2006 Fresno Unit Annual Bracketed Knock Out Teams

1.                  Teams may consist of four, five, or six members.   Additions after the team has entered the event must be approved by the tournament committee, and cannot be allowed if an added player cannot play half the total number of boards.

2.                  To be eligible for overall awards, a player must play at least half the total boards (excluding any playoff boards), including half the semi-final round and half the final round.

3.                  Seeding for each bracket will be random each round.   Teams who play against each other in a three-way match may play against each other in a later match.

4.                  Each match consists of 26 boards, divided into two 13-board halves.   There are no seeding rights.   If there is a dispute about seating in the first half, the captains will draw for seating, and the winning team will have a choice of seats in either the first or second half.

5.                  Three-way matches may occur in the first round, with each team playing two seven board halves against the other two teams.

6.                  If there are five teams in a bracket, the first round may be a round-robin of seven boards against each team, with victory point scoring to reduce to four teams.

7.                  The ACBL General Chart governs bidding and card playing methods.

8.                  Brackets are based on the average masterpoint holdings of each team

9.                  Each bracket will have at least five teams and at most eight teams.   Each bracket will consist of three sessions of knockout play.

10.              Scoring is by International Match Points, single elimination, with a win determined by any fraction of an IMP.    Net IMPs won and lost will determine the winner of a match and the survivors of any three-way match.  Net IMPs won is gross IMPs won less any tardiness or slow play penalties.   Net IMPs lost is gross IMPs lost less any tardiness or slow penalties assessed against the opponents.

11.              Each team captain in a three-way match shall report the imps won and lost to the director as soon as possible.

12.              In case of a tie in head-to-head matches, a four-board playoff will be played immediately, followed by additional two board playoffs if a tie remains.

13.              If a team loses to both teams in a three-way match, it is eliminated.   If two teams lose one match and tie each other, #11 above applies.   If each team in a three-match wins one match, the two teams with more net IMPs survive.  If there is a tie with two teams having net IMPs, the result of their head to head match applies.   If all three teams have 0 net IMPs, they play a two board round robin match.   If there are further ties, two board matches are played.

14.              Substitutes are allowed at the discretion of the director if the team is not appreciable strengthened.    Replacements are allowed at the discretion of the director.   Substitutes and replacements may earn match awards only, unless the replacement meets the criteria under #2.

15.              General ACBL Knockout team conditions of contest apply.

16.              The tournament committee shall attempt to place teams with average master points over 1,500 master points in the first bracket, and under 300 master points in the lowest bracket.

17.              The event will be held Sunday, September September 10, 2006 at 1 pm.  The second session will be Sunday, October 8 at 1 pm .   The third session will be Sunday, October 22 at 1 pm.  Matches for the second and third rounds may be held before the scheduled date if all teams in a match agree, and if the match is held at the Fresno Bridge Club during an ACBL sanctioned session.  Card fees in that case will be the same as at the scheduled date.