English Bridge Union
From 1st August 2015 Master Points will only be awarded for pairs events in which all the competitors are scheduled to play at least 75% of the boards used in the movement. Thus, when the intention is to play 24 boards in a session, for example, no more than 32 boards should be in play. It is acceptable for those 24 boards to include some scheduled to be sat out by a number of pairs.
This is a new regulation introduced in the 2014 edition of the Master Point & Licensing Handbook but will not be enforced until 1st August 2015 to allow clubs to make preparations for its introduction. The purpose of the regulation is to try to maximise the number of boards in common to all contestants, not only for reasons of fairness but also because it provides more interest for players when discussing and comparing hands afterwards.
To help those clubs who encounter situations not conducive to ‘standard’ movements we have prepared a ‘movement guide’. It will hopefully be useful in helping to establish which would be an appropriate movement to use to ensure everyone meets the requirements in a fair and effective way. It is available here - http://www.ebu.co.uk/documents/miscellaneous/suggested-movements.pdf
Please also don’t hesitate to contact gordon@ebu.co.uk for advice about adhering to the new rule or for further details on suitable movements.
