The Systems Regulations for the World 2021 Team Championships and the NBO National Teams Trophy are contained in Section 18 of the Supplemental Conditions of Contest and are extracted as follows:

WBF Systems Policy

The WBF Systems Policy forms part of these supplemental conditions of contest. The Bermuda Bowl and Venice Cup (including the respective play-offs) are Category 1 events. In Category 1 events all systems are allowed but see below for restrictions during the round robin phase.

The d’Orsi Seniors Trophy, the Wuhan Cup and the World NBO Teams Trophy are Category 3 events, so no HUM or Brown Sticker systems are permitted at any stage.

If a pair in the Bermuda Bowl or Venice Cup uses a convention not listed on their System Card, a disciplinary penalty of up to two VPs will be deducted from the team’s score. In addition, the Tournament Director may award an adjusted score if an opponent is damaged.

The pair may not play again until their system card has been corrected to the satisfaction of the Head Tournament Director.

If a pair re-offends, they may not play as a partnership for the remainder of the event.

HUM systems and Brown Sticker conventions are prohibited in the round robin of the Bermuda Bowl and Venice Cup. They may be used in the knockout stages of both events, provided additional, separate System Cards are submitted in accordance with the regulations below. Separate forms for each Brown Sticker convention, along with proposed defences must be supplied. A pair may register a maximum of three Brown Sticker conventions.

Submission of Systems for the Bermuda Bowl, Venice Cup, d’Orsi Seniors Trophy & the Wuhan Cup

Each team captain is responsible for ensuring that System Cards are sent by email to the WBF Systems Administrator as soon as possible, and no later than 22.00 CET on 14th February 2022. The systems that each partnership will play in the Championship must be detailed on a WBF System Card, and be accompanied by supplementary sheets describing conventional sequences. See sections 18.6 and 18.9 for the specific regulations pertaining to Brown Sticker Conventions and HUM Systems.

Penalties for failure to submit System Cards and supplementary sheets (in addition to Section 18.3.2) are specified in section 23.1.

Programs & Templates permitted for the preparation of System Cards

System Cards should be prepared using any of the following programs, templates for which are available from the WBF Website:

• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Excel

Unless the formatting of the card matches that of the template provided it may be deemed unacceptable and the pair required to prepare another on the correct template.

Players with Mac computers should not to use “pages” to create their cards as these will not print accurately and it is  impossible to convert them to PDF properly.

• NOTE: Pairs submitting Brown Sticker systems for use in the knockout stages MUST use the special forms which can be downloaded from the WBF Website.

Once created from the Word or Excel templates, a System Card may be sent as a .pdf provided the file size is small and the font has been properly embedded into the file. Image formats eg .jpg, .bmp will NOT be accepted, nor will .pdf files created from scanned documents.

Players are responsible for ensuring that all the information is in the printable area of the page and that the system card does not exceed two pages either when viewed online or when printed.

The Systems Administrator will, if necessary, convert files to .pdf format after a card has been submitted. These can be read or printed using Acrobat Reader. Please ensure that you have the latest version installed.

When all the systems for a team have been registered, the System Cards will be displayed online and the URL access link advised to the team.

Pairs are then responsible for checking online, to ensure that their System Card is displayed in its entirety – complete, accurate and with any supplementary sheets included and can be printed legibly with the card being on two pages only.

Following the event, the WBF reserves the right to continue to display System Cards and supplementary sheets for interested parties to view. If a full system was originally submitted, this will not be included.

System Cards not received on time

The Systems Committee may require any partnership whose System Card and supplementary sheets have not reached the WBF Systems Administrator before 22.00 CET on 14th February may be required to use the system described on the WBF World Standard Card for the first two days of play. This is in addition to the penalties referred to in section 23.1. The partnership will not be permitted to use HUM or Brown Sticker Conventions for the duration of the Championship.

A copy of the World Standard Card can be obtained from the  WBF Website.

Captains with any queries concerning the systems provided by other teams, are asked to email the WBF Systems Administrator who will direct the enquiry.

Cards and supplementary sheets circulated by the WBF (see 18.3) are only accepted as registered, and may require amendments after being circulated.

Supplementary Sheets

Supplementary Sheets consist of one or more pages used to expand conventional sequences inadequately described on the WBF System Card. A reference number should be placed at the appropriate place on the System Card, and all such references should be clearly marked on the Supplementary Sheet along with the complete explanation. Supplementary sheets must be submitted at the same time as the System Card.

Changes to Cards/Supplementary Sheets

• Any changes to already submitted cards and/or sheets must be submitted as per (e) below as early as possible and no later than 22.00 CET on 27^th February 2022. Changes may only be clarifications, amendments, minor additions, and/or cosmetic revisions in accordance with the WBF Systems Policy. NO CHANGES may be made to Brown Sticker or HUM Systems. If these are not correctly submitted in the first instance, they may not be played.
• All changes must be highlighted on the revised card to enable other teams to see what has been altered.
• On site changes to systems will be approved or required by the Chairman of the WBF Systems Committee or a nominee(s).
• In order for a change to be implemented, it will be noted as a revision and uploaded to the website. All files will be date stamped and captains and players must check the website for new or updated systems. Any essential changes made to System Cards after the stated date will be advised at the Captains’ Meeting or by email.
• Only the Chairman of the WBF Systems Committee or his designee will consider requests for a change once a team has arrived at the venue. Any such request may be approved, refused in whole or in part, and/or subject to conditions. Clarifications and improvements to presentation will not be considered as substantive changes.
• Official format for changes: The new System Card/Supplementary Sheet that reflects the proposed change, with any changes highlighted to make what has been altered readily identifiable. Even if the Supplementary Sheets remain unaltered they must be re-sent together with the card.

Special Responsibility for BROWN STICKER Systems and Conventions

 

Pairs wishing to play Brown Sticker conventions (maximum of three per pair) in the knockout stages must register a separate card together with the relevant forms at the same time as they register their card for the round robin.

With regard to BROWN STICKER systems/conventions, there is a special responsibility for users to explain their methods in sufficient detail (as per the Guide to Completion and the CCE), the first time that cards are submitted.

Explanations and continuations for Brown Sticker Conventions, together with a viable defence, must be presented using the Brown Sticker Convention Announcement form or the Brown Sticker Convention Overcall form which are available in Word Format for download from the WBF Website. If these submissions are inadequate, or a defence is not proposed, the pair may be barred from using those methods for the duration of the Championship.

Failure to comply with the above requirements will result in the pair or pairs not being permitted to play these conventions/systems.

These penalties are designed so that no pair will be able to claim ignorance of their special responsibility if they wish to play Brown Sticker methods. The NBO, the captains and the players are jointly responsible for contacting the WBF should there be any problems in obtaining the necessary tournament information in timely fashion.

Defences to Brown Sticker Conventions

A pair may prepare written defences against the Brown Sticker elements of any system (see the WBF System Policy). These defences are deemed to be part of the opponents’ systems.

Seating Rights for Pairs using Brown Sticker Conventions

Teams will have seating rights if they are playing against a pair or pairs using two or more Brown Sticker conventions but not if both teams have a pair using two or more such conventions.

Special Regulations for Teams Using HUM Systems

Highly Unusual Methods

Highly Unusual Methods are defined in the WBF Systems Policy.

Submission of HUM Systems

Any pair intending to use a HUM System, must send a complete copy of any HUM system in English and their System Card and supplementary sheets, to the WBF Systems Administrator by 22.00 CET on 14^th February 2022.

Furthermore, a complete copy of a HUM System must be printed in English and filed at the System Card desk on site at the start of the tournament, before the Captains’ Meeting.

The Systems Committee may decide that pairs who fail to comply with these special regulations, or present their system poorly, will not be permitted to play the HUM System.

Regulations for Pairs using HUM Systems

Any team with a pair using a HUM System (whether or not the pair will play):

• Should be available at least 15 minutes before the scheduled start time for a stanza to supply information and clarification as requested by their opponents.
• Due to oppose a team that has no such pair, they will always be the AWAY Team. No special seating rights or line-up restrictions apply when two teams containing pairs using HUM Systems (regardless of line-up) oppose one another.

A team opposing a team with a pair using a HUM System will submit three legible copies of any defence methods to the HUM System, at least 30 minutes before the scheduled line-up time for the match to the System Card Desk and given by the captain to the captain of the HUM system team. In preparing these defences pairs using Green, Blue or Red Systems may change their systems including opening calls. Pairs using HUM Systems are not allowed to change their opening calls.

The pair using a HUM System must inform the opponents in writing (hand-written, 2 clearly legible copies) about their counter-defence at the table, prior to the start of the session. In preparing their counter-defence, the pair using the HUM System is not permitted to change any of the highly artificial aspects of its system.

Written Defences

Players may refer to  written defences to HUM Systems and Brown Sticker conventions and to written defences to those defences.

Submission of Systems for the World NBO Teams Trophy

The cards as submitted for the Round Robin Stages of the World Teams Championship will be used for this event.