BIL Rules

BIL Privacy Policy      BIL Terms of Use

1. BBO Site Rules
It is mandatory to abide by the rules as laid out in the BBO Rules (on BBO click on Help > The Rules of this Site). You must treat your Partners and Opponents with courtesy and respect. We have Zero Tolerance for any form of bad behaviour.

2. Timing of Unscheduled Events
No unscheduled Event is to be held as a BIL event whereby the timing of that Event would interfere with a Member's ability to attend a BIL Lesson, play in a scheduled Lesson, Fun or BBO PointsTournament.

3. Unscheduled Events as BIL Events
Provided that Rule #2 has been met Members may define their unscheduled event as a BIL event. e.g. Team Match, Ladder Challenge

4. Use of BIL Chat To Club Facility
Members running their own private events outside of the BIL are NOT permitted to use the BILies Chat -->Club facility to seek players in their private events.

5. Use of "BIL"
Members running their own private events outside the BIL are NOT permitted to use the word BIL or any other inference to suggest that their events are in any way connected to the BIL.

6. Membership
(a) Any member failing to comply with Rules, 2/4/5 will have their Membership permanently revoked
(b) Membership applies from date joined. A year being 12 months from that date or part thereof .
(c) Part years are not refunded

7. Playing at a Table
Undos are to be permitted - but do not ask for undo after an Opponent has played to the card unless the Table Host has posted permission in the Table Description.

Do not leave a table during a hand; announce your departure before the hand finishes.

8. Private Skill Level
Showing a skill level of "Private" in the BIL is unacceptable. Some events will be classified for a particular level. In addition BIL tournaments are restricted by level and 'private' is not recognised by the BBO software as a skill level so it would prevent you from registering

9. BIL Skill Levels
The skill level definitions for use in the BIL on BBO are Beginner and Intermediate - you will need to set your BBO profile to either of those.

These definitions are broken down on the BIL Application Form for the purposes of giving a better service when a member applies for inclusion in the BIL Mentoring Programme.

Level                                       Definition

Starter                                      Very little/No knowledge of bridge,  wish to learn

Beginner                                   Familiar with the basics. Tend to play social bridge. Not following continuations in the bidding. No idea what the opposition are doing

Improving Beginner                   Need to learn the modern conventions , have attended lessons, read books. Tend to robotically follow ‘rules’ and guidelines

Intermediate                             Comfortable with the basics of System of choice, the common Conventions and basic defensive play

Improving Intermediate             Working on becoming proficient  with Declarer Play / Defense / Counting. Have some ability to visualize opponents hands  and correctly identify card locations

Upper Intermediate                   Adding some advanced treatments e.g. 2/1 with related Conventions .Consistently scoring well in BIL and ACBL 299er tournaments. Playing with regular partner building up Partnership Agreements. Routinely reading bridge books and articles. Need to master bridge judgement and reduce error rate

10.Systems
All systems are acceptable. Take time to re-assess your profile (click on your BBO user name to edit). Make full use of the space available to you. This is of immense help in ensuring that when playing with a "pick up" partner you can enjoy playing together.

11.Chat to Club
The Chat to Club facility is ONLY to be used sparingly and for the sole purpose of advising Kibitzers at other tables that you have spare seats available.

Do not use --> Club when at a teaching session (Chat to -->Club goes to ALL tables in the BILies Retreat). Members playing at other tables have the RIGHT to play in peace - unlike the Lobby Chat, Chat to -->Club cannot be disabled.

If playing while an Open Teaching Session is on do not use Chat -->Club asking for members to join you - it disrupts the lesson and is inconsiderate towards the Teacher and students. Use Chat to -->Lobby or message friends privately. Friends can be contacted by clicking on the 'Who's Online' Tab rhs of screen > Friends Tab > click on name > type message in chat field > click on Chat button to send.

12. Problems or Complaints
If you have any matters of concern with respect to the management of the BIL, conduct of Honorary Members or Mentors these matters must be reported to either Maureen Hall (User-Id = hallway) or  BILAssist  who will refer the matter to Maureen. When emailing always include screen shots (Click Print Screen : Open a new document : key in Ctrl V to paste. )

13. Problems at a Table
If a matter needs to be dealt with urgently, call any BBO "Yellow" on duty at the time . Report any bad behaviour to BILmanager- admin@bilbridge.com .Be sure to take a screen shot (Print Screen to copy and Ctrl V to paste to the email).

14. Change of EMAIL Address
 Update your membership details as soon as your email address changes. Don't forget to also change the address on the calendar if you have opted to receive reminders of events you want to take part in.

15. Correspondence
You must put your BBO Login/User/Nick name on all correspondence.


16. Zero Tolerance for Unacceptable Behaviour
There is little doubt that the one thing that drives newer players away from bridge is bad behaviour. Follow these guidelines:

Expected Behaviour
This is anything that makes Bridge MORE enjoyable for others.

Being a good Host or Guest at a table.
Greeting others in a friendly manner prior to the start of play.
Having a Convention Card available. At the very least your preferred System & Conventions on your profile.
Giving credit to Partner and Opponents for a good bid/play.

The BIL’s catch phrase is -  Cherish your Partner and Respect your Opposition


Unacceptable Behaviour
This is anything that makes Bridge LESS enjoyable for others.

Using the Chat -->Club to invite people to your table during a Teaching Session.

Publicly criticizing Partner or Opponents.

Badgering, rudeness, insinuations, profanity, racist remarks.

Negative comments concerning Partner or Opponents bidding/play.

Gloating over a good result.

Objecting to a call for the Director. Disputing or arguing with a Director's ruling.

Being disrespectful to a BIL Guest or Teacher.

Private messaging players at a teaching table commenting on their bidding/play - it is only permissable to comment (to the table) during a teaching session if/when the teacher in charge invites kibitzers to do so.

It is never acceptable to interupt a mentoring session These are a  ‘private’ lesson between Mentor and Mentee geared solely to the Mentees playing level and the System they are learning. Some Mentees kindly allow Kibs to sit in  so others too can learn while they do  so .  They are under no obligation to do that,   it is a privilege therefore for others to sit in .  Kibs  who choose to stay because they find they too are learning something must remain silent.

The same applies when you kibitz a practice table,  do not offer unsolicited advice – open your own table and put in the table description that you are willing to discuss the hands if wanted to by those who join you.

Zero Tolerance = removal from the membership list – which can , depending on the severity of the offence,  be permanent.

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