The St. Louis Bridge Center is dedicated to training and educating the bridge-playing community and to providing an enjoyable environment for the game. It has adopted the ACBL’s Zero Tolerance Policy to prevent disruptive behavior.
Zero Tolerance offenses consist of behavior that violates Law 74 of the Laws of Duplicate Bridge or the ACBL Zero Tolerance Policy — for example, being rude, negative, or intimidating — or any behavior that disrupts or endangers the enjoyment of the game or the players. An offense may be observed by a director, called to the prompt attention of a director, or reported in writing by a player.
When an offense is observed by or immediately reported to a director, the director assesses the situation and, if a violation is established, imposes an immediate penalty ranging from a warning to expulsion from the game or the Bridge Center. For an offense reported in writing, the director conducts a timely investigation and imposes a penalty if a violation occurred. The Board may also conduct its own investigation and impose sanctions independently if a majority of the Board agrees.
A sanctioned player may appeal a penalty short of being banned to the Senior Director in writing after the game. Serious penalties, such as being banned from a game or the Bridge Center, may be appealed in writing to the Board of Directors, which will hold a hearing as soon as practicable and may uphold, alter, nullify, reduce, or reverse the sanction.
The Board may place a player with repeated violations on probation for up to three years or suspend that player for an appropriate period. After a suspension, playing privileges are restored only if the player appears before the Board, discusses their self-correcting actions, and makes a convincing case for reinstatement.
Examples of behavior the ACBL Zero Tolerance Policy does not tolerate include badgering, rudeness, insinuations, intimidation, profanity, threats, or violence; negative comments about an opponent’s or partner’s play or bidding; constant and unsolicited lessons or analysis at the table; and loud or disruptive arguing with a director’s ruling.
Above all, Law 74 asks every player to maintain a courteous attitude at all times and to carefully avoid any remark or action that might annoy or embarrass another player or interfere with anyone’s enjoyment of the game.