more of the following:
1.
a
WBF coloured sticker;
2.
the
appropriate name (hand printed or typed) colour;
3.
a
check mark on a convention card next to the appropriate colour - in keeping
with the following descriptions:
Green |
Natural |
Blue |
Strong Club/Strong Diamond, where one club/one
diamond is always strong |
Red |
Artificial: this category includes all
artificial systems that do not fall under the definition of Highly Unusual
Methods (HUM) systems [see definition below], other than Strong Club/Strong
Diamond systems (see 'Blue'). Examples would be a system where one
club shows one of three types - a natural club suit, a balanced hand of a
specific range, or a Strong Club opener; or a system in which the basic
methods (other than the no trump range) vary according to position,
vulnerability and the like; or a system that uses conventional 'weak' or 'multi-meaning'
bids (with or without some weak option) in potentially contestable auctions,
other than those described in the main part of the WBF Convention Booklet |
Yellow |
Highly Unusual Methods ('HUM') as defined above. |
2.4 Brown Sticker Conventions
and Treatments
The following
conventions or treatments are categorised as 'Brown Sticker':
a) Any opening bid of two
clubs through three spades that:
|
i) |
could be weak (may by agreement be made with values
below average strength) AND |
|
ii) |
does not promise at least four cards in a known
suit. |
|
|
EXCEPTION: The bid always shows at
least four cards in a known suit if it is weak. If the bid does not show a
known four card suit it must show a hand a king or more over average strength.
(Explanation: Where all the weak meanings show at least four cards in one
known suit, and the strong meanings show a hand with a king or more above
average strength, it is not a Brown Sticker Convention.) |
|
|
EXCEPTION: A two level opening bid in a minor
showing a weak two in either major, whether with or without the option of
strong hand types, as described in the WBF Conventions Booklet. |
b) An overcall of a natural
opening bid of one of a suit that does not promise at least four cards in a
known suit.
|
|
EXCEPTION: A natural overcall in no trumps. |
|
|
EXCEPTION: any cue bid suit that
shows a strong hand. |
|
|
EXCEPTION: a jump cue bid in opponent's known suit
that asks partner to bid 3NT with a stopper in that suit. |
c) Any 'weak' two-suited
bids at the two or three level that may by agreement be made with three cards
or fewer in one of the suits.
d) Psychic bids protected
by system or required by system.
e) None of the foregoing
restrictions pertain to conventional defences against strong, artificial
opening bids or defences against 'Brown Sticker' or HUM conventions.
Additional to the
classification of systems in 2.3 above, any partnership using one or more
'Brown Sticker' conventions must indicate this alongside its system
classification.
2.5 Encrypted
Signals
Additional to the
restrictions on bidding methods and conventions above, players may not use
signalling methods by which the message or messages conveyed by the signals are
hidden from the declarer because of some key available only to the defenders
(i.e. encrypted signals are not allowed)
2.6 Random Openings
It is forbidden to open hands which, by agreement, may
contain fewer than 8 high card points and for which no further definition is
provided
3.
SYSTEMS ALLOWED AT WBF CHAMPIONSHIPS
In
relation to the aspect of Systems to be allowed at WBF Championships, the events
will be divided into three categories:
CATEGORY
1
Bermuda Bowl, Venice Cup
For such events all
classifications of systems will be permitted, subject to adequate disclosure,
but teams using HUM systems must submit
their Convention Cards in advance in accordance with the Conditions of
Contest and will be subject to a reduction of seating rights, as follows:
Whenever a team with
one or more pairs using a HUM system opposes
a team that has no such pair, the HUM
systems team will be the 'Away' team, and lines up first throughout.
No special seating
rights or line-up restrictions shall apply when two teams containing HUM systems pairs (regardless of line-up) oppose
one another.
CATEGORY
2
The Knock-Out matches
of the Olympiad, and other Teams
Championships as decided by the WBF Rules and Regulations Committee:
The use of HUM systems is prohibited.
Brown
sticker conventions will be permitted,
subject to adequate disclosure, but players using them must submit their
Convention Cards & Brown Sticker Announcement Forms (appendix 1) in advance in accordance with the Conditions of
Contest. At the same time a viable suggested defence to any Brown Sticker
convention must be filed. This will be deemed to be a part of the Convention
Card and may be referred to by the opponents at the table.
CATEGORY
3
All other WBF
Tournaments & Championships and stages of such events not covered by Categories
1 & 2 above
The use of both HUM systems and Brown Sticker conventions is prohibited.
4. SYSTEMS MATERIAL
For all Category 1 Teams events, where Yellow (HUM) systems are permitted, any pair using
a HUM system is required (in addition to the
normal timely filing of the Convention card and Supplementary Sheets) to
submit the full system in English at the beginning of the Championship in
accordance with the Conditions of Contest.
Pairs using Green, Blue or Red systems are encouraged to submit their full
system in English at the beginning of any WBF Championship.
In decisions taken by Tournament Directors and by the Appeals Committee, pairs who have submitted their full system will be given the benefit of any support this provides for an explanation given at the table, as far as this goes.
5. CONVENTION CARDS / SUPPLEMENTARY SHEETS
The principle of
adequate disclosure requires that competitors fully disclose all conventions
and treatments requiring defensive preparation. In addition to the Convention
cards, pairs will use Supplementary Sheets to achieve this
objective.
The use of
Supplementary Sheets is not strictly limited for all events, provided that the entries
are properly numbered to correspond to appropriately cross-referenced
numbers on the Convention card itself. The sheets must readily legible
and the numbered entries must be separated by discernible heavy lines. While
brevity is encouraged, particularly for Category
2 and Category 3 events,
full disclosure must not be prejudiced in any way as a result.
All conventions and
treatments requiring defensive preparation must be listed on the front right part of the WBF
Card. They must be explained and fully developed (including competitive
agreements) either in the appropriate section on the outside or inside
of the card, or, where there is inadequate space there, in the first numbered
entries on the Supplementary Sheets.
The front right
part of the Convention Card must include:
1.
All
artificial openings (except strong one club/two club openings)
2.
Response
to natural openings which are weak and conventional
3.
All
conventional defensive bids used over natural openings of one of a suit (making
sure that all two suited intervention is detailed precisely; the best way to do
this is to write: 'Two Suiters' and include a reference number to an
early Supplementary Sheet entry, which will provide the particulars).
If a pair uses any
bid which should have been listed here, but which has been left out, and their
opponents do not get to their best contract, there will be a strong
presumption that the opponents have been damaged by not being able to prepare a
defence. The offending pair may also be liable to incur a procedural penalty.
Any pair playing a HUM system or Brown
Sticker convention has a special obligation to present a complete
description of both their bids and subsequent developments (especially
competitive developments). If a pair uses an auction that is not fully
described, then the same presumption of lack of advance notice (with
adjustments and penalties as described in the preceding paragraph) shall apply.
For each tournament,
the Conditions of Contest will state the date by which, and the address
at which, systems material and Convention Cards (together with telephone and
fax number or email addresses of the individuals best equipped to deal with
queries regarding the system) must be received. The onus is jointly on
the pair, the non-playing captain (where relevant), the NCBO and the Zonal
Organisation to obtain the information required to meet this deadline.
Failure to meet this deadline will result in automatic penalties, which
will be fully described in the Conditions of Contest. Problems with
systems should be referred to the Chairman of the Systems Committee or his nominee
in accordance with details given in the Conditions of Contest.
After the closing
date for submission of systems, the following will be the policy governing any
changes to the Convention Card and Supplementary Sheets:
1.
Deletion
of an item or a statement will be permitted upon application to the Chairman of
the Systems Committee or his nominee
2.
A
change replacing an agreement with another or to introduce a fresh agreement,
where the new material is not Brown Sticker, will normally be permitted. The
permission to use the new agreement will operate at the discretion of the
Chairman, but will normally be from the morning of the second day after
notification of the change is issued to other contestants
3.
Neither
the replacement of a Brown Sticker convention with another Brown Sticker
convention, nor the introduction of a new Brown Sticker convention will be
permitted
It is strongly emphasised, and all contestants must
note, that the policy stated above will be rigorously applied.
6. DEFENCE AGAINST YELLOW (HUM)
SYSTEMS AND BROWN STICKER CONVENTIONS
For Team events in
Category 1, the following regulations will apply to defensive measures against
HUM systems.
1.
A
pair opposing a HUM system pair will submit
two (clearly legible) copies of their defence to the HUM
system at an appropriate time and place prior to the start of that segment, to
be specified in the Conditions of Contest. Such defences are deemed to be part
of the opponents' convention card.
2.
In
preparing the defence against a HUM system,
pairs using Green, Blue
or Red systems are allowed to change their
systems, including opening calls. Pairs using a HUM
system are not allowed to change their opening calls.
3.
The
pair using a HUM system must inform the
opponents in writing (two clearly legible copies) about their counter-defence
at the table prior to the start of the session. In preparing their
counter-defence, the pair using a HUM system
is not permitted to change any of the highly artificial aspects of its system.
For Teams events in Category 1 and Category
2, the following regulations will apply in relation to defensive
measures against Brown Sticker Conventions:
A pair may prepare written defences against the Brown Sticker elements of any system. Such defences
will have to be given to the opponents (two clearly legible copies) at an
appropriate time and place prior to the start of that segment, to be specified
in the Conditions of Contest. Written defences against Brown Sticker conventions are deemed to be part of
the opponents' convention card.
7. NUMBER OF SYSTEMS ALLOWED PER TEAM
For Category 1
events, a maximum number of four Red or Yellow Systems, of which only three may be Yellow, will be permitted for each participating
team. A System, for the purpose of this section, may include different methods
for different
vulnerabilities. Both members of the partnership must agree to use the same
methods of bidding and card play.