Conduct and Etiquette

The Club operates a zero tolerance policy towards rudeness. If you experience rude behaviour please notify the director at the time so it can be dealt with appropriately.

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Please ensure your mobile phones are on silent during play.

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Section 9 of the Club's Constitution covers discipline and/or suspension of members. At all times members are expected to dress to a reasonable standard, and be polite and courteous.

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A player should maintain a courteous attitude at all times and carefully avoid any remark or action that might cause annoyance or embarrassment to another player or might interfere with the enjoyment of the game. A player should conform to correct procedure in calling and playing.

 

A player should refrain from:

• Failing to warmly welcome opponents when arriving at a table

• Paying insufficient attention to the game

• Making gratuitous comments during the auction and play

• Detaching a card before it is his/her turn to play

• Prolonging play unnecessarily for the purpose of disconcerting an opponent

• Summoning and addressing the Director in a manner discourteous to him/her or to other contestants

• Gloating

• When in the scoring seat taking extra time completing an additional personal score sheet when time is short

• Consistently slow play holding up other players

• Continuing to discuss a previous hand once the next hand has started

• Failing to promptly call the Director to help resolve an issue, early

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There may be a natural reluctance to complain about fellow players. Should it become necessary to call the Director simply state ‘my opponent is interfering with my enjoyment of the game’.

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Strongly discouraged

• Using different meanings between the partners for the same bid in the same situation (e.g. you play weak 1NT open, your partner plays strong 1NT open)

• Indicating approval or disapproval of a call or play

• Taking a long time to play a singleton where there is no thinking required (giving the impression that you have more cards than you hold)

• Taking a long time to play a card when there is no reason for the long delay, giving the impression that you have an important and challenging decision to make (for example your choice is 3 or 4 of hearts)

• Indicating the expectation or intention of winning or losing a trick that has not been completed

• Commenting or acting during the auction or play so as to call attention to a significant occurrence, or to the number of tricks still required for success

• Looking intently at any other player during the auction and play, or another player’s hand as for the purpose of seeing his/her cards or of observing the place from which he/she draws a card (but it is appropriate to act on information acquired by inadvertently seeing opponent’s card)

• Showing an obvious lack of further interest in a deal (folding cards)

• Varying the normal tempo of bidding or play for the purpose of disconcerting an opponent

• Placing your bidding cards in different locations on the bridge table (for example, placing bids on far left to show strong hand, far right to show weak)

• Leaving the table needlessly before the round is called

• Shuffling of cards after playing a card to indicate a suit is now void

• Anything outside or close to the boundaries of the spirit of the game​

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The following behaviours are against the bridge proprieties and can result in penalties:​

1. Varying the formula used in calling.

2. Passing or doubling with exceptional haste or reluctance.

3. Making a call with undue delay that may result in conveying improper information to a partner.

4. Indicating by facial expression or in any way showing approval or disapproval of partner’s call or play.

5. Giving by word, manner or gesture an indication of the hand held.

6. Giving unauthorised information as to an incident of auction or play.

7. Volunteering information that should be given only in response to a question.

8. Playing a card with special emphasis or playing a card with undue delay when it does not need consideration.

9. Detaching a card from hand before the turn to play or lead, or detaching a card and then replacing it.

10. Remarks or mannerisms which may deceive the opponents.

11. Touching a card by Dummy unless directed to do so by the Declarer.

12. Leaving the table by Dummy during the play of the hand.

13. Mixing the cards before the result has been agreed upon.

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Calling the Director

The Director, not the players, must administer all laws. All players are obliged to call the Director immediately any irregularity occurs; failure to do so can result in the forfeit of either side to redress.​

Politeness dictates that the offending players should call (be given the opportunity to call) the Director.

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Psychic Bids

Psychic bids are not only a permissible but also an integral part of the game. A psychic bid is a deliberate and gross misstatement of honour and/or of suit length without partner's knowledge. The Director should always be notified, to guard against habitual use of psychic bids.

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Explanations​

Upon enquiry you must fully explain the agreed meaning of your partner’s call (or play) if you have a partnership agreement based on prior discussion or previous partnership practice.

When there is no clear-cut partnership agreement, say so. Don’t give an interpretation of an ambivalent call.

Give all relevant information (point count, distribution, bids that were available but not used etc.) rather than just the name of the convention unless your opponents can confidently be expected to understand the convention used.

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Competition Rules

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1. Tossing

Unless there are seating rights all players are required to toss for seating position and the pair winning the toss sits North/South.

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2. Attendance
Competitions of four sessions or less:
a) All sessions must be played.
b) One substitute is allowed.

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Competitions of five sessions:
a) Any one session may be missed.
b) One substitute is allowed.

Competitions of 6 sessions or more:
a) Any one session may be missed.
b) Two substitutes are allowed.

All substitutes must be members of East Coast Bays Bridge Club

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3. Status

East Coast Bays Bridge Club classifies players who have been playing for 3 years or less as Beginners.

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To find out about NZ Bridge Rankings and Gradings go to the NZ Bridge website -  click HERE

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