[hrothgar]

McBruce, on Dec 3 2004, 01:14 PM, said:

Why is it that any discussion of what should be alerted on BBO inevitably ends with some reference to some FTF bridge organizations rules?

What the ACBL or EBU or NZBA or whatever does in FTF play is completely irrelevant to online play. That should be the first rule:

Regulations are specific to the sponsoring authority.
For better or worse, Online Bridge does not have its own sponsoring authority.
Instead, the landscape is fractured.

ACBL Online tournaments are run using ACBL regulations
EBU's online tournaments are run using EBU regulations
When you host tournaments, you get to use whatever alert regulations you want.

At some point in time, this may change. Its entirely possible that the WBF will decide to create a Zonal authority with global responsibility for Online Bridge (I have mixed emotions about this concept)

However, until the Alert standards offered by different sponsoring authorities:

1. Are useful as examples
2. Carry at least as much weight as your opinions regarding what is right and proper