“Mission statement”
The Valley Forge Bridge Club is committed to returning the game of contract bridge to a state where it is played competitively between Ladies and Gentlemen.
Zero Tolerance
The Club wholeheartedly supports and enforces the American Contract Bridge League position on Zero Tolerance:
“The ultimate purpose of the Zero Tolerance (ZT) policy is to create and maintain a pleasant atmosphere at our Club. We are attempting to eradicate unacceptable behavior in order to make the game of bridge more enjoyable for all. Below are some examples of commendable behavior, which, while not required, will significantly contribute to the improved atmosphere:
• Being a good 'host' or 'guest' at the table.
• Greeting others in a friendly manner.
• Praising the bidding and/or play of the opponents.
The following are some examples of behavior which will not be tolerated:
• Badgering, rudeness, insinuations, intimidation, profanity, threats, or violence.
• Negative comments concerning opponents' or partner's play or bidding.
• Constant and gratuitous lessons and analyses at the table.
• Loud and disruptive arguing with a director's ruling.”
No Smoking
No smoking, including the use of non-tobacco electronic cigarettes, is permitted on the Club premises at any time, and no smoking material (lit or unlit) may be employed any time.
Fragrance-free
Remember that some are allergic to the chemicals in perfumes and makeup,
so wear these substances with restraint.
Dress Code
Casual
Dress Code Guidelines
Because not all casual clothing is suitable for the Club, these
guidelines will help you determine what is appropriate to wear to the Club.
Clothing that works well for the beach, yard work, dance clubs, or exercise
sessions (e.g. sweatclothes) may not be appropriate.
Clothing that reveals your back, your chest, your stomach or your
underwear is not appropriate. In the Club environment, torn, dirty, or frayed
clothing is not appropriate.
Recommendations
In the Club setting, players should wear clothing that is comfortable
and practical, but not distracting or offensive to others. Any clothing that
has words, terms, or pictures that may be offensive to others is unacceptable.
Sports team, university, and fashion brand names on clothing are generally
acceptable.
Cell Phones, Other Electronics, and Rude Behavior
While cell phones and other electronics are omnipresent, they should be placed on Silent before play. Use of such equipment should be between rounds and away from the table(s). Permitting phones to ring, or speaking on the phone while at the table is extremely rude behavior and will not be tolerated.
Timing and Slow Play
Every attempt will be made to begin games at the scheduled time. Players that expect to be delayed should call the Club to make their situation known in order that the game may be set up and started properly.
The nominal number of boards that will be played in both Open and NLM games is 24. Sufficient time will be provided in each round so that players will not be rushed, and a short break will usually be provided around the middle of the event.
However, bridge is a timed event. Players who consistently take longer than the allotted time to bid and play hands gain an unfair advantage over those who do not; further, they disrupt the flow of the game and reduce the enjoyment of others. Slow play will be penalized, and “late plays” will be very rare.
Partnerships and Teams
The Club urges players to actively seek and cultivate partnerships with other players. The game is most enjoyable when played with compatible partners and against players who are comfortable with one another. The Club will try to find partners for new players, visitors to the Club, and those whose partners are unexpectedly absent at game time, but strongly discourages a regular practice of expecting the Director to play with unmatched players. For team games, the Club will provide a listing of partnerships who seek teammates.
Correction of Scores
The Club will use electronic Bridgemates for scoring games, but entry or approval errors will still occur. Please check your results after the game and report any errors within 24 hours. If a correction will favor your side, please have your opponents confirm the change as well. Thank you.
Seating, Stratification and Flighting
Seating
Please advise the Game Director if you require a stationary assignment. In all other cases, the Director will attempt to balance the field to provide equity for all participants.
Stratification
For all events, stratification is at the discretion of the Game Director. For all events, stratification will be by the average of the partnership or team. When the size of an event permits three levels of stratification, the limits will (generally) be set to approximate 30% of the field as “A”, 30% of the field as “B”, and 40% of the field as “C”.
Usually, the games are stratified so that there are at least 4 pairs in the lowest strata in each field. The point holdings of pairs varies considerably from day-to-day and even week-to-week on the same day.
Why have four pairs in the "C" strat? Because the ACBL awards at least the top two of the four "C" strat pairs masterpoints regardless of their scores. If one of those pairs has considerably more points than the other 3 "C" pairs, and was moved into the "B" strat, then only one "C" strat pair is guaranteed points. Of course, "C" strat pairs can earn higher "B" and "A" strat points by outscoring "B" and/or "A" pairs.
Flighting
In some Open games, a second “flight” is provided for Non-Life Masters who possess less than 500 Masterpoints. If such a flight is scheduled, but there are insufficient pairs in one of the flights, the two flights will be combined into a single Open event.
Commonly…
For Open games, the upper limit for “B” will usually be 1500 Masterpoints, and for “C” will usually be 750 MPs. These limits may be adjusted over time to reflect the composition of the games.
For NLM games (restricted to Non-Life Masters under 500 MPs), the upper limit for “B” will usually be 100 MPs, and for “C” will usually be 50 MPs.
Any limits may be adjusted by the Director to make the game most equitable.
Restrictions on Methods
There are no restrictions on methods that players may use in Open games, except that those methods that are not on the General Convention Chart must obtain prior permission of the Game Director.
For NLM games, only those Conventions listed on the General Convention Chart may be utilized.
Table fees
Table fees for most games (excepting Newcomer games) is $12. The Club will participate in, but will not charge extra fees for most “special” games.