ETIQUETTE

PROCEDURES AND ETIQUETTE

* Count your cards before looking at them.

* Don't make comments about the bidding or play until the end of the hand.* Keep a poker face. Convey information to your partner only with your calls or plays; not with gesturees, mannerisms or hesitations. Adopt a consistent style with your written bids.* Wait until it's your turn to play; it is improper to play before then.* When making the opening lead put your card face down first rather then face up.* Once you have turned your card over you cannot look back at the whole trick, only at your own card (without showing anyone else) e.g. to see which hand you are in. TIP: Do not turn your card over until you have remembered the cards played.* "Claiming" without playing out the whole hand is fine, but do state your intentions e.g. "Drawing trumps, then the rest are mine", or "I will give you the ace of clubs", etc. If there is any doubt about the accuracy of a claim the Director must be called.* Agree on the number of tricks before collecting your cards to put back into the board.

* North looks after the boards and does the scoring. East-West should check the score and move the boards at the end of the round.

CALLING THE TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR

The Director is the referee and must be called if ANYTHING goes wrong. Don't try to fix things yourself. The director will give a ruling according to The Laws, a standard procedure which ensures fairness and equity. Any player except dummy may call the director during the play. There is no stigma attatched to calling the Director, it is merely correct procedure and is your duty.

SYSTEMS AND CONVENTIONS

Some players use different systems and conventions where bids may have different meanings from "normal". You may encounter Benjamin Twos, Transfers, Michaels Cue Bids, etc. If your opponents are playing unusual methods they will let you know by alerting. Ask for an explanation if you need to know more.

ALERTING AND GIVING INFORMATION

If a bid must be alerted, as set out in the ABF Alert Regulations 1994 (See Summary following), the PARTNER of the bidders says "alert" and then circles the bid alerted.

Alert Regulations (Summary)

Alerting is compulsory - you cannot ask opponents not to alert. When partner makes an alertable call, you say "Alert" and circle the call on the bidding pad. (You must not alert your own bids).

Calls and bids are divided into three categories: 'Non Alertable (natural) bids', 'Alertable bids' and 'Self Alertable bids'. Non Alertable or Natural bids are self explanatory, such as a 1H opening in ACOL, Precision or Standard American. Alertable bids are any bids that do not show a willingness to play in that suit, or that give additional information to partner, such as the 'Unusual No Trump' to play in a minor; or a bid over opposition's 1NT to show additional information, or are a raise of partner's suit, with less than 8 HCP. Self Alertable Bids include all cue bids of opposition's suit, bids above 3NT and all doubles and redoubles. Examples of Alertable Bids and Self Alertable Bids and as follows:

Skip Bids

Previously these were all classed as self - alerting. Now, all skip bids below 3NT will be classified as 'natural' (not alertable) or 'artificial' (alertable).

'Natural Skip Bids': These will show at least 5 x cards in the named suit, and will not show a second suit. A skip to 2NT or 3NT will show a willingness to play in NT. A skip raise of a partner's suit will be natural except when it can be made on less than 8 HCP. Natural Skip Bids are not alertable. e.g.:

a) Opening 2H, 2S; not alertable whether weak or strong, providing only one suit is shown

b) Jump overcalls in a suit are not alertable, providing only one suit is shown.

c) Jump raise with 3+ of a partner's suit or of his overcall is not alertable unless it can be done on less than 8 HCP.

d) 1H - 2NT, or 1H - 3NT is not alertable if it shows a willingness to play in NT.

Artificial/Conventional Skip Bids

a) 1H - 3S (splinter): alertable.

b) 1H - 3C (raise of partner's suit) alertable.

c) Transfer Pre-empts are alertable.

d) Opening two bids showing more than one suit, such as the 'Multi', 'Optimal' and 'Mixie' systems are alertable.

e) All skip bids showing more than one suit such as the 'Blue Club', are alertable.

Cue Bids

Cue Bids remain self - alertable, but in order to make it easier for both the bidder's partner and opponents to know whether a particular cue bid shoud be alerted or queried, a Cue Bid is now defined as a bid of a suit named by and opponent or of a suit shown by an opponent's call, e.g.:

a) 1C (Precision) 2C is a bid of opponent's suit and therefore is self - alertable.

b) 1D (MOSCITO showing a Spade suit):a bid now of 1S or 2D will be a cue bid of opponent's shown suit (spades or named suit (diamonds), so either bid will be self - alertable.

All bids above 3NT and all doubles and redoubles remain as self - alerting calls: You can ask about opponents' alerted or self alerted bids when it is your turn to call, but if you do not as at that tinme, any subsequent questions must be about the entire auction and not of one particular bid.

As declarer, you should offer full explanation to your opponents of all your side's calls if they include alerted calls or any mistaken explanation given.

It is strongly recommended that before you start the auction at each round, you establish what your opponent's basic system is, including their strength and length of suits and the range of their NT openings.