We hope all clubs received an email advising that the implementation of the ‘75% rule’ had been deferred.
This rule requires that for a session to be eligible for Master Points each pair should be scheduled to play at least 75% of the boards which are in use. This includes any boards which a pair ‘sits-out’ – i.e. if 32 boards are in use, and a pair plays 22, and sits out 2, that is acceptable.
This regulation was intended to maximise the number of boards in common to all contestants, both for reasons of fairness and because it provides more interest for players when discussing and comparing hands afterwards.
The regulation was scheduled to come in to effect from 1st August 2015, having been first announced in August 2014, and at regular intervals since, allowing time for clubs to implement any necessary changes in how their sessions operate, and to raise any concerns. As some concerns and suggestions about the proposed change were only raised in mid-July it has been decided to defer the implementation of the regulation until January 2016 whilst the issues which have been raised are considered.
We believe that this rule will only impact on a small number of clubs, and only on those clubs for some of their sessions, but if you feel that your club would be adversely affected, and wish to raise a concern, please contact gordon@ebu.co.uk.
Once any further decision has been made on how the regulation may operate, and a specific date known for when it may be introduced, then clubs will be notified. Until then Master Points will be awarded as before.
If you wish to start adopting the ‘75% principle’ in your club with immediate effect, however, as we believe it to be best practice, then a document giving the suggested movements for awkward numbers of tables is available here.