UPDATED LEAGUE RULES

STARTING FEBRUARY 1, 2025

REGS NO BN 40/500
GRACE PERIOD 5 MINS.
PREMATURE "GG" TO RUSH THE OPPS IS NOT ALLOWED.
BOTH PLAYERS MUST AGREE TO RESIGN. IF NOT, GET A SUB

**** STATS RESETTING ****

IF A PLAYER RESETS THEIR STATS, HOF (HALL OF FAME) WILL BE ADJUSTED ACCORDINGLY. IT IS NOT FAIR TO THE OTHER MEMBERS TO LOSE THAT MANY POINTS.

REGULAR SPADES, NO BLIND NILS - NO HAND LIMIT/ TIMER 40 MINS / 500 POINTS.
*GAMES OF 8 HANDS /25 MINS - *GAMES OF 6 HANDS /20 MINS - *GAMES OF 4 HANDS /15 MINS.
FAST PLAY EXPECTED. 10 MINUTES BEFORE THE HOUR, NO NEW TEAMS. PLEASE JOIN AUTO.
***5*** MINUTES GRACE PERIOD AFTER CLOSING TIME. AFTER THIS PERIOD, THE TD IS NO LONGER RESPONSIBLE IF A PLAYER GETS DROPPED.
FIRST TEAM CALLED HAS TABLE/SEAT CHOICE. IF A DISPUTE,  FIRST TABLE NUMBER TYPED IN LOBBY IS USED. THE TD MAY OFFER THE OPS AT A TIME DEEMED SUITABLE  BY TD, NOT LESS THAN 2 MINUTES FROM PAIRS CALLED.
IN A 1 VS 1 TOURNEY...1ST CALLED HAS SEAT CHOICE, TO BE CALLED W/I 2 MINS. TOPS.
***TIE BREAKER RULES***

- FOR GAMES TO 500 -
IN THE EVENT OF A TIE BREAKER, WHEN SCORE IS OVER 500 AND THE SCORE THEN GOES BACK UNDER THE 500 MARK,
GAME WILL CONTINUE UNTIL A 500 WINNER IS REACHED OR 45 MIN GAME TIMER HAS EXPIRED.

- FOR GAMES WITH A HAND COUNT -
IN THE EVENT OF A TIE BREAKER, THE TIE BREAKER WILL BE THE LAST HAND AND THE HIGHEST SCORED TEAM WILL ADVANCE. SHG DECLARES.

IN THE EVENT OF A TABLE CLEARING SCORE DURING GAME,
IF THE SCORE IS RECORDED, CONTINUE GAME ON ANOTHER TABLE UNTIL FINAL SCORE OR HAND COUNT IS REACHED. TD WILL KEEP TRACK.
IF NO SCORE TO BE FOUND/MEMBERS CAN NOT AGREE, NEW TABLE WITH RACE TO 300 TO DECIDE WINNERS.

*BRB'S* KEPT TO A MAX OF 2 MINS (MORE THAN 2, PLZ ASK FOR A SUB)
3 BOOTS FROM TABLE PLZ ASK A SUB TO SIT
GAME CANCELLED IF NO WINNER AT 40 MINS / TEAM WITH HIGHEST SCORE ADVANCES.
ALTS OR REGS WITH HAND LIMIT...6 OR 8 HANDS...TABLE SETTINGS: GAME TYPE, HAND COUNT = 6 OR 8 & HIT OK! MOST ARE 6 HANDS. TD WILL DECIDE HAND COUNT & MAY SHORTEN FINALS OR GAMES IF ROUNDS ARE TAKING TOO LONG AND THE SCORE CLEARLY MARKS A LOSING GAME, IN ORDER TO KEEP TOURS FLOWING IN THE DESIGNATED TIME FRAME.

***SLOW GAMES***

WE WILL BE ENFORCING THE PACE RULES. PLAYERS MAY BE ASKED FOR PACE. AFTER 2 PACE WARNINGS, THEY MAY BE ASKED TO STAND SO A SUB MAY BE SEATED TO KEEP THE GAME MOVING.

***40 MIN GAME TIMER***

IF TIME IS NEARLY UP, TD WILL  ALERT THE TABLE OF THE LAST HAND  AND WILL HAVE THE DISCRETION, IN A CLOSE GAME TO ALLOW A FINISH, (CLOSE TO 500).THE HOST SHOULD NOT CALL A GAME IF 425 SCORE HAS BEEN REACHED. IN THE EVENT OF A SLOW GAME AND THE TIMER IS BEING USED AN ADMIN WILL BE NEEDED  TO MAKE A CHOICE ON A TEAM TO ADVANCE. PLAYERS THAT ARE PLAYING IN THE FINALS OF THE CURRENT TOURNEY CAN JOIN THE NEXT IF THEY ARE ON THE 2ND TO THE LAST HAND / 425 SCORE OF A 500 GAME. NO EXCEPTIONS!

DQ TIMERS - 5 MINS. SUB TO BE SEATED WITHIN 3 MINS TO KEEP THE GAME MOVING. FOR 1V1, IF DQ'D, OPP WILL AUTOMATICALLY ADVANCE. IF BOTH MEMBERS OF TEAM ARE MISSING, TIMER & DQ AFTER 5 MINS. AUTOPLAY IS AVAILABLE, NOT PREFERRED. IT IS UNFAIR TO YOUR PARTNERS. IT IS  POLITE TO ASK SOMEONE FROM THE SAME TOUR TO SUB.

WHILE IN GAMES, PLEASE KEEP CHAT TO A MINIMUM. NO BASHING,  QUESTIONING OR PROVOKING PARD OR OPPONENTS. PLEASE REFRAIN FROM SENDING RUDE MESSAGES TO PLAYERS BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER GAMES. THIS WILL NOT BE TOLERATED! LOBBY DISTURBANCES WILL BE HANDLED BY A GAG, BOOT, AND OR A BOX! WE MAY WARN A PLAYER VIA PMS TO CEASE THE DRAMA....THE 2ND TIME IT CONTINUES IT IS AN AUTOMATIC BOOT, GAG, OR BOTH. THERE SHOULD BE NO 3RD, 4TH, 5TH ETC TIME! BLOCKING IS ALLOWED BY SHG UNLESS YOU ARE PLAYING AGAINST THAT PLAYER. IF YOU DO NOT UNBLOCK, YOU WILL BE GIVEN A SOFT BOOT SO THAT THE PLAYER MAY SIT, RE-ENTER AND TAKE A SEAT. CONTACT AN ADMIN IF NEEDED. PLEASE KEEP ALL TEAM NAMES TASTEFUL AND INOFFENSIVE. ABSOLUTELY NO DISCUSSION OF THE HAND IN PROGRESS. THIS IS CONSIDERED TABLE TALK.

IN THE EVENT OF A PLAYER BEING A BAD SPORT, A WARNING WILL BE GIVEN FIRST IF YOU LEAVE YOUR GAME OUT OF ANGER AND / OR YOU ABANDON YOUR P. SUBSEQUENT OFFENSE WILL BE A BOX AND DEDUCTION OF YOUR WINS IF A SUB WON IN YOUR PLACE. AS FOR THE HABITUAL OFFENDERS, NO WARNING WILL BE ISSUED. IT WILL BE AN AUTOMATIC BOX / DEDUCTION IF NEEDED. HOWEVER, THIS RULE DOESN'T APPLY FOR LEGITIMATE REASONS (SICKNESS, LAG AND OTHER NORMAL OCCURRING FACTORS ).

NO HOLDING OF TABLES PLEASE. EXIT UPON FINISHING THE GAME. IF YOU ARE HOLDING A TABLE AND ASKED TO LEAVE, AND REFUSED, YOU WILL BE SOFT-BOOTED FROM THE LOBBY TO FREE UP THE TABLE.

***ROULETTE***

ANYONE WHO WANTS TO PLAY ROULETTE IS ALLOWED AT ANY TIME EVEN IF YOU ARE ALREADY IN AN OPEN TOURNAMENT.

*** STAFF ***

ALL STAFF THAT IS PRESENT IN THE ROOM ARE EXPECTED TO BE AVAILABLE TO THE PLAYERS. PLEASE ABSTAIN FROM "DND" AND "BUSY" STATUS. A WISER CHOICE WOULD BE TO LEAVE THE ROOM AND COME BACK WHEN YOU ARE READY.

ON A FINAL NOTE, WE DO NOT ALLOW OUR MEMBERS TO PLAY IN MORE THAN 1 TOUR AT ONCE. NOT IN OUR LOBBY OR ANOTHER. IF YOU ARE FOUND TO BE SIGNED UP IN ANOTHER LEAGUE'S TOUR, AS WELL AS OURS, A SUB WILL BE SEATED AND BOX PENALTIES MAY APPLY. IT IS OUR COMMON GOAL IN SPADE_FRIENDS TO KEEP UNITY WITH A FRIENDLY ATMOSPHERE WHILE YOU ARE IN YOUR GAMES. YOU MUST PLAY WITH AN ID EXACTLY MATCHING LEAGUE ID
THANK YOU FOR 21 YEARS OF YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT!