“The Unit shall maintain, promote and stimulate an interest in Contract Bridge, including, but not restricted to, Duplicate Bridge. It may organize various bridge events and tournaments, and shall conduct at least two Sectional Tournaments per year.”

The main goal of the Tournament Chair is to organize a tournament which will provide a venue where players can meet old friends, make new ones, while playing bridge in a pleasant setting. To help make the tournament a special experience, the Chair should provide some hospitality, while trying to run a tournament that will break even.

ACBL REQUIREMENTS

You are required to provide a playing site with good lighting and sound and microphone system (for the Tournament Director’s use – currently Trisha Malazdrewicz – 902-414-9963 email: tfleet@hotmail.com ). There should be enough space to accommodate the number of tables you anticipate, based on other years. Note allow 64 square feet or 8’ x 8’ per table (a room 22’ x 44’ will only allow 10 tables). Power outlets should be available in the Tournament Directors’ area for computers, printers and time clock. They will also require at least 2-3 long tables – check with the Tournament Director to see what is needed for your tournament. You may want to have a spare extension cord on hand. Coat racks should also be available for player’s use.

TABLES AND CHAIRS

Mark Pentland, 506-455-7092 email: Mark.Pentland@nbcc.ca , in New Brunswick brings the card tables, score sheets, bidding boxes, table mats, pencils and sharpener and Time Clock. ???? brings the 30 sets of pre dealt boards and the Tournament Director will make arrangements for this.

You are required to have 2 or 3 volunteers at the playing site to help with the unloading and set up of the tables when he arrives – this should be at least 2 hours ahead of the commencement time of the tournament. TOURNAMENT DIRECTORS should not have to set up the tables. Also at the end of the tournament you will need to have volunteers fold up the tables and help load them in Mark Pentland’s trailer.

You need to make arrangements at the playing site for chairs and some long tables for directors’ station, welcome area and 50/50 area and for people to work in this area.

Tournament Directors usually use two of the card tables and chairs for their game registration area.

TIMES AND EVENTS

Unit 194 Sectional Tournaments are held over a 3 day period – Friday to Sunday. The times are set by the Unit 194 Executive and are as follows:

FRIDAY* – 1:00 and 7:00 – two single session stratified Pairs Games,

SATURDAY – 10:00 and 3:00 – two single session strati-flighted Pairs Game for Flights BCD,

10:00 and 3:00 - strati-flighted play through Pairs Game for flights A/X,

SATURDAY – 8:00 pm – single session stratified Swiss Teams game – at the discretion of the Tournament Chair

at least 8 tables required to hold this event,

SUNDAY – 10:00 am – strati-flighted Swiss play through game BCD and A/X.

*for ONE of the Friday Pairs games - the Tournament Chair can ask to have the game as an INTERNATIONAL FUND GAME - no special sanction is required to hold this game – it is 100% regionally rated silver points. Cost is $1.00 extra per player which will be covered by the Unit (not player) and this money is sent to the Canadian Bridge Federation. If you decide to hold an International Fund game on Friday, make sure the Tournament Director is aware that you wish to hold this game and that it is published on your flyer. Note no special sanction is required to hold this game – it is 100% regionally rated silver points. Cost is $1.00 extra per player which will be covered by the Unit (not player) and this money is sent to the Canadian Bridge Federation. – PLEASE NOTE THIS IS OPTIONAL.

PRE-DEALT BOARDS – will be provided for the Pairs games and most of the A/X Swiss on Sunday. These are prepared by ???? and brought to the playing site.

SETTING OF STRATS

You may wish to put STRATS on your flyer but Please be aware that the STRATS for each sectional tournament may be changed by the Tournament Director at the time of the tournament, based on numbers, etc. You may want to offer a 0-50 or 0-100 strat, to encourage new players to come to the tournament.

CADDIES

You should arrange for caddies for each day of the tournament. The number will depend on the size of the tournament – Bill Halliday or the Tournament Director should be able to guide you on this.

On Friday and Saturday you only need 1 caddy for each session who are currently paid $ 40.00 / session. For the Sunday Swiss you will need 2 or 3 caddies based on their experience and the size of the tournament. As well as helping during the game, they can also help maintain the water/coffee station and make sure the trash cans are emptied, if they are able to do this.

AWARDS FOR SECTIONAL WINNERS

The Tournament Chair has the option of choosing what they would like to use as prizes for the winners. Prizes can be chosen from the following:

1. T-Shirts (cost just under $10.00) – New in 2016, assortment of colours. At the end of the tournament the tournament chair should give the remaining t-shirts to the chair of the next tournament.

2. Free Play – value $12.50 – Treasurer of the Unit ( Gerry Callaghan ) takes care of these. Please arrange for him to bring them to the tournament.

3. Some items of your choosing – value $10-$12.00 maximum

Friday – Afternoon: 2 prizes for each strat: A/B/C = 6 prizes

Friday – Evening: 2 prizes for each strat: A/B/C = 6 prizes

Saturday – Morning: 2 prizes for each strat: B/C = 4 prizes + 2 more if D Strat is used

Saturday – Afternoon: 2 prizes for each strat: B/C = 4 prizes + 2 more if D Strat is used

Saturday – Morning & Afternoon: 2 prizes for each strat: A/X = 4 prizes, the winners of the A/X event receive a trophy – contact Linda Tuff (?) for details.

Sunday: 4 prizes for each strat: A/X = 8 prizes

Sunday: 4 prizes for each strat: B/C = 8 prizes + 4 more if D Strat is used

6 + 6 + 4 + 4 + 4 + 8 + 8 = 40 + ( 4 for D strat on Sat. if used )

Optional Saturday Evening Swiss Plus some more for potential ties in any of the events(A/B/C) = 12

Normally 48 prizes for A/X and B/C/D events plus 8 or 12 for optional Saturday Evening Swiss, Plus some more for potential ties in any of the events.

Presentation of awards – At the November 12, 2011 AGM it was decided that the Friday winners will be announced on Saturday, and the Saturday winners on Sunday after the lunch break.

These awards are normally presented by the Tournament Chair or designate. If you are unable to do this, make other arrangements and notify the Tournament Director.

50/50 DRAWS

50/50 Draws can be held during the tournament and the proceeds normally go to providing hospitality during the tournament or to offset losses incurred. However if the tournament runs at a profit; the Tournament Chair can decide to redirected these profits to a specific project of the tournament chair.

DOOR PRIZES

If possible arrange for door prizes to be given out during the tournament. You, and your committee, could solicit donations from businesses in the area. Perhaps some of the members of the local club can provide a prize.

TOURNAMENT FLYER ( See attached sample )

The tournament flyer, which is prepared by the Tournament Chair, should be available at least 6 months prior to the tournament date, as specified in the ACBL Tournament Planning Guide, Page 20. Please include the name and contact information ( phone and email ) for the tournament chairperson as well as the person in charge of partnerships on the flyer, and suggested accommodations in the area.

The Tournament Chair should submit a draft of the flyer to the Unit Tournament Coordinator (UTC) John Dow johnrankindow@gmail.com for proofing. Once it is finalized, and a sanction number has been obtained from the ACBL the UTC will submit a copy of the flyer to the Unit 194 Webmaster, Bill Halliday, BHalliday@eastlink.ca for publication on the Unit 194 Website. The UTC will also contact the ACBL via email: tournaments@acbl.org to ask the ACBL to post the tournament on their website with a link to the flyer on the Unit 194 website. Please include the following sentence on your flyer – IN CONSIDERATION OF THOSE WHO ARE SENSITIVE TO FRAGRANCE, THIS IS A SCENT-FREE TOURNAMENT.

The UTC will ask the ACBL via email: tournaments@acbl.org to provide information for scheduling the sectional events to be listed on the ACBL website and for preparation of hand records, if applicable, to be sent to the Head Tournament Director. (The reason for only providing a link to the flyer to ACBL is to allow the Webmaster to make any changes necessary after the flyer is published to ensure that there is only one version of the flyer out there – if we have to request that ACBL MAKE THE CHANGES EVERY TIME WE END UP WITH SEVERAL VERSIONS AND MISINFORMATION FLOATING AROUND – when Bill and I moved to this way of doing it, it ran much smoother – I suggest you use this for the CANAT AS WELL).

SCENT FREE – A scent free policy for all Sectionals was approved by the Unit 194 AGM on November 12/11.

In addition to this, a large poster will be provided with a stand to place at the entrance to the playing room.

THIS POSTER SHOULD BE VERY VISIBLE.

See APPENDIX below for a SAMPLE TOURNAMENT FLYER.

RESTAURANT INFORMATION

You may want to provide a list of local restaurants in the area at your welcome desk.

FINANCES

The tournament Chair receives a $100 stipend to help cover any expenses incurred, such as, telephone, photocopying and organizational costs.

If a deposit is required for the playing site up front, please contact the Unit 194 Treasurer (Gerry Callaghan), and he will look after this expense. All playing fees are collected by the Tournament Directors.

At the end of the Tournament you are required to provide an itemized list, with receipts, for any expenses incurred and submit this to Unit 194 Treasurer for reimbursement. The Head Tournament Director will look after paying the caddies.

ADVERTISING

It is important to advertise in order to make bridge players aware of your tournament. In addition to having your flyer published on the Unit 194 and a link on the ACBL website (as outlined under the flyer section above) you can make copies of your flyer and send them with a player from your club to other Unit 194 and Unit 230 Tournaments and ask to make an announcement at that tournament inviting everyone to your tournament.

One month before the tournament check with the UTC to request that they will then send an email to all members of Units 194 and 230 including the tournament flyer and high lights of the tournament using the ACBL Marketing Solutions website supported by Pianola. The UTC will also forward this email to all club managers of Units 194 and 230 requesting they print and post the flyer at their clubs.

The UTC can send emails to all Unit 194 players via the ACBL Marketing platform URL is: https://acbl.pianola.net/ User id: P612850 at a cost of $0.01 per email to approximately 800 Unit 194 players ( $ 8.00 ) as well 400 current members in Unit 230.

HOSPITALITY

A water station(s) should be provided as well as coffee and tea, if possible. This is not always possible at hotels, but some arrangement should be made for coffee at these sites. TRASH CANS must be available at the playing site.

Caddies can be asked to keep an eye on the water and coffee area, and notify the tournament chair for replenishing as needed.

After the Friday evening game – Some form of hospitality is usually provided– It can be pizza or meat and cheese trays, etc.

Free coffee, tea and water plus muffins or similar are usually provided on Sunday morning prior to the Swiss. Some clubs ask their members to bake items for this, if the playing site allows you to bring in food.

LUNCH – Sunday Swiss – some arrangement should be made for lunch at the playing site at the member’s expense. The lunch break is short and there is not enough time to go to restaurants.

THANK YOU AND POST TOURNAMENT MEETING/REPORT

On Sunday remember to thank your volunteers, the directors, caddies and players.

It is usually a good idea to hold a meeting, with your volunteers, a week or two after the tournament ends to record any suggestions for improvements for the next year, while things are still fresh in everyone’s mind. Make a written report and keep it on hand for reference for the next year’s tournament.

APPENDIX A: Sample Tournament Flyer:

Your Sectional Name – Month 11-13, 2021

Tournament Location - Rosaria Student Centre

Mount St Vincent University, 166 Bedford Highway, Halifax NS, B3M 2J6

1st or 2nd right off Seaton Road off of The Bedford Highway

IN CONSIDERATION TO THOSE WHO ARE SENSITIVE TO FRAGRANCE,

THIS IS A SCENT FREE TOURNAMENT

Tournament Chair: Xxxxxxx Phone: 902-999-9999 Email: Tournament_Chair_Email

Partnership: Xxxxxxx Phone: 902-999-9999 Email: Partnership_Chair_Email

Tournament Director: Trisha Maladrewicz

Friday

1:00 pm Stratified Pairs - single session – International Fund Pairs

7:00 pm Stratified Pairs - single session - Pizza to follow the evening session

Saturday

10:00 am Strati-flighted B/C/D Pairs - single session

10:00 am Strati-flighted A/X Pairs - first of two sessions

3:00 pm Strati-flighted B/C/D Pairs - single session

3:00 pm Strati-flighted A/X Pairs - second of two sessions

Sunday

10:00 am Strati-flighted Swiss Teams (two session play through)

Stratifications for all events will be done by PAIR / TEAM AVERAGE

Stratified events Friday and Saturday Evening: A 1000+; B 300-1000; C 0-300

Strati-flighted events Saturday & Sunday: B 300-1000; C 100-300; D 0-100; A 1750+; X 0-1750

Coffee: Coffee and other refreshments available in the Mount Saint Vincent University cafeteria. Please note that the cafeteria closes at 8:00 PM . There are pop machines in the veranda area.

Lunch: Saturday and Sunday - buffet lunch provided by Mount Saint Vincent University in the cafeteria - price $10.00

Accommodations: Chateau Bedford aka Holiday Inn, 133 Kearney Lake Road, Halifax B3M 4N9. Phone: (902) 445-1100 or email Reservations@chateaubedford.ca and ask for the "Bridge Tournament" rate of $109.00 + taxes for 2 Queen size beds (includes hot continental breakfast ) and Free Wi-Fi.

Parking: Details if appropriate…