Kelburne Cup - Rules & Regulations

Amended 2010

General

G1. The Kelburne Cup, the National Team event of the C.B.A.I, is open to teams of four, five or six players, who are affiliated members of the C.B.A.I. and of Intermediate A grade or higher.

G2. The competition consists of a preliminary round and/or qualifying round(s) at regional level, with a final competition at national level. All qualifying rounds and the national final will be played as pivot teams.

G3. Teams of four or five players may be extended up to a maximum of six players prior to the commencement of the semi-final of the qualifying rounds, provided notification is given to the Regional Secretary. No player may represent more than one team in the Kelburne Cup.

G4. The preliminary round and qualifying round(s) must be completed and the results forwarded to reach National Headquarters of the C.B.A.I. at least fourteen days before the national final. Failure to do so may result in the defaulting region(s) being disbarred from the national final.

G5. Regional committees shall arrange closing dates for the entry of teams and for the preliminary and qualifying rounds.

G6. Highly Unusual Methods (HUM) systems and Brown Sticker Conventions (BSC) are prohibited in all rounds of the competition

Preliminary Round

P1. The preliminary round of the Kelburne Cup may be played in conjunction with another competition, provided that the rules of such competition do not debar any team from taking part in the Kelburne Cup.

P2. Should the preliminary round of the Kelburne Cup be played in conjunction with another competition, players shall be regarded as taking part in the Kelburne Cup, unless they specifically opt out of the Kelburne Cup, prior to the commencement of the competition.

P3. Players who have not so opted out, may not be included in a team participating in the Kelburne Cup in any other region. The inclusion of an ineligible player in such a team will automatically disqualify that team from the Kelburne Cup.

P4. Tournament Directors should be reminded by the Regional Secretary to bring the contents of rules P2 and P3 to the notice of competitors prior to the commencement of the preliminary round.

P5. The preliminary round in the various regions may be played as multiple team events, with the leading four teams qualifying to play-off on a knock out basis in the qualifying round(s).

Qualifying Round(s)

Q1. The team on the top of the draw of each match shall be the home team. The home team will play N/S at table 1 and E/W at table 2 throughout the match. Regions are recommended to allow the winners of the preliminary competition

have choice of opponents (and home advantage) in the qualifying round.

Q2. If a team is unable to fulfil its fixture in the first round, the region may, at its discretion, allow a substitute team to take its place. There will be no re-draw. Withdrawal by a team at any other stage, will result in automatic forfeiture of any unplayed match or part thereof, to its opponents.

Q3. The qualifying round will consist of direct matches on a knock out basis played over either 24, 32, 36, 40, 42, or 48 boards, in equal stanzas of either six or eight boards. If the opposing captains cannot agree on the length of the match, the match will consist of 4 stanzas of eight boards.

Q4. Every team must nominate a captain for each round; the captaincy may alternate after each round. The captain must play at least one stanza with each member of his/her team taking part in the match. Not more than five players may take part in any one match of 32 boards or less but six players may take part in matches of 36 boards or more. No partnership may play more than half the number of stanzas together. Partnerships may only be changed at the completion of each stanza.

Q5. Before each match the captains will cut for seating rights. The winning captain may seat his/her team members for the first stanza or ask his/her opposing captain to place his/her team first. Seating rights will then alternate for subsequent stanzas.

Q6. The winners of each match will be decided on IMPs. If both teams are tied at the end of the match – a difference of 1 imp is a win -, extra stanzas (maximum of three) of four boards will be played until the tie is broken.

If both teams are still tied at the end of three stanzas, the winner will be decided on

(i) number of boards won over total number of boards - for each board a win is a difference of 20pts or more

(ii) number of boards won over original number of boards

(iii) total aggregate score over total number of boards

(iv) total aggregate score over original number of boards

(v) captains shall cut for the match.

Partnership restrictions do NOT apply to extra stanzas, but seating rights do continue.

Q7. Winning captains must report results and composition of teams promptly to the Regional Secretary.

Q8. Each region in good standing and having given due notice to the C.B.A.I. is entitled to qualify one team by right for the national final.

National Final

N1. The national final will be a complete round robin. Each match will consist of at least six boards, with every match in each round playing the same boards. The winner of each match will be decided on IMPs converted to VPs as per W.B.F. scale.

N2. Each team must nominate a captain for the competition – the captaincy may differ from nominated captains in the qualifying round(s). The captain must play at least two (2) matches - but at least three (3) matches if sixteen teams are competing - against opposing teams with each member of his/her team. No partnership may play more than half the number of matches together. Partnerships may only be changed after the completion of each match. A substitute, apart from the Tournament Director, is regarded as an extra team member.

N3. The home team in each round will be drawn by the Tournament Director before the start of the competition. The captain of the away team will place his/her team members first.

N4. Up to sixteen (16) teams shall be invited to play in the national final as per following order

i. One ‘qualifying team’ from each region

ii. President’s team - this team is not restricted to members of one Region.

iii. Holders from the previous year - one substitute is permitted

iv. Runners-up team from the previous year - one substitute is permitted.

but subject to any one region being represented by at most two (2) teams

N5. In the event of a region not entering a qualifying team for the final or an odd number of teams having accepted their invitation for the final, then the G.S. may enter a wild-card team from a region for the national final, subject to that region being represented by at most two (2) teams.