VACCINATION REQUIRED All players in the 2022 Open USBC MUST be vaccinated against COVID19. Players must submit proof of vaccination to the USBF Secretary before play commences in the event. This includes the online stages - players are not eligible if they have not submitted proof of vaccination. There are no exceptions to this rule.

 

The 2022 Open USBC will select USA1 for the 2023 Bermuda Bowl, to be held August 18-Sept. 2, 2023, in Marrakech, Morocco.

Location & Dates

There are now 16 teams entered, so there will be no online stage of the 2022 Open USBC.

 

The face to face stages of the 2022 Open USBC will be held at the Schaumburg, IL Hyatt Regency, from May 16th-23rd. The room rate for the USBC is $134 + tax per night, including internet; there is no early departure fee. You can make a reservation for the 2022 Open USBC at https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/group-booking/CHIRW/G-BFUS, or by calling Hyatt at 877-803-7534 and asking for the G-BFUS code. You may be able to find a lower special or AAA or Senior rate on the Hyatt website. If you have any problems with hotel reservations, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and she will try to straighten things out. The final day to guarantee a reservation is May 1. Reservations will be accepted at our rate as long as the hotel has available rooms, but you will have to call the hotel and ask for the UBFF rate. It will be easier for everyone if you reserve using our online reservation page before May 1. Reservations can be canceled with no charge with 48 hours notice, and there is no charge for early departure as long as you let the hotel know the day before you are leaving.

Entry Information

Entries are now closed and there are 16 teams in the 2022 Open USBC

Entry Fees

There will be an event entry fee of $500 for each team, and session fees for the face-to-face stages of $400 per day. The event entry fee is due by March 22, 2022 and is non-refundable except if a team withdraws and that makes the format better. Entry fees can be paid online by logging into this website and clicking on "Pay Entry Fees" under the User Menu.

Format

The face-to-face stages will be 2-day, 120-board KO matches.

Play Requirements: Each player must play 50% of the boards in every KO match in order to be eligible to continue on the team. See General Conditions of Contest Section XII for how to count boards and potential waiver of this requirement.

Closed Notes: Players may not consult their notes at any time during play, unless they are dummy.

Withdrawal: A player or team may withdraw at any time.

A player who has tested positive for Covid-19 will be allowed to continue to play, but will play from a separate room. Both the Covid-positive player and his or her screenmate will be recorded on video during play.

Setting the KO Bracket

The KO bracket will be set on May 8, based on ACBL seeding points, excluding points awarded for online play and points earned on a team with a player or players who have been convicted of unethical conduct, plus added seeding points for performance in the Round Robin.

Byes

There will be no byes.

system forms

Each pair is required to submit a System Summary Form no later than May 2nd. To create or edit a SSF, first log in to this site, then click on "Create or Edit SSF" under the User Menu, which appears in the left hand column when you log in. You can either create a new form or copy an old one. If you have any problems, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and they will try to help.

Each pair is also required to submit an ACBL convention card by May 2nd. We haven't yet been able to set up a way for you to upload your ACBL convention card or link to a BridgeWinners card online, so please either share your BridgeWinners card with us or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. the "print" URL from your BridgeWinners card or a PDF or JPG version of your convention card to us, and we will link it to your SSF. If you sent us a convention card or link for a prior event and it's the same for this year, please This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and let us know to copy that card or link to this year. Thanks.

If you are playing a method that is allowed under paragraph 3 or paragraph 7 of Opening Bids on the new Open+ Convention Chart, and there is not now an ACBL approved defense for the method, you must submit a full description of the method and a recommended defense at least 4 weeks before the start of the USBC. Our software no longer allows you to create an Advance Submisstion Form online, but you can download the form as a Word document and use it as an outline of the information you should submit. Complete it, send it by email to us and we will convince the website to see it as an ASF and link it to your SSF. We will also send it to the USBF Conventions Committee for review. If the committee has not rejected it within 1 week of submission, it is accepted and you may play the method and must bring the recommended defense to the table with you.

You can make minor changes to your SSF after May 2nd only by This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. He will make the change if it is minor. If there is any question about whether the change can be made later than April 13th, the USBF Conventions Committee will decide.

Changes to your BridgeWinners convention card will be automatically reflected on what is linked to your SSF. You may make convention card changes until May 10th, when your SSF and convention card will be linked to your partnership on the LoveBridge system. After May 10th, you can make minor changes to your conveniton card only by This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. so she can change what is linked to LoveBridge.

Relevant Dates

March 22: Last day to enter for guaranteed entry.

April 18: Final day to submit Recommended Defenses for any paragraph 3 or 7 methods.

May 2: Final day to submit System Summary Form and ACBL Convention card. Penalty for late submission is loss of seating rights in one segment of a KO match (starting with the first match the team plays) per day that either the SSF or Convention Card is late. SSFs will be reviewed by a subcommittee of the ITTC and rejected if not adequate.

May 1: Last day to make hotel reservations and be assured of receiving our hotel rate. The hotel may honor the rate for later reservations, but is not required to do so.

Results

When the event has started, you will be able to click here to get to the results page for the USBC. Once there, you can click on the stage of the event in which you are interested.

Available Documents

Final Special Conditions of Contest for the 2022 USBC in PDF format.

Conditions of Play for the 2022 USBC in PDF format will be posted after entries have closed.

2022 General Conditions of Contest in PDF format.

ACBL Convention Charts; the Open+ Chart will apply for USBF events.