Tech File NAP COC (original) (raw)

This document is provided courtesy of the American Contract Bridge League 2990 Airways Blvd. S Memphis TN 38116�3847 901�332�5586 S Fax 901�398�7754 NOTE: to view the latest revision of the handbook,
download the latest version ofACBLScore

(Rev.04/2004) CCSPEC.041 (PAGE 1)

___________________

NORTH AMERICAN PAIRS CONDITIONS OF CONTEST 2004-2005

THESE CONDITIONS OF CONTEST MAY NOT BE CHANGED AT ANY LEVEL OF PLAY

DURING THE COURSE OF THIS EVENT. LACK OF KNOWLEDGE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE

CAUSE FOR EXCEPTION TO THESE CONDITIONS OF CONTEST.

SCHEDULE

1. Club Level Must be held only in June, July and August of 2004

2. Unit Level As scheduled by Units & approved by the District

NAP Coordinator

3. District Level Must be completed by the 3rd Sunday of January 2005

4. National Level Pittsburgh, PA Spring 2005 NABC

Flight A Wednesday and Thursday March 9 and March 10

Flights B & C Saturday and Sunday March 19 and March 20

FLIGHT ELIGIBILITY

Masterpoints won in other bridge organizations, such as the ABA and

foreign organizations, must be taken into account for placement in the

appropriate flights.

1. Flight A Open to any Player

2. Flight B Players with less than 2000 MPs as of the 2004 June

masterpoint cycle.*

3. Flight C Non-Life Masters with fewer than 500 MPs as of the 2004

June masterpoint cycle.

* The June masterpoint cycle is run by ACBL data processing between

May1st and 15th. Any points won but not included in this cycle do not

affect masterpoint eligibility.

PRIOR TO THE NATIONAL LEVEL OF PLAY

Flight C Eligible Players May play in Flights A, B & C until

concurrence forces a choice

Flight B Eligible Players May play in Flight B and Flight A until

concurrence forces a choice

Flight A Eligible Players May play in Flight A only

However, please note that in a stratified event at the unit or

district level, a player must have played in a club qualifying game

and earned qualification in that flight to be eligible. If not

eligible to qualify for higher flights, the pair will receive

masterpoints, but not qualification to the next stage for the higher

flight for which he did not qualify at the club level. When noting

qualifiers from a field stratified field, select players who are

eligible for qualification, disregarding the ineligible pair(s).

FLIGHT-MIXED PARTNERSHIPS

1. Partnerships consisting of an A player and a B player, must enter

the event as a Flight A pair. If the pair qualifies in the Flight

A strat or event, the A player is eligible for the next stage in

the Flight A event only. The Flight B player is eligible for the

next stage in the Flight A and Flight B event.

CCSPEC.041 (PAGE 2)

___________________

2. Partnerships consisting of an A player and a C player must enter

the event as a Flight A pair. If the pair qualifies in the flight

A strat or event, the Flight A player is eligible for the next

stage in the flight A event only. The Flight C player is eligible

for the next stage in the Flight A, Flight B and Flight C event.

3. Partnerships consisting of a B player and a C player must enter

the event as a Flight B pair.

If the pair qualifies in the Flight A strat or event, the Flight B

player is eligible for the next stage in the Flight A and Flight B

event only. The Flight C player is eligible for the next stage in the

Flight A, Flight B and Flight C event.

If the pair qualifies in the Flight B strat or event, the flight B

player is eligible for the next stage in the Flight B event only. The

Flight C player is eligible for the next stage in the Flight B and

Flight C event.

CLUB LEVEL PARTICIPATION

2. Club level qualification may be earned at any club in any unit in

any district.

1. Club level qualification is earned as an individual and not as a

partnership. A player may play at any participating club as often

as desired and with as many different partners as desired.

2. At the club stage, a player may qualify and earn masterpoints with

any member of the ACBL or with a non-member of the ACBL.

UNIT LEVEL PARTICIPATION

1. Both players must be members of the parent district. (see Appendix

I in these Conditions)

1. Both players must have qualified in a club.

2. Any player that qualified in any club may play with any other

qualified player in any unit in their district. Each player must

be a member of a Unit of their parent District.

3. Each player must be an ACBL member in good standing. An ACBL

member in good standing is defined as: A player who is not

currently on suspension, indefinite probation or serving probation

in excess of ninety days that resulted from a suspension, the

initial term of which was in excess of ninety days and whose dues

are current OR, A life master with life member status (must have

joined the ACBL prior to January 1, 1996 and have never resigned

his membership at any time) who is not currently on suspension,

indefinite probation or serving probation in excess of ninety days

that resulted from a suspension, the initial term of which was in

excess of ninety days whose fees may or may not be paid.

5. A player may enter only one unit stage competition per flight. (A

stratified event covers all club flight eligibility options)

CCSPEC.041 (PAGE 3)

___________________

6. A player whose membership dues are paid at or prior to the Unit

competition is deemed to be a paid member at the time of entry.

ONLY PAID MEMBERS, INCLUDING LIFE MASTERS WITH LIFE MEMBER STATUS,

WHOSE DUES OR FEES ARE CURRENT AT THE UNIT STAGE AND BEYOND WILL

BE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE ANY SUBSIDY THAT MIGHT BE AWARDED BY THE

ACBL BOARD OF DIRECTORS. ONLY PAID MEMBERS, INCLUDING LIFE

MASTERS WITH LIFE MEMBER STATUS, are eligible to play in the

national final.

DISTRICT LEVEL PARTICIPATION

1. A player who moves to a different district during the course of

the event may elect to continue in his original district and not

his new district for the remainder of the event.

2. District Conditions of Contest will define qualification

requirements. In general to be eligible for the District stage:

A) If there is a Unit stage - a player must have qualified at the

club stage and at the Unit stage; or

B) If there is NO Unit stage - at the club stage.

NATIONAL LEVEL PARTICIPATION

A person or pair may represent a district in only one flight at the

national level. The North American Final will be a four-session event,

with between 52 and 78 pairs competing in a two-session play-through

to qualify for a 28 pair two-session play-through final with

carry-over as per ACBL formula.

ONLY PAID MEMBERS, INCLUDING LIFE MASTERS WITH LIFE MEMBER STATUS,

WHOSE DUES OR FEES ARE CURRENT AT THE UNIT STAGE AND BEYOND WILL WE

ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE ANY SUBSIDY THAT MIGHT BE AWARDED BY THE ACBL

BOARD OF DIRECTORS. ONLY PAID MEMBERS, INCLUDING LIFE MASTERS WITH

LIFE MEMBER STATUS are eligible to play in the national final.

QUALIFYING TO THE NEXT LEVEL

FROM CLUB STAGE

Eligible partnerships finishing in the top 50% of their field (rounded

up and including ties) plus any pair with "average" not in the top

half of their field. New partnerships between Club Stage qualifiers

may be formed at the Unit Stage.

FROM UNIT STAGE

Eligible partnerships finishing in the top 50% of their field (rounded

up and including ties) plus any pair with "average" not in the top

half of their field. Plus, at District option, a unit may qualify 60%

of the field to the next level. New partnerships between Unit Stage

qualifiers may be formed at the Unit District Stage.

SPECIAL ADVANCEMENT TO DISTRICT STAGE

An ACBL member who qualified at the club stage whose representation of

his NCBO or ACBL in WBF competition prevents participation in the Unit

Level competition is granted qualification to the District Final and

may play with a player who has qualified at the club level and has not

played in a level beyond the club level. This also applies to ACBL

members who are WBF officials, and NPCs and coaches on official

ACBL/NCBO business preventing participation at the Unit qualifying.

CCSPEC.041 (PAGE 4)

___________________

FROM DISTRICT STAGE

The top three eligible pairs in each flight qualify to the National

Finals. Plus, two additional pairs in each flight will be invited by

the method outlined in Appendix II. Districts may opt to qualify

alternate players for qualified players who choose not to play in the

District Final.

(Consult your District NAP Conditions of Contest). Pairs qualifying

to the National Finals qualify as a pair and no new partnerships may

be formed at the National Finals regardless of the circumstances.

MULTI-FLIGHT QUALIFICATIONS

Flight C category players Retain qualification in each flight (A,B&C)

in which they have achieved the finish

stated for each level of play.

Flight B category players Retain qualification in each flight (except

Flight C) in which they have achieved the

finish stated for each level of play.

Flight A category players Compete in Flight A only.

CONVENTIONS

1. At the club stage, subject to established ACBL minimum guidelines,

each club determines the conventions to be allowed in its games.

2. At the unit stage, the ACBL General Convention Chart applies.

3. At the district stage, the ACBL General Convention Chart applies

except that at District option Flight A may use the ACBL

Mid-Chart.

4. At the national stage, the ACBL Mid-Chart applies for Flight A,

and the ACBL General Convention Chart applies to Flights B and C.

SUBSTITUTES

1.1 At any stage of the competition, the district director (or his

designee), the district NAP coordinator, the tournament director

or the tournament committee may approve a substitute in an

emergency. A substitute must meet the eligibility requirements

listed on page 1, under FLIGHT ELIGIBILITY, and may not

appreciably strengthen the partnership and is subject to the

following limitations:

A) At the Club or Unit stage, if a substitute plays more than

fifty percent of the boards, he becomes the contestant of

record if otherwise qualified.

B) At any stage beyond the Unit stage, a substitute is not

permitted for more than fifty percent of the boards played in

a qualifying session or sessions; for more than fifty percent

of the boards played in a final session or sessions; or for

more than one session in any case. Additionally, the

substitute must be a member of the district and must be

either eliminated from the event or not yet qualified from

the unit stage.

2. A replacement is not permitted beyond the District stage of the

competition.

CCSPEC.041 (PAGE 5)

___________________

MISCELLANEOUS REGULATIONS

1.1.1 A player whose membership dues accompany the unit stage game

report (if there is a unit stage) is deemed to have been a

member at the time of entry. In order to receive reimbursement

to the National Finals, a player's membership dues and/or Life

Master service fees must be current at the unit stage, district

final and the commencement of the National Final.

2. When a District Final is held at split sites, the qualifiers may

be apportioned on any objective basis, provided the basis is

published in the District's Conditions of Contest. Should a

qualified pair decline to participate in the North American

Final, an alternate pair (based on the order of finish in the

District Final from the same qualifying field) will replace

them.

SUBSIDIES TO NATIONAL FINALS

1. To be eligible for any subsidy that may be awarded all

participants must be current in the payment of dues or life master

fees at the time of the Unit Level competition and beyond. If

there is no Unit Level, then the participants must be current in

payment of dues or life master fees at the time of the District

Level and beyond.

2. Those who qualify for participation in the National Finals will be

notified by the ACBL Special Events Manager of any travel and/or

lodging subsidy their finish in the district finals may have

earned.

DISTRICT DIRECTOR AUTHORITY

All ACBL tournament regulations, though not specifically included in

these conditions, apply to this event throughout. Only in the case of

an unforeseen situation, the district director (or his designee), in

consultation with the ACBL NAP coordinator, may make exceptions to

these conditions. In emergency situations only, the district director

on his own may make decisions consistent with the spirit of these

conditions of contest. In cases of dual residence, active military

duty, school attendance or similar cases of extended temporary or

permanent relocation, the ACBL NAP coordinator has final authority of

the residency and/or the qualification requirements (see Appendix I to

these conditions). The district director has final authority on any

item not specified in the conditions of contest.

APPENDIX I

2004-2005 NORTH AMERICAN PAIRS CONDITIONS OF CONTEST

DISTRICT MEMBERSHIP - (Board Item 003-106)

Members of the ACBL are normally expected to belong to the unit in

which they reside. If a member chooses to belong to a unit in which

he/she does not reside, the member must specifically make this request

in writing to the ACBL stating the unit of preference and the reasons

for the request. Further, if the unit is not in the same district as

where he/she resides, both districts must approve the membership in

the other district. The following are some of the reasons why a member

would be given permission to belong to a unit outside the district of

residence (To warrant consideration, a player should meet at least two

of the six reasons listed.):

CCSPEC.041 (PAGE 6)

___________________

1. Plays at least once a month in a club in that unit

2. Attends STaCs or sectionals in that unit at least twice a year

3. Attends the annual unit dinner and/or membership meeting

4. Participates in unit special events

5. Serves on the unit board and/or unit committees

6. Serves on the district board and/or district committees

If it is determined that a member requests a change of unit membership

for the sole purpose of Grand National Teams (GNT) or North American

Pairs (NAP) play, the request must be denied.

The membership approval granted by a district in which the member does

not reside may be reviewed by that district at least every five years

to assure the above criteria continue to justify non-residency

membership.

If a player has been a member of that unit and wishes to remain and

does not participate in GNT and NAP events in that district,

permission may be granted by the district without the player meeting

any of the six criteria.

APPENDIX II

2004-2005 NORTH AMERICAN PAIRS CONDITIONS OF CONTEST SELECTION OF

ADDED PAIRS TO NATIONAL FINALS - ALL FLIGHTS

In addition to the three top pairs determined at the 25 District

Finals, two more pairs for each Flight will be invited to participate

in the National Finals determined as follows:

FLIGHT A - One of the two extra pairs will be the previous year's

winners at the National Final. This pair may, if they wish,

play in the current event at any stage for which they are

eligible and qualified. Should either or both players move

to a different district, the pair is deemed to represent

the original district. The second pair will be determined

by the method described below.

FLIGHT B - Both pairs will be determined by the method described

below.

FLIGHT C - Both pairs will be determined by the method described

below.

DETERMINATION OF EXTRA PAIRS

Districts (and each Flight) will be ranked from 1 to 25 on two scales:

1. The total tables in play at the club level (in each flight) based

on reports received in Memphis by October 1. (The lowest table

count will be assigned a value of 1 and the highest a value of 25)

1. The ratio of total tables in play at the club level in each Flight

to the total membership of that Flight in the District as of the

May 1 cycle. (In the case of Flight C this number once determined

will be doubled)

2. The values determined in numbers one and two above will be added

and the districts with the highest total will earn the extra

berth.

3. Ties will be broken in favor of the highest participation

percentage and then by total club level participation.

CCSPEC.041 (PAGE 7)

___________________

4. The home district of the previous year's Flight A winner is not

eligible to earn the other Flight A extra pair regardless of their

ranking as determined by steps 1-4 above.

APPENDIX III

2003-2004 NORTH AMERICAN OPEN PAIRS CONDITIONS OF CONTEST

RIBBON QUALIFICATIONS EARNED

FLIGHT SINGLE-SITE SPLIT-SITE SEPARATE RANKING NATIONAL FINAL

DISTRICT FINAL DISTRICT FINAL

A 1st&2nd+ties 1st at each site+ties Top 10+ties

=BR qual =BR qual BR qual

B&C 1st&2nd+ties 1st at each site+ties Top 10+ties)

=Appropriate Q =Appropriate Q =Appropriate Q

APPENDIX IV

2003-2004 NORTH AMERICAN OPEN PAIRS CONDITIONS OF CONTEST

MASTERPOINT AWARDS

CLUB STAGE

FLIGHT COLOR RATING RATE & COLOR CLUB IS INV

A 1/2R 1/2B 100% of SECTL B ONLY 80% OF SECTL

B 1/2R 1/2B 86% of SECTL B ONLY 60% OF SECTL

C 1/2R 1/2B 60% of SECTL B ONLY 45% OF SECTL

UNIT STAGE

FLIGHT COLOR COLOR-TWO SESSIONS OR MORE RATING

1 SESS O'ALLS SECTION

A R 20%G 80%R R 100% of SECTL

B R 10%G 90%R R 86% of SECTL

C R 5%G 95%R R 60% of SECTL

UNIT STAGE - CONSOLATION

FLIGHT A - BLACK POINTS AT 65% SECTIONAL RATING

FLIGHT B - 53% OF SECTIONAL RATING

FLIGHT C - 39% OF SECTIONAL RATING

DISTRICT STAGE

FLIGHT FIRST OVERALL COLOR COLOR COLOR RATING OF

2 3 4 O'ALLS SECT SESSION SESSION

SESS SESS SESS AWARDS TOP AWARDS AWARDS

A 24 30 36 100%G G R REGL

B 16 20 24 100%G G R 86% REGL

C 10 12.5 15 25%G 75%R G R 60% REGL

CCSPEC.041 (PAGE 8)

___________________

NOTE: In districts holding a separately scored and ranked split-site

final, the applicable first place award will be divided in proportion

to each site's share of the total tables.

DISTRICT STAGE - CONSOLATION

ONE OR TWO-SESSION CONSOLATION AND 1ST SESSION OF TWO ONE-SESSION CONS

FLIGHT A

65% OF REGIONAL RATING - 50%R 50%B

2ND SESSION OF A TWO ONE-SESS CONSOLATION

65% OF SECTIONAL RATING - 100%B

FLIGHT B

ONE OR TWO-SESSION CONSOLATION AND 1ST SESSION OF TWO ONE-SESSION CONS

53% OF REGIONAL RATING - 50%R 50%B

2ND SESSION OF A TWO ONE-SESSION CONSOLATION

53% OF SECTIONAL RATING - 100%B

FLIGHT C

ONE OR TWO-SESSION CONSOLATION AND 1ST SESSION OF TWO ONE-SESSION CONS

39% OF REGIONAL RATING - 50%R 50%B

2ND SESSION OF A TWO ONE-SESSION CONSOLATION

39% OF SECTIONAL RATING - 100%B

NATIONAL FINALS

FLIGHT 1ST OVERALL POINTS SESSION AWARDS

A 65 GOLD G/R at Natl Rating

B 45 GOLD G/R at 86% Natl Rating

C 30 1/3G 2/3 R R at 60% of Natl Rating

(Except Sect Top 1/2G 2/3R)

APPENDIX V

2004-2005 NORTH AMERICAN OPEN PAIRS - CONDITIONS OF CONTEST

STRATIFYING YOUR CLUB, UNIT, AND DISTRICT NAP GAME

NOTE: ALWAYS SET YOUR STRATS USING THE NAP LIMITS - NONE/2000/NLM

1. At the club level, the choice to stratify or not is the

independent choice of the club for all or any qualifying games (in

any flight) held at that club.

2. At the unit level, Units are encouraged to stratify rather than

not conduct a particular flight.

3. At the district level, stratification is NOT recommended but a

two-session play-through stratified event is allowed when

attendance is insufficient to support separate flights.

4. Pairs from each flight should be evenly distributed in the

North-South and East-West fields.

5. Flight A, B or C pairs finishing in the top half (rounded up and

including ties) of the Flight A field (NS or EW) qualify for the

next level of play in Flight A.

6. Flight B or Flight C pairs finishing in the top half (rounded up

and including ties) of the Flight B field (NS or EW) qualify for

the next level of play in Flight B.

CCSPEC.041 (PAGE 9)

___________________

7. Flight C pairs finishing in the top half (rounded up and

including ties) of the Flight B field (NS or EW) qualify for the

next level of play in Flight C.

8. A pair playing "average" (even though the finishing position is

not in the top half of the field) is deemed to also be in the top

half of the field.

9. Flight C may be a "stand-alone" stratified event with the only

permissible strats being 0-20, 20-100, 100-NLM<500.

10. Flights A and B may be run as a stratified event (with Flight C

run separately).

11. Flights B and C may be run as a stratified event (with Flight A

run separately).

12. At the unit level, to be eligible to compete in any particular

Flight a pair must have played at the club level and qualified in

that particular Flight. For example, Any Flight C player who

qualified at the club level in both B and C may compete at the

Unit Level in B and C but not in A.

13. At the district level, to be eligible to compete in any

particular Flight a pair must have played at the unit level and

qualified in that particular Flight. For example, Any Flight C

player who qualified at the unit level in both B and C may

compete at the Unit Level in B and C but not in A.

14. Qualifiers are determined for each stratum across the field at

large.

15. Ineligible players are disregarded when selecting qualifiers from

a stratified field.

16. At District option 60% of the field may be qualified.

17. At District option, when an insufficient number of pairs (fewer

than five pairs) enter a scheduled qualifying event (unit or

earlier stage), all players who pay their entry fee are qualified

to the next stage of competition. This also applies when an

insufficient number of pairs enter the lowest strat of a

scheduled stratified game. Sanction fees, player numbers, and

names must be submitted to ACBL.

18. A District running a stratified District Final must continue the

same format for all sessions.

APPENDIX VI

2004-2005 NORTH AMERICAN OPEN PAIRS - ORGANIZERS CONDITIONS OF CONTEST

Organizers and directors should be familiar with all Conditions of

Contest in order to conduct the event.

DISTRICT COORDINATOR

Each District will appoint a District NAP Coordinator whose duties are

to:

1. Submit to ACBL Headquarters, prior to commencement of the event, a

set of District NAP Conditions of Contest supplementing the

National Conditions with the District's options and specifics.

2. Provide necessary information to players, clubs and units.

3. Perform all other functions necessary for the smooth and efficient

operation of the contest at all stages within the District.

CCSPEC.041 (PAGE 10)

____________________

CLUB STAGE

1. Clubs may hold up to two (2) club qualifying game in each of the

three months (June, July, August) for each weekly sanctioned

session held that month. This applies to each flight.

1. No special sanction is required and Clubs should use the club

number as the sanction number.

2. A club may hold a qualifying game at a time for which it is not

sanctioned only by obtaining permission from the District Director

or his designee

3. A club may hold a qualifying game at a different location (to

accommodate expected attendance) provided the game is at the same

time as their regularly sanctioned game and the move is adequately

publicized.

4. A club may hold a regular club game simultaneously with any flight

of a NAP qualifying game.

5. An Invitational Club (a club open to members only) may conduct a

NAP qualifying game:

E.A Under its usual rules and award masterpoints at 80% of an

open club or,

E.B May, with unit permission and appropriate publicity, hold an

open qualifying game for any NAP flight provided the game is

open to any ACBL member fitting any applicable flight

participation requirements

6. A club-stage game may not be held within 25 miles of a sectional

tournament within the district without permission of the District

Director or his designee.

7. All club-stage games conflicting with a regional tournament in

that district may be prohibited by the district. (Consult your NAP

District Conditions of Contest)

8. A club-stage event must have a club or higher-rated director.

ACBL recommends a non-playing director, but games of one section

with 17 tables or fewer (at the club or unit stage only) may have

a playing director.

9. Sections should not be larger than 17 tables. Boards should be

duplicated when there are two or more sections. The game should be

seeded regardless of size.

10. The game director must issue qualifying slips to the qualifiers.

ACBLscore will print qualifying slips.

13. At a club-stage game, each pair must be scheduled to play at least

21 boards.

14. A list of all the qualifiers from each game must be submitted to

the district NAP Coordinator or his designee.

15. Fees of $4.00 (U.S.) per table, per session are due ACBL and are

paid in one of the following ways:

J.A Clubs using the latest version of ACBLscore should DBADD the game

file to the monthly report for masterpoint postings. ACBLscore

will calculate the amount due for the NAP game and include it

with the monthly report total along with all other games held at

the club. No separate payment is necessary.

J.B The updated version of ACBLscore will have the new sanction fee

of $4.00 per table. If you are using an older version of

ACBLscore or scoring by hand, please make the necessary

adjustments on your month-end financial report. Send the game

report and separate payment to ACBL Special Events Department.

CCSPEC.041 (PAGE 11)

____________________

16. Club NAP qualifying games may be stratified using these limits:

Open/2000/Non-LifeMaster<500

17. A stand-alone Flight C event may be stratified. The only

permissible strats are 0-20, 20-100, 100-NLM<500.

18. See Page 3, Qualifying to the Next Level for determination of

qualifiers.

19. When an insufficient number of pairs (fewer than five pairs) enter

a scheduled qualifying event all players who pay their entry fee

are qualified to the next stage of competition.

20. When an insufficient number of pairs (fewer than five pairs) enter

the lowest strat of a scheduled stratified game, all players who

pay their entry fee are qualified to the next stage of

competition.

21. A LIST OF ALL QUALIFIERS FROM EACH GAME MUST BE SUBMITTED TO THE

DISTRICT NAP COORDINATOR OR HIS DESIGNEE.

22. See Appendix V - Stratifying Club, Unit and District Stage NAP

Games

23. If no clubs in a particular unit hold club level qualifying games

then the Unit must hold a club level qualifying game.

UNIT STAGE - ORGANIZATION

1. A District may opt to hold no unit qualifying games providing each

unit in the District agrees not to run a Unit Final.

2. If Unit Finals are not held in a District, that District may hold

a multi-unit single-site Unit Final prior to the District final;

or eliminate the unit stage, qualifying directly from the clubs to

a District final.

3. If Unit Finals are held, the following options are available:

A. A one-unit Unit Final sponsored by the unit or by the district.

B. A multi-unit single site Unit Final sponsored by one or more

units or the district.

C. A unit with many club-stage qualifiers may request district

permission to conduct a Unit Semi-Final game (club stage

rating) to qualify a reasonable number of pairs to Unit Final.

D. A unit may hold a multiple-site Unit Final (but not if a Unit

Semi-Final is held). Games in a multiple-site Unit Final should

be concurrent. A Unit Final may not conflict with a North

American Bridge Championship.

4. A sanction application must be submitted to ACBL Headquarters for

each Unit Final and should be submitted at least 90 days prior to

the event. Your District NAP Coordinator must approve scheduling.

A. Go to www.acbl.org, point to GOVERNANCE, select Sanction

Applications, then select North American Open Pairs, fill out

the form and click on the submit button.

B. Your application will come to the Special Events Department via

email.

C. Your submission will be acknowledged and copied to your

District Coordinator who can then approve it or inform you of

any objections.

D. Your sanction number is a "U" followed by the unit number

unless the event is directed by an ACBL-assigned director in

which case you will be notified of the sanction number.

5. The sponsor is responsible for obtaining a director (club or

higher-rated) for each game site and for obtaining supplies, etc.

CCSPEC.041 (PAGE 12)

____________________

1. SEE Page 2 - UNIT LEVEL PARTICIPATION for eligibility rules.

UNIT STAGE - CONDUCTING AND REPORTING

1. The Unit Final may be one or more sessions. (Overall awards in a

two-session or more unit final are part gold. See Appendix IV -

Masterpoint Awards)

2. The first session of a Unit Final may be used to qualify at least

70% of the field for the second session. The percent of the field

to qualify must be announced no later than the second round in

session one. A consolation session for non-qualifiers may be held

awarding black points at 65% of sectional rating for Flight A,

black points at 53% of sectional rating for Flight B and black

points at 39% of sectional rating for Flight C. See Appendix VI -

ACBLScore and Your Unit Level NAP Game.

3. Each session of a unit final must be at least 24 and no more than

30 boards.

4. Ineligible pairs playing to fill out the movement will receive

session awards (no overall awards) won but may not qualify for the

next stage of the event. If the ineligible pair includes one or

two players with more masterpoints than permitted in the flight

they are filling in, duplicate masterpoint awards will be issued

by ACBL.

5. A player arriving without his qualification slip should be allowed

to play if he advises the director of the name of the club at

which he qualified. This information must be included with the

game report.

6. The game director must issue qualifying slips to the qualifiers.

ACBLscore will print qualifying slips.

7. Game results must be reported to the District NAP Coordinator.

8. A fee of $7.00 (U.S.) per table, per session must be remitted to

ACBL.

9. See Appendix V - Stratifying Club, Unit and District Stage NAP

Games

DISTRICT STAGE

1. The District Coordinator must submit the sanction application to

ACBL Headquarters 90 days prior to the date of the event.

2. A tournament director will be assigned by the Tournament

Department to officiate at each District Final. ACBL will attempt

to assign your requested director. A District Final may be:

A. A two-session play-through event.

B. A three-session event, the first two sessions play-through to

qualify 25 to 45% of the field for the final session. (with

carry-over as per ACBL formula)

C. A four-session event, the first two sessions play-through to

qualify 30 to 50% of the field for the final two play-through

sessions. (with carry-over as per ACBL formula)

D. A four-session play-through event.

3. A District may hold a split-site District Final; each site

governed by the same conditions of contest as detailed in the

District's submitted conditions. The DICs at both sites should

coordinate the reporting of results to be certain the

determination of rankings is reported accurately.

CCSPEC.041 (PAGE 13)

____________________

4. Each session must be at least 24 boards and no more than 30

boards.

5. Only ACBL members in good standing may participate. Ineligible

pairs playing to fill out the movement will receive any session

awards (no overall awards) won but may not qualify to the next

stage of the event. If the ineligible pair includes one or two

players with more masterpoints than permitted in the flight they

are filling in, duplicate masterpoint awards will be issued by

ACBL.

6. When a qualifying format is used the district may run a one or

two-session consolation for the non-qualifiers.

7. Stratification at the District Final is NOT recommended but a two

session play-through stratified event is allowed when attendance

is insufficient to support separate flights.

8. See Appendix V - Stratifying Club, Unit and District Stage NAP

Games.

9. A fee of $7.00 (US) per table, per session must be submitted to

ACBL. (NAP games held in conjunction with other tournaments will

not be charged more or less than their prescribed sanction fees.)

CCSPEC.041 (PAGE 14)

____________________

GRAND NATIONAL TEAMS 2003-2004 SPECIAL CONDITIONS OF CONTEST

LACK OF KNOWLEDGE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE CAUSE FOR EXCEPTION TO THESE

CONDITIONS OF CONTEST.

THESE CONDITIONS OF CONTEST MAY NOT BE CHANGED AT ANY LEVEL OF PLAY

DURING THE COURSE OF THIS EVENT.

THE GENERAL CONDITIONS OF CONTEST FOR SWISS TEAM AND KNOCKOUT TEAM

EVENTS WILL APPLY TO THIS EVENT SUBJECT TO THE FOLLOWING SPECIAL

CONDITIONS OF CONTEST.

It is the spirit of these Conditions that the Grand National Teams be

a "grass roots" event, with each participant competing in his/her

District of membership.

A participant who is a full-time student, a member of the armed

services, has dual residency, or a person whose full time employment

requires temporary relocation, may play in the District in which he or

she temporarily resides. Such players must notify the GNT coordinator

of the District in which he or she intends to play prior to entering

the competition. Prior to the start of the 2002-2003 GNT, each

District shall review the eligibility of any member who is not a

member of that District but intends to play in that District. The

District GNT Coordinator in consultation with the ACBL GNT Coordinator

shall determine whether or not eligibility requirements (see Appendix

I to these conditions) have been satisfied, however, the ACBL GNT

Coordinator is the final authority. In no case may a player compete

in more than one District in the 2002-2003 GNT. Out-of-District

members and non-ACBL members may compete in regular club session

qualifying games.

Each participant in the GNT, beyond the club qualifying level, must be

an ACBL member in good standing. (The membership requirement is

deemed to have been met if dues accompany the corresponding game

report.)

DISTRICT DIRECTOR AUTHORITY

All ACBL tournament regulations, though not specifically included in

these conditions, apply throughout this event. Only in the case of an

unforeseen situation, the District Director (or his designee) in

consultation with the ACBL GNT Coordinator, may make exceptions to

these conditions. In emergency situations only, the District Director

(or his designee) on his own may make decisions consistent with the

spirit of these conditions of contest. The District Director has

final authority on any item not specified in the Conditions of

Contest.

CCSPEC.041 (PAGE 15)

____________________

GENERAL

This is a team event in which each ACBL District will name a district

champion in each category by means of a fair competition that is not

necessarily the same from district to district. These district

champions then may compete in the national final of their respective

category. A player may represent the District in only one flight at

the national final. Teams in the national final will not be subsidized

in any way by the ACBL.

A district may elect not to name a district champion in flight A

(0-5000).

The Flights are as follows:

FLIGHT MASTERPOINT LIMITS

Open Championship Flight Unlimited

Flight A Under 5000 Mps

Flight B Under 2000 Mps

Flight C NLM under 500 Mps

For eligibility in Flights A, B and C stated limitations must be met

as of September 1, 2003. Exceeding any particular Flight limitations

after September 1, 2003 does not affect eligibility for that Flight.

At District option, each flight may be played at one or more levels.

The Open Championship and Flight A may be combined at club and unit

level for play and masterpoint awards.

In a stratified field all teams are eligible for qualification to the

Championship flight. All teams are eligible for Flight A

qualification with the exception of a team with a member over 5000

masterpoints on September 1, 2003. Teams are eligible for Flight B

qualification with the exception of a team with a member over 2000

masterpoints on September 1, 2003. Teams are eligible for Flight C

qualification with the exception of a team with a member over 500

masterpoints or Life Master rank on September 1, 2003.

The September masterpoint cycle (determined before the second week of

August) will determine a player's eligibility. ACBL rules and

regulations apply to all play in the event and supersede District

conditions in cases of conflict.

CONVENTIONS

At District option the ACBL Midchart may apply at the district level

of the GNT - Open Championship and Flight A provided that this has

been included in the District Conditions of Contest.

CCSPEC.041 (PAGE 16)

____________________

DISTRICT REQUIREMENTS

Each District shall determine the nature of the event by which it

declares its District champions. Prior to September 1st, each

District must provide ACBL Headquarters with an outline of their

conditions of play. The name, address and phone number of the person

to whom questions should be directed concerning the District's event

should be included. Districts are not required to subsidize players

at any level, including the national final, and are not required to

ensure that the District is represented at the national final. All

Districts must notify ACBL Headquarters by June 15, 2004 of each team

in any flight that will be participating in the GNT North American

finals.

SCHEDULING

District events commence September 1st and may schedule play at any

time thereafter. No level or stage may be scheduled which would

prevent a player from attending one or more days of a North American

Bridge Championships or participating in the United States Bridge

Championship, the United States Women's Bridge Championship or the

Senior Trials. The national final for all Flights will begin on the

Wednesday prior to the Summer NABC. The Open Championship and Flight

A commence with an afternoon session and Flight B and Flight C will

start in the evening.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

The Championship Flight is open to any player, except as previously

noted. Flight A is open only to a player, who has fewer than 5000

masterpoints recorded as of September 1, 2003. NOTE: If the event is

stratified, the Open Championship and Flight A are combined at club

and unit level. Flight B is open only to players who have fewer than

2000 masterpoints as of September 1, 2003. Flight C is open only to

players with fewer than 500 masterpoints who have not attained the

rank of Life Master as of September 1, 2003. Teams may consist of

four, five or six eligible players.

Masterpoints won in other Bridge Organizations, such as the ABA and

foreign organizations, must be taken into account for placement in the

flights. A player's bridge experience will be taken into account to

determine a suitable flight. The Director-in-charge is authorized to

make the decision on the player's classification.

The first place finishers in the Championship Flight, Flight A,

Flight B, and the second place finisher in the Championship Flight of

the district final earn Blue Ribbon Pairs qualifications. The first

place finishers in the Non-Life Master Flight in a district final earn

Red Ribbon Pairs qualification.

The first place finishers in the Championship, Flight A, Flight B and

the second place finishers in the Championship at the National Final

will earn Blue Ribbon qualification. These teams will earn qualifying

points, if applicable, for international competition on the same scale

as in the Blue Ribbon Pairs and the Life Master Pairs. The first and

second place finishers in the Non-Life Master Flight at the National

Final will earn Red Ribbon qualification.

CCSPEC.041 (PAGE 17)

____________________

Overall awards will be based on the participation of each member (see

page 6).

REPLACEMENTS AND SUBSTITUTIONS

Issues regarding replacements and/or substitutions not addressed by

the District Conditions of Contest are resolved by using the

Vanderbilt/Spingold Conditions of Contest.

INELIGIBLE PLAYERS AND DISQUALIFICATIONS

An ineligible player is disqualified. The ineligible player's team

will be disqualified unless the Director-in-Charge determines that

teammates were unknowledgeable about the deficiency of the

disqualified member. Any team reduced to fewer than three original

members due to disqualification of ineligible players may not continue

and is disqualified.

When a team is disqualified after the correction period, the

disqualified team's rank remains vacant. In ongoing events, teams move

up one qualifying position as appropriate.

MASTERPOINTS

FLIGHT RATING

Championship (Open) Flight 100% of Open Rating

Flight A - (0-5000) 97.14% of Open Rating

Flight B - (0-2000) 84.34% of Open Rating

Flight C - (NLM 0-500) 60.59% of Open Rating

If stratified, the Championship and Flight A will be combined as one

flight at unit level and club level.

Size and depth of overall awards below the district final are based on

the number of teams entered in that game except when Unit finals are

held. Masterpoints for Unit finals will be as in regular stratified

team events even if all flights are not held concurrently.

(NOTE: Higher flights will receive the table count of all lower

flights even though they are not playing concurrently.)

Points awarded at club level games are half red and half black, at

Sectional rating. A club game conducted by invitation awards only

black points, at 80% of Sectional Open rating for the

Championship/Flight A, 65% of Sectional Open Rating for Flight B,

and 48% of Sectional Open Rating for Flight C.

One session unit finals will award red points only at Sectional

rating.

Overall masterpoints awarded at two or more session unit finals are

20% gold, 80% red for the Open Championship and Flight A. Flight B

awards are 86% of Sectional rating 10% gold, 90% red; and Flight C is

5% gold, 95% red at Sectional rating. Match awards are red at

Sectional rating. Consolations of these games award black points at

Sectional Consolation rating.

CCSPEC.041 (PAGE 18)

____________________

A game at any level or stage may give overall awards only if

qualifying teams from that game will join teams from another site or

other sites at a further level or stage. The size and depth of overall

awards at any stage below the district stage in which teams play swiss

matches to qualify into a knockout will be as follows:

- If two teams qualify into the KO, the award for first will be based

on 4 teams with two overall positions.

- If four teams qualify, the award will be based on 8 teams, with 4

overall positions.

- If eight teams qualify, the award will be based on 16 teams with 4

overall positions.

- If sixteen or more teams qualify, awards are based on 32 teams with

8 overall positions.

- In no case will any stage pay overalls based on more than the

eligible teams in actual competition.

- The qualifying phase will pay match awards only. Teams entering the

KO phase will be entitled only to the sum of all match awards or the

overall award, whichever is greater.

Silver points will be available at any unit level game played in

conjunction with and at the site of an open Sectional tournament.

Points awarded at the stage in which the District champion is declared

are gold for overalls and red for match awards at Regional rating.

Swiss team events that qualify to a knockout are considered to be a

part of the district finals whether they are conducted at the same

site or not and do NOT award overall masterpoints. Consolations of

these games award half red and half black points at Regional

Consolation rating. The award for first place overall for the

District champion is arbitrary and is based on the number of sessions

in the district final as follows:

CHAMPIONSHIP FLIGHT

2 sessions - 24.00 masterpoints

3 session non KO event - 30.00 masterpoints

KO or other longer events - 36.00 masterpoints

Overall awards are gold. Match awards are 100% Regional rated.

FLIGHT A:

2 sessions - 20.00 masterpoints

3 sessions non KO event - 25.00 masterpoints

KO or other longer events - 30.00 masterpoints

Overall awards are gold. Match awards are 95% of regional rating.

FLIGHT B:

2 sessions - 18.00 masterpoints

3 session non KO event - 22.00 masterpoints

KO or other longer events - 26.00 masterpoints

Overall awards are gold. Match awards are 86% Regional rated.

CCSPEC.041 (PAGE 19)

____________________

FLIGHT C:

2 sessions - 10.00 masterpoints

3 session non KO event - 12.50 masterpoints

KO or other longer events - 15.00 masterpoints

Overall awards are 25% gold and 75% red. Match awards are 60%

Regional rated.

The winners of the Championship at the national final will receive 100

masterpoints, the winners of Flight A at the national final will

receive 75.00 masterpoints, the Flight B winners 60.00 and the

Flight C winners 40. For the Championship flight, Flight A and Flight

B event, overalls will be gold and will extend to the top eight teams

if the entry is 16 or more teams and to the top four teams with an

entry of 8 to 15 teams. Match awards will be red at National rating.

Flight C awards will be 1/3 gold and 2/3 red for the National Final

overall and section top finishes.

SANCTIONS, DIRECTORS AND FEES

Requests for rated ACBL Tournament Directors should be received in

Memphis 6 months before the event.

The director must be a club rated or higher-rated director to run

games at the club and intermediate level. A non-playing director is

recommended by ACBL, but at a club qualifying event with 17 or fewer

teams may have a playing director. A tournament director will be

approved by the Tournament Department to officiate at each district

final. ACBL will attempt to assign your preferred director.

Game reports are to be submitted on the official ACBL GNT report

forms, which will be available from the District GNT coordinator.

A sanction fee of $1.25 per table per session must accompany the game

report for all games at all levels. A District may add a surcharge for

games run by its clubs and/or Units.

NATIONAL FINAL

In the national final for the Championship Flight and Flight A, all

teams will be seeded based on average masterpoint holdings of all team

members and shall be distributed into four groups as follows:

I. II. III. IV.

1 2 3 4

8 7 6 5

9 etc.

In the semi-final, I plays IV and II plays III. The seeding

provisions of the Vanderbilt/Spingold Conditions apply whenever a

group is reduced to two teams and for the semi-finals and finals (the

group 1 winner is 1, etc.)

CCSPEC.041 (PAGE 20)

____________________

All other flights will be played as seeded knockouts which may

commence with round-robins. Seeding will be by average masterpoints.

Ties will be broken by lot. The championship and all Flights of the

national final will begin on the Wednesday prior to the Summer NABC.

The ACBL Superchart will govern conventions in Championship and Flight

A with segments of 12 or more boards, the General Convention Chart

will apply to Flights B and C. Details of tie-breaking procedures,

time and related penalties, playing requirements and other conditions

related to round-robin and knockout play apply to the finals as stated

in the Conditions of Contest (and appendices thereto) for the Spingold

Knockout Team event played at the same NABC.

APPENDIX I:

BOARD ITEM 003-106

Members of the ACBL are normally expected to belong to the Unit in

which they reside. If a member chooses to belong to a Unit in which

he/she does not reside, the member must specifically make this request

in writing to the ACBL stating the Unit of preference and the reasons

for the request. Further, if the Unit is not in the same District as

where he/she resides, both districts must approve the membership in

the other District. The following are some of the reasons why a

member would be given permission to belong to a unit outside the

District of residence (To warrant consideration, a player should meet

at least two of the six reasons listed.):

1. Plays at least once a month in a club in that Unit

2. Attends STaCs or Sectionals in that Unit at least twice a year

3. Attends the annual Unit dinner and/or membership meeting

4. Participates in Unit special events

5. Serves on the Unit board and/or Unit Committees

6. Serves on the District board and/or district Committees

If it is determined that a member requests a change of Unit membership

for the sole purpose of Grand National Teams (GNT) or North American

Pairs (NAP) play, the request must be denied.

The membership approval granted by a District in which the member does

not reside may be reviewed by that District at least every five years

to assure the above criteria continue to justify non-residency

membership.

If a player has been a member of that Unit and wishes to remain and

does not participate in GNT and NAOP events in that District,

permission may be granted by the District without the player meeting

any of the six criteria.

BOARD ITEM 973-170

The General Knockout Conditions of Contest are revised to reflect the

following:

1. For any overall award, a player must play at least 50% of all the

boards played by the team at the time he or she (and the team)

earned that award.

CCSPEC.041 (PAGE 21)

____________________

2. For the first place award, when the team wins the final, a player

must play at least 50% of the combined boards in the semi-final

and final matches.

3. For any given overall award, the player must have played at least

50% of the boards in the match in which they earned the award.

EXAMPLE: A player plays 100% of round one and 100% of round four, the

final. If the team loses the final match, that player will receive

masterpoints (match awards) only for the first round victory.