[Image] AUSTRALIAN BRIDGE FEDERATION Inc.: SYSTEMS COMMITTEE ABF SYSTEMS REGULATIONS Commencement Date: 1st January, 1991 - Amendments To: 24th July, 1992 [suitline] [suitline] [suitline] [suitline] [suitline] Section 1 - Classification of systems Section 2 - Adequate disclosure, system cards and summaries Section 3 - Systems classifications and events at ABF tournaments Section 4 - Review of systems classifications between ABF events Section 5 - Systems and teams lineup rights Section 6 - Defence against red systems Section 7 - Defence against yellow systems Section 8 - Psychic manoeuvres Section 9 - Number of systems allowed per team Section 10 - Change of systems Section 11 - Onus on entrants [suitline] [suitline] [suitline] [suitline] [suitline] 1. CLASSIFICATION OF SYSTEMS: 1.1 GENERAL Systems will be mainly classified according to the characteristics of their opening call structure from pass through three spades, and will be identified by colour coding. When determining the classification of a system, the green, blue, red and yellow criteria are to be applied in that sequence to the system until the appropriate classification is determined. All entrants in ABF events must display on their partnership's system card at all times a coloured dot indicating the classification of the system being played. 1.2 DEFINITIONS * "Balanced" means any distribution which falls within all or any of the following hand patterns, viz 4333, 4432, 5332, 5422 and 6322 with a six card minor suit. * "Bid" means an opening bid from one club through three spades. * "Natural" means the presence of at least the number of cards in the suit bid as required by these Regulations and the denial of any longer suit. Provided these requirements are met, a natural bid may also carry expressly or by implication other distributional information. * "Opening Points" means the sum of the high card points (Ace = 4, King = 3, Queen = 2, Jack = 1) and the number of cards in the two longest suits in the hand. * "Pass" means a call of pass which has not been preceded by an opening bid. 1.3 GREEN SYSTEMS (Natural Openings) A system satisfies the GREEN classification if it complies with all of the following: GREEN System General Requirements 1. One level Bids must show no less than 18 Opening Points, two level Bids must show no less than 15 Opening Points and three level suit bids must show no less than 15 Opening Points or no less than 12 Opening Points and a suit of at least seven cards. 2. Suit Bids must be Natural, showing no less than four cards in the suit bid. 3. No trump Bids must show a balanced hand. 4. Pass must show insufficient strength to meet the particular system requirements for a Bid. GREEN System Allowances Subject to Clause 1.3 (1): 1. One club may be a prepared club or better minor. 2. One diamond may be better minor. 3. Two clubs or two diamonds may show any distribution provided that such opening bids also shows no less than 25 Opening Points. 4. Two clubs may show an Acol-style eight playing trick hand in an unspecified suit. 1.4 BLUE SYSTEMS (Includes strong 1C/1D openings) A system satisfies the BLUE classification if all of its Bids which fail to satisfy the GREEN classification fall within the distributional allowances set out below: BLUE System Allowances Subject to Clause 1.3 (1): 1. One club may be Club-Diamond Bust, Blue Club, Precision Club, Power Club, Polish Club, Omnibus Club, Strong Club or another similar treatment of one club. 2. One diamond may be Precision Diamond, Leghorn Diamond, Strong Diamond, Omnibus Diamond or another similar treatment of one diamond. 3. Provided the Bid of a suit otherwise complies with distributional requirements for GREEN or BLUE Systems, it need not deny the holding of a longer suit. 4. One no trump need not be Balanced provided it shows no less than 25 Opening Points. 5. A two or three level suit Bid need not show a minimum holding in the suit bid provided it shows no less than four cards in a specific suit or no less than 25 Opening Points. 6. Two no trumps need not be Balanced provided it shows no less than four cards in a specific suit or no less than 25 Opening Points. 7. Notwithstanding the above, a Blue System may include the "European Multi 2D" opening bid which shows, as an alternative to one or more strong hands with no less than 25 Opening Points, a hand of less than opening strength that complies with 1.3(1) for a two level bid and with 1.3(2) except that the suit promised may be either hearts or spades. NOTE: The Bid need not disclose which of the possible complying hand types are held under Clauses 1.4 (4), (5), (6) or (7) above. 1.5 RED SYSTEMS (Artificial Openings) A system satisfies the RED classification if all of its bids which fail to satisfy the BLUE classification fall within the distributional allowances set out below: RED System Allowances Subject to Clause 1.3 (1): 1. Suit Bids at the one level are not subject to any distribution restriction provided they show no less than four cards in a specific suit. 2. Bids from one no trump to three spades are not subject to any distribution restriction. 1.6 YELLOW SYSTEMS (Highly Unusual Openings) All systems which do not satisfy the RED classification are classified as YELLOW. Accordingly, YELLOW Systems may have some of the following features: 1. The minimum Opening Points for Bids may be less than those prescribed above. 2. Pass need not deny sufficient strength to make a Bid. 3. One level suit bids may confirm at least four cards in an unspecified suit or suits (and not otherwise be covered by any of the allowances for GREEN, BLUE or RED systems). 4. One level suit bids may confirm a shortage in either a specified or an unspecified suit without confirming the presence of at least four cards in a specific suit or suits. 5. Overcalls may include non-descriptive (or "random") overcalls, such as, "That bid can mean anything", "He holds thirteen cards", "We make random overcalls over a Precision 1C regardless of strength". In such cases, however, partnership experience must be disclosed. 1.7 PLAYERS' OBLIGATIONS The onus lies with all players to classify their own systems appropriately according to these Regulations. If players are in any doubt about the appropriate classification of their system, they may submit their system card and any supplementary sheets to the Tournament Convenor for formal classification by the Tournament Committee's representative (or, in his absence, the Chief Tournament Director) at least two weeks prior to the event or by the due date specified in the Entry Conditions. 1.8 "PROTECTED PAIRS" A pair, playing a GREEN System throughout an event, may designate themselves as a "Protected Pair". (A "Protected Pair" will be identified by means of a green sticker attached to the front of their system card.) In events where the Regulations allow pairs to claim "Protected Pair" status, pairs playing RED Systems are required to ascertain before the start of each round whether their opponents are a "Protected Pair". If so, the pair playing the RED System must revert to a GREEN or BLUE System for that round. Pairs playing a GREEN System who are prepared to play against RED Systems will be identified with a black sticker (additional to their green sticker) on the system card. Unless a black sticker is attached to the GREEN opponents' system card, no RED System players shall have the right to play RED Conventions in the round/match in question. 1.9 REVIEW OF CLASSIFICATION DURING ABF EVENTS The ABF Tournament Committee's representative may, during ABF events, review the classification made by players and, if necessary, reclassify the systems. When carrying out such review, the ABF Tournament Committee's representative may also take into account any other features of the opening bid structure which, in his/her opinion, are such as to make it unreasonably difficult for opponents to devise and implement adequate defensive methods. The ABF Tournament Committee may exercise these powers through its duly appointed representative and/or the Chief Tournament Director, and decisions made by the Chief Tournament Director are subject to appeal to the ABF Tournament Committee. 2. ADEQUATE DISCLOSURE, SYSTEM CARDS AND SUMMARIES: 2.1 ADEQUATE DISCLOSURE: Players must disclose fully the meaning of their conventional agreements, particularly conventions and treatments that may require extensive or unusual defensive preparation by opposing pairs. In addition to the appropriate system card, pairs may use supplementary sheets, where necessary, to achieve this objective. To satisfy the principle of adequate disclosure, the onus is on each pair to prepare for the information of opponents an accurate and reasonably comprehensive system card. Supplementary sheets as specified below, if appropriate, shall be available on request. 2.2 PRIOR SUBMISSION OF SYSTEM CARDS AND SUPPLEMENTARY SHEETS: For each ABF Tournament, the Entry Conditions may specify the date and/or time by which the Tournament Convenor must receive copies of any system cards and supplementary sheets, and the number of copies required. Failure to meet the specified deadline date may result in prohibition of some or all of the relevant methods for part or all of the event. In general, advance notice of systems will be required from entrants wishing to use a YELLOW system (when permitted) as will advance notice of the opening bid convention(s) which make a system RED. The Tournament Convenor shall be responsible for ensuring that all players (if they choose) are given prior access to systems information submitted in advance, in order to satisfy the principle of adequate disclosure. 2.3 SYSTEM CARDS: System cards shall be prepared legibly in a form approved by the ABF, properly identified with the names of the pair and a coloured sticker showing the category of the system as defined by these Regulations. The Tournament Convenor shall be responsible for providing pairs with an appropriately coloured sticker to attach to their system card prior to the commencement of the first session of any event. Each pair shall display at least one copy of their system card on the table for the opposing pair before the start of play. When screens are used, each player shall hand one copy of the system card to the screen-mate. The system card(s) is to be returned to the pair at the end of that segment of play. After withdrawing the cards from a board and until they are restored to the board at the conclusion of its play, a player's own system may not be consulted (except when specifically permitted under these Regulations, as in the use of "defence" notes - see Clause 6). 2.4 SUPPLEMENTARY SHEETS: Supplementary sheets shall be typed or written legibly in black ink on one side of A4 paper. For the current structure of ABF Tournaments, the maximum number of supplementary sheets allowed, in the absence of any specific requirement in the Entry Conditions, shall be: Australian Teams Playoffs, Zonal Championships: A WBF Convention Card, PLUS a maximum of 6 supplementary A4 sheets. Longer events (NOT, NWT, SNOT, SNWT, GNT, VCC, ANC, ABPC): An ABF Standard System Card/WBF Convention Card, PLUS a maximum of 2 supplementary A4 sheets. Shorter teams events, and pairs events: An ABF System Card, PLUS a maximum of one supplementary A4 sheet. 2.5 PRIOR SUBMISSION OF DETAILED YELLOW SYSTEM NOTES: Pairs intending to play YELLOW Systems are required to lodge in advance two complete copies of their detailed system notes with the Convenor, together with the mandatory WBF/ABF Standard System Card and supplementary sheets, in order that these notes may be available for prior consultation by opposing pairs and for possible use at the table by opponents (if they so choose, providing that reference to and use of such notes by opponents does not cause slow play at the table). It is recommended that such pairs also submit their detailed system notes to the Convenor on computer disk (in ASCII and/or some other specified format). 2.6 PRIOR SUBMISSION OF SUMMARIES OF RED CONVENTIONS: Pairs intending to play a RED System in an event must lodge, normally no later than one hour before the start of the first session of that event, an adequate summary (one A4 sheet) of the call/s - including responses and rebids - that make the system RED. Patently inadequate summaries may result in procedural and/or disciplinary penalty, including loss of rights to play the RED System. 2.7 RETURN OF SYSTEM CARDS/SYSTEM NOTES/CONVENTION SUMMARIES: When a pair/player borrows a copy of a YELLOW System, or of detailed YELLOW System notes, or of a RED Convention summary, any of which has been lodged with the Convenor, a cash deposit will be payable, to be refunded on return of the copy to the Convenor. Any unclaimed deposits shall be paid to the James O'Sullivan Foundation. 2.8 PENALTIES FOR INADEQUATE DISCLOSURE: Inadequate disclosure may attract procedural and/or disciplinary penalties (including immediate suspension from the session) as well as score adjustment. Repetition may result in a report to the ABF Ethics Committee. 2.9 MORE COMPREHENSIVE DESCRIPTIONS OF SYSTEMS: In the interests of full disclosure and for a pair's own protection in case of disputes, any pair may submit one copy of a more comprehensive description of their system to the Tournament Convenor before the first session of any event. Tournament Directors and Appeals Committees should consult any comprehensive system description which has been submitted when making rulings or determinations. 2.10 PLAYING THE SAME SYSTEM Both members of a partnership must play the same system, including bidding and cardplay agreements. Where as a matter of style members frequently adopt different styles from each other, that difference (or those differences) must be disclosed on the system card. 3. SYSTEMS CLASSIFICATIONS AND EVENTS AT ABF TOURNAMENTS: In accordance with the above classifications, the ABF's Tournament Committee shall determine the systems which may be played in any ABF event in sufficient time for the relevant decisions to be published in the Entry Booklet or on Entry Forms for the event/s, and/or in Supplementary Regulations. Normally, all systems will be permitted in teams or teams-scored pairs events with longer matches, usually more than eight boards in length. "Longer matches" may be defined in the Supplementary Regulations for ABF Tournaments, and definitions may take into account such factors as the number of boards being played against any one opposing pair, the period of advance notice of systems, the time between announcement of the draw and commencement of play, and the level of competition. When YELLOW Systems are permitted, that will be subject to adequate disclosure and other prescribed constraints. YELLOW Systems may be further prohibited at the ABF's discretion in up to the first three rounds of Swiss Teams events (unless a match involves two teams seeded in the top 25% of the field) and in up to the bottom 75% of the field thereafter. Systems other than Yellow will generally be permitted in pairs events and teams and teams-scored pairs events in which eight boards or fewer are played against each opponent, with the proviso that RED Systems are permitted subject to application of the "Protected Pairs" principle [see Clause 1.8 above]. Notwithstanding any of the above, the ABF Tournament Committee or the ABF's Tournament Committee representative may determine that special restrictions on the use of systems shall apply, such as for "No Fears" events. In its discretion, the Tournament Committee may allow certain opening bid conventions to be used in particular ABF events, notwithstanding any of the above. These allowances do not affect the classifications of the systems themselves. All such allowances will be construed strictly and shall be deemed not to extend to any variations of the convention so allowed unless otherwise determined by the Tournament Committee. 4. REVIEW OF SYSTEMS CLASSIFICATIONS BETWEEN ABF EVENTS: Any player/pair/team may seek a review of the classification of any system, or of any decision made by the ABF Tournament Committee's representative to allow or prohibit use of a system (including their own) or specific convention(s). Such review will be undertaken by the ABF Systems and Directors Committee with all due haste but will not affect the results of any decision made by the ABF Tournament Committee's representative at the event in question. 5. SYSTEMS AND TEAMS LINEUP RIGHTS: 5.1 Captains of AWAY TEAMS containing a pair or pairs using YELLOW systems must declare their lineup and seating arrangements, and the systems to be played, 30 minutes before the start of each session. Teams in breach of this Regulation for any session shall not be permitted to play a YELLOW or RED system during that session unless a determination to the contrary is made by the Chief Tournament Director. 5.2 Captains of HOME TEAMS containing a pair or pairs using YELLOW systems must declare their lineup and the systems to be played 15 minutes before the start of the session. 5.3 Captains of HOME TEAMS containing a pair or pairs using YELLOW systems must declare their seating arrangements within 10 minutes before the start of the session if the opposing AWAY TEAM has declared its lineup and seating arrangements no later than 15 minutes before the start of the session. 5.4 If a HOME TEAM is in breach of Regulation 5.2 or 5.3 above, that team shall not be permitted to play any RED or YELLOW system in that particular session unless a determination to the contrary is made by the Chief Tournament Director. 5.5 The ABF reserves the right to extend and/or modify lineup requirements, including the deadline times, if considered appropriate by the ABF's Tournament Committee's representative or the Chief Tournament Director. The declaration required to be made under this Regulation 5 shall be made in such manner and form as required by the Chief Tournament Director. 6. DEFENCE AGAINST RED SYSTEMS: [NOTE: By a WBF Laws Committee interpretation, the right for players to refer to their defences at the table in defined circumstances is authorised under Law 80E of "The Laws of Duplicate Contract Bridge, 1987".] When playing against a RED system, an opposing pair may prepare a written defence against those opening calls which cause the system to be categorised as RED (not exceeding one A4 sheet), but no written defence against the defence will be permitted. Such defence must be approved in writing by the Tournament Director and is to be given to the opponents (2 copies) at the table prior to the start of play, and may be used by both pairs at the table during the auction period and - for the purpose only of responding to a question - during the play period. 7. DEFENCE AGAINST YELLOW SYSTEMS: 7.1 Notes on defence against YELLOW systems (not exceeding one A4 sheet), and on any defence against the defence (also not exceeding one A4 sheet), may be used by both pairs at the table during the auction period; and - for the purpose only of responding to a question - during the play period. 7.2 When opposing a team/pair which is playing a YELLOW system, opponents wishing to use notes on their defence at the table must submit two (2) copies of that defence to the opponents ten (10) minutes prior to the scheduled start of play. In preparing a defence against a YELLOW system, a pair using a GREEN, BLUE or RED system may change their system, including opening calls. Pairs using YELLOW systems are not permitted to change their opening calls. 7.3 Any defence against a defence (two copies, handwritten) must be submitted to opponents at the start of play. In preparing their defence to the defence, the pair using the YELLOW system is not permitted to change its opening calls. 8. PSYCHIC MANOEUVRES: Any formulation or calculated discussion on psychic manoeuvres by a partnership constitutes an improper explicit agreement and may result in score adjustment as well as disciplinary penalty. 9. NUMBER OF SYSTEMS ALLOWED PER TEAM: A maximum number of four RED and/or YELLOW systems will be permitted for each participating team. 10. CHANGE OF SYSTEMS: No pair may play two different RED or YELLOW systems during the course of an event without the express permission of the Chief Tournament Director, unless specifically provided for in the Supplementary Regulations. 11. ONUS ON ENTRANTS: All entrants for ABF events will be expected to accept responsibility for making themselves aware of the ABF's Systems Regulations and their application in each event, as specified in the Entry Conditions and Supplementary Regulations. ABF Systems Regulations (as amended to 24/7/92) Back to top of page [suitline] [suitline] [suitline] [suitline] [suitline] [Home Button Image] Return to ABF Home Page ------------------------------------------------------------------------