Quitting Policy

At BCL! we are very concerned about players who quit. We appreciate that most quits are due to the vaguaries of internet connection but there is a small number of players who frequently quit when faced with a poor score. This has several undesirable effects on the club.

Firstly it involves a considerable amount of staff time and energy to restore the score which should have been given for the board in question. Such time would be more usefully directed to the benefit of all club members.
Secondly it is unfair on the other players at the table, who were playing bridge and have to face the unacceptable rudeness of a deliberate quit, and then go to the trouble of reporting it.
Thirdly it sets an appalling example as to what sort of bridge the quitter thinks (s)he's playing.

As part of our code of conduct we ask players who have failed to complete a board to make a reasonable endeavour to contact their opponents and partner or to contact BCL! within 24 hours to explain the circumstance, and in this case, if reported, we will adjust the scores and consider the matter closed. This is fair to all and further, is seen to be fair to all.

We do not accept quitters who routinely make no such effort or who deliberately quit, and we will use the powers granted by law 91 of the on-line laws to make a disciplinary adjustment to the quitter's PPI, independently of the score adjustment and such other sanctions as the Management deem appropriate (including temporary suspension under law 91).

The standard adjustment will be 0.1% of the player's PPI, representing 67% of a board (and will be followed by a score adjustment and PPI amendment under law 12C2.) Further quits will attract larger disciplinary penalties.

LAW 91 - PENALISE OR SUSPEND

A. Director's Power

In performing his duty to maintain order and discipline, the Director is specifically empowered to assess disciplinary penalties in points or to suspend a contestant for the current session or any part thereof (the Director's decision under this clause is final).

LAW 12 - DIRECTOR'S DISCRETIONARY POWERS

C. Awarding an Adjusted Score

2. Assigned Score

When the Director awards an assigned adjusted score in place of a result actually obtained after an irregularity, the score is, for a non-offending side, the most favourable result that was likely had the irregularity not occurred or, for an offending side, the most unfavourable result that was at all probable. The scores awarded to the two sides need not balance and may be assigned either in matchpoints or by altering the total-point score prior to matchpointing

The message is clear. If you quit because you're about to get a poor score and do it a number of times you are not welcome here. There are plenty of other sites which tolerate such behaviour. Bridge Club Live doesn't.

John Probst, CTD.