Bridge Etiquettes

Friendliness at our Club

There should be no arguments at all amongst opponents & partners and if there is any infringement at all please call the Tournament Director to sort it out amicably. All infringements must be referred to the TD since any decision you take without involving the TD can affect everyone's result.

Entering Scores (If NOT using Bridge Mates)

Please enter scores from the first column going downwards as being played. Please enter contract = or + or - by whom and score if possible.

Leading to a contract

Please note it is mandatory always to make lead face down.

Misboarding & System played

To avoid misboarding please at all times keep the boards in the centre of the table and in the correct direction.

Also inform the opponents at the beginning of the round the system you play or ask the opponents the system they play.

Also be familiar with the EBU announcing and alerting rules can be found under the EBU Etiquette tab.

CODE OF CONDUCT AND ETIQUETTE AT BRIDGE TABLE

PLEASE SPEAK ONLY IN ENGLISH ALWAYS A KIND COMMON FRIENDLY CURTESY TO ALL.

Courteous behaviour is an exceptionally important part of that enjoyment. Law 74 of the Laws of Bridge sets out rules on courtesy, BEING FAIR TO ALL WITH THE RIGHT ETIQUETTE STANDARDS. This code serves as a reminder to all players (members and visitors) PLAYING DUPLICATE OR TOURNAMENTS/EVENTS.

PLEASE LEAVE YOUR COATS/PURSES IN A DESIGNATED AREA OR TABLE PROVIDED SO YOU DO NOT HAVE TO CARRY IT FROM TABLE TO TABLE.

Below are some of the DOs & DONTs, seems a long list though takes only a few minutes as a TEAM, all sharing duties as per their individual capacity and helping out., AS SO MUCH IS INVOLVED AND HAS TO BE DONE TO ORGANISE A DUPLICATE BRIDGE GAME. SO TOGETHER WE CROSS THE BRIDGE AND IS QUITE NORMAL AND EASY. We all are human and LEARNING SO tend to make the following mistakes quite often but must IMPROVE FOR THE BETTER and STRICTLY refrain from trying to do so in the RIGHT SPIRIT in FUTURE, making a SINCERE EFFORT. The aim is quite simple :-Making Bridge very interesting for all.
MORE FRIENDLY ENJOYABLE, FUN and NO AGGRAVATION IN THE RIGHT SPORTING SPIRIT.

EXPECTED BEHAVIOUR.....PLEASE PLAY IN ABSOLUTE SILENCE

PLEASE SPEAK ONLY IN ENGLISH.ALWAYS...Greeting the pair arriving at your Bridge table in a friendly manner. SMILE Please.

Being a good ‘host’ or ‘guest’ at the Bridge table, briefly explain your standard bids/conventions.

PICK ALL YOUR 13 CARDS AND COUNT, ARRANGING QUICKLY, GETTING READY FOR YOUR BID NOT WASTING TIME AS WE HAVE ONLY 7 MINUTES TO BID/PLAY AND SCORE. Giving credit after play TO OPPONENTS for good bids or plays briefly like ‘Well Played’ or ‘Well done’ or ‘Well Bid’ but STRICTLY NO LONG DISCUSSION PLEASE, mixing up cards and disclosing the boards CONTRACT to the neighbouring tables. Bidding and playing a hand at a uniform speed IN SILENCE EXCEPT ANNOUNCEMENTS like ‘Weak’ or 12-14. Or ‘Phoney’.

Explaining fully, when asked, your partnership bids & any related conventions.

MAKING SURE WHICH TABLE YOU ARE Moving to the next right table AND direction (North or South) SILENTLY as soon as possible after the TD calls to move. Making sure you take your Personal score cards along with you.

Summoning the TD appropriately i.e. ‘Director please’ NOT just ‘Director’ as that sounds rude and rather abrupt, calmly explaining the problem one at a time and accepting his ruling at the table. PS. you retain a right to appeal.

Ensure that your mobile phone is turned off or set to silent or on vibration.

Take care of your personal grooming.

The board being played should remain in the centre of the table AND AT ALL TIMES CARDS TO BE PUT IN RIGHT DIRECTIONS.. NORTH IS ALWAYS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CORRECT PLACING/FACING OF BOARDS ON TABLE.

The bidding cards should not be returned to their bidding boxes until the opening lead has been made card facing down and any questions asked EXCHANGED politely/softly.

There should be strict observance of the rules concerning the STOP and ALERT cards..Only the alerting player may provide explanation / understanding of the bid made. It is mandatory to alert all non-natural calls as per EBU Orange Book. (see the "EBU announcing rules" on our website)

Pairs are advised and encouraged to have Convention Cards. For external tournaments organised at the Friends Bridge Group Convention Cards are compulsory. To minimise possible misunderstandings please inform your opponents of your basic bidding system when you reach the table.

The scoring player (NORTH) must ensure that the score is verified by one of the opponents agreed (EAST OR WEST).

DUMMY to sit SILENT and to just follow Declarer’s clear instructions ‘Low/High’ or 9of Spade or ‘Jack of Heart’. Please state clearly specially as when there are more than 1 cards like 2 of kings or 2 or jacks from the DUMMY.

AFTER PLAY....WEST or requesting those who cannot move the chairs or tables please help or are responsible for Laminated Movement cards, Table Numbers and pens to be put away in their respective sleeves and pen boxes provided. EAST or requesting those who cannot move the tables/chairs are responsible to help and share put away the PLAYED BOARDS in the Plastic big Box or to the table they were all set on. TABLE-CLOTHS to the LOCKER in the far SOUTH corner side of the hall neatly folded away in the 3rd drawer.

NORTH OR ALL LADIES/GENTLEMEN WHO CANNOT MOVE TABLES/CHAIRS ARE REQUESED & Responsible to return all ‘Bridge mates’ to the pink plastic cover in their respective Numbered cardboard boxes in the BIG PLASTIC CONTAINER safely.

SOUTH OR ALL LADIES/GENTLEMEN MEMBERS WHO CAN ARE REQUESTED AND responsible to fold the Bridge table and STACK IT ON THE FAR SOUTH SIDE CORNER OF THE HALL.

UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOUR

General rudeness, insinuation, harassment or intimidation by word, gesture or posture.

Openly criticising or advising partner’s or opponents bids / plays.

Talking in a loud voice so that players at adjoining tables can hear the conversation.

Detaching a card before it is your turn to play.

Paying insufficient attention to the bid/game in play.

Objecting to a call for the TD OR INTERUPTING OR MAKING LOUD COMMENTS OR UNCALLED JOKING..

Disputing the TD’s ruling at that time.

Giving unasked tuition OR ADVISE at the table TO PARTNERS/OPPONENTS.

Leaving the table needlessly before the round is called AND HOVVERING OVER OTHER TABLES WHEN THEY ARE STILL PLAYING.

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

Showing an obvious lack of further interest in a board (as by folding one's cards).

Varying the normal tempo of bidding or play to give partner information or to disconcert opponents.

DUMMY to sit SILENT and not show signs or signals or hint or advise as to what or how to play but just follow declarer’s instructions.

NO DISCUSSION AFTER PLAY WITH OPEN CARDS AS THAT CAUSES MISBOARDING AND 12 OR 14 CARD IN ANY ONE OR TWO DIRECTIONS.

No water or soft drinks or food on the Bridge table due to damage to the table-cloth, bidding boxes and playing cards.

THANKING YOU ALL FRIENDS FOR YOUR HELP, CONSIDERATION AND COOPERATION. IN MAKING BRIDGE SO ENJOYABLE TOGETHER.