ACC Internet Cribbage

ACC Rules for Internet Play

Rule 1. Ethics and General Conduct

a. Above all, the game of cribbage is to be played with sportsmanship, friendliness and good humor. The American Cribbage Congress insists on ethical play both over the board and on the Internet. Players must abide by the ACC Rules of Cribbage and the ACC Code of Ethics, except where superceded by these Rules for Internet Play or made obviously inapplicable by the technology used in online cribbage. Players who grossly or repeatedly violate ACC rules or guidelines are subject to disciplinary action, which can include suspension, expulsion from the ACC and permanent disqualification from all ACC events.

b. The ACC considers any attempt to gain an unfair advantage through exploitation of the technology of online cribbage to be unacceptable and grounds for suspension or expulsion. Examples of such practices include:

• Hacking Internet host sites and client software

• Using illicit programs to peek at or manipulate dealt or cut cards

• Tampering with an opponent's computer or Internet connection

• Deliberately disconnecting from the host site while a game is in progress

• Presenting a false online identity, including impersonating another member

• Allowing the use of a certified screen name by someone other than the registered ACC member

• Using shills or multiple identities to manipulate game and tournament results

• Disrupting online communications

• Fraudulently reporting game or match results

c. Disputes arising during a tournament will be resolved by the tournament director. Failure to abide by the decisions of the tournament director, or to follow ACC rules and guidelines, can result in forfeit of the current game or match, disqualification from the tournament, and possible referral for further disciplinary action.

d. Members witnessing behavior in violation of ACC rules or guidelines are duty-bound to report it to the tournament director, the Internet Cribbage Commissioner or the ACC Ethics Committee.

e. Players must abide by the Terms of Use and Code of Conduct of the Internet site hosting the tournament.

Rule 2. ACC Internet Tournaments

a. Official ACC Internet tournaments are authorized by the ACC Internet Cribbage Commissioner and announced in advance by the ACC, either electronically or in print. Events not meeting these criteria are not recognized by the ACC, and the ACC neither accepts responsibility nor claims jurisdiction over them. Players are responsible for verifying that the online event they are participating in is authorized by the ACC.

b. ACC Rules for Internet Play shall be in effect at all official ACC Internet tournaments unless an explicit exception has been granted by the Internet Cribbage Commissioner and announced in advance by the ACC. Additional rules for a specific event may be imposed by the tournament director with the approval of the Commissioner.

Rule 3. Player Certification

a. To compete officially in ACC Internet tournaments and earn Internet Rating Points (IRPs) players must be ACC members in good standing, and must be certified by the ACC for Internet play. Players are certified if they have registered their screen name(s) using a membership application or online form, and have received confirmation of this from the ACC. Information that must be supplied when registering includes full name, mailing address, phone number, email address, ACC member number and the screen name to be used at any Internet host site where the member will compete in ACC tournaments. Players who supply inaccurate information are subject to sanction, including suspension and expulsion from the ACC.

b. ACC members must properly identify themselves as such to the tournament director when entering an ACC tournament.

c. Only ACC members certified for Internet play at the time of the tournament will receive IRPs for that tournament, with the exception of new ACC members whose application and dues are received or postmarked no later than seven days after the tournament in which the IRPs were earned.

Rule 4. Screen Names and Confidentiality

a. A screen name (also known as handle, nickname, username, etc.) is a player's public identity at an Internet host site. To facilitate player identification and reduce the likelihood of reporting errors, the ACC encourages players to set their screen name to match their ACC member number, and discourages them from using multiple underscores and other non-alphanumeric characters that are difficult to read and promote recording errors. Nevertheless, since many members already have established screen names, players are allowed to use any screen name permitted by the host site, though ACC records will be maintained by member number.

b. No player may play in an ACC Internet Tournament with a token in the screen name. For example, tokens include any symbol that indicates you have any type of privilege at that site.  This includes, but is not limited to: $ (for Tix or money players), and + (for Member+).  You need to register a nickname that has no tokens.

c. Tournament Directors cannot play in ACC Internet Tournaments with the screen name they use as a TD.  They must register a screen name that is different from their TD screen name.

d. A player must use only one screen name for all ACC tournaments at a particular Internet host site. This screen name must match in all operations, including registration, play, reporting and communications with the ACC.

e. Members may change their screen name a maximum of twice per year.

f. The culture of anonymity associated with some sectors of the Internet is not compatible with the standards of accountability and professionalism espoused by the ACC. Accordingly, the ACC does not guarantee the confidentiality of members' names. Tournament results and IRP standings will be published on the Internet and in Cribbage World, and players will be identified by their real name instead of, or in addition to, their screen name.

Rule 5. Player Activity

a. Players are free to participate in as few or as many online tournaments as they desire, though after they reach an annual tournament quota they can no longer earn IRPs that season.

b. Players participating in an ACC online tournament cannot simultaneously participate in other online games.

c. All games played in any tournament shall be played at the same host site

Rule 6. Tournament Sign-up - effective November 1, 2008

Tournament participants must be signed up prior to the start of the running of the rules.  The rules are run five (5) minutes before the scheduled start time.  Once the Tournament Director has begun running the rules, they are not allowed to add participants to the tournament.  This is to provide the TDs the opportunity to verify that they have accurately entered all participants and to ensure the tournaments start at the scheduled time.

Rule 7. Pace of Play and Playing Aids

Tournament participants are expected to maintain a brisk rate of play. Allowance will be made for occasions where a difficult decision demands extra thought, but players who excessively slow the pace of play due to inattention to the match, substandard Internet connections, or the excessive use of playing aids, will be subject to sanction by the tournament director and/or the ACC. Note that specific time limits may be imposed by the tournament director as provided by rule 2.b.

Rule 8. Game Settings

a. Players must follow the directions of the tournament director on configuring match length, skunk value, time limits, and other online game settings.

b. Games are to be played to 121 points.

c. Any settings that award extra game points (stakes) for double skunks must be disabled.

d. Where the host site permits, unplayed cards are to be hidden from non-players (kibitzers).

e. Where the host site permits, manual counting of hands and points during play should be selected.  For sites, that have a manual scoring option, there may be tournaments that have manual scoring and tournaments with automatic scoring.  The advertising for the specific tournament will state Manual Scoring or Automatic Scoring.

f. Where the host site permits, the first dealer of the second and subsequent games in a match shall be the loser of the previous game.

g. Additional rules on game settings may be in effect for play at a particular host site (see below).

Rule 9. Boots/Disconnects

a. Internet conditions and computer crashes occasionally cause players to lose contact with the host site while a game is in progress. Players should make every reasonable effort to ensure that their computer is secure, and that their Internet connection is fast and reliable. Players with erratic computers or Internet connections are asked to refrain from entering tournaments until the problem is resolved.

b. Attempting to gain an advantage by deliberately disconnecting from the host site during a game is considered a serious breach of ethics and may be punished by forfeit, suspension or expulsion. The ACC compiles statistics on disconnects to track players who boot excessively.

c. More specific rules concerning boots/disconnects may be in effect for play at a particular host site (see below).

Rule 10. Time Limits

The TD will establish the time limits per round.  This is dependant on the type of tournaments and number of games per match/round.

a. Automatic Scoring.  For games that are automatically scored; the suggested time limits are as follows:

(1) 10 minutes of a round of one game

(2) 25 minutes for a round of best two of three.

b. Manual Scoring.  For games that are manually scored; the suggested time limits are as follows:

(1) 12 minutes of a round of one game

(2) 30 minutes for a round of best two of three.

Important: The TD has the right to set the times as needed based on the needs of the tournament and players.

Rule 11. Additional Provisions for Play at Gamecolony.com

a. Creating the Table

The player whose screen name is listed first shall be responsible for creating the table and establishing the game settings/table options as shown in item b.

b. Table Options

The player who creates the table will set the table options as follows:
(1) Rated Game the box is to be unchecked.

(2) 6 Card is to be selected (dot in the selection).

(3) Time per Move is to be set at 1 minute.

(4) On Invitation only the box is to be unchecked.

(5) Ladder Game the box is to be unchecked.

(6) Ticket Box is to remain grey (No Tix may be wagered during ACC Internet Tournaments!)

(6) Manual Scoring is to be set according to TD instructions

c. Boots/Disconnects

(1) Players who disconnect from the host site while a match is in progress forfeit that match if they:

• Fail to return within seven minutes
• Disconnect three times in the same match, or
• Disconnect four times in the same tournament

(2) The opponent of a player who disconnects during a match shall announce the boot in the manner prescribed by the tournament director. If the boot occurs with either player on Fourth Street, the non-booting player should note this fact and capture a screen dump of the game table for verification purposes.

(3) When a player returns from a boot, the option to restore the game in progress must be selected. If there is no forfeit, play resumes as before.

(4) The tournament director is responsible for timing disconnects and imposing forfeits. In the event of a major system outage (such as a host site crash or a widespread disruption to Internet traffic), the tournament director can waive the penalties for disconnects.

(5) The forgoing boot rules that pertain to matches also pertain to single games played during a qualifying round

c. Reporting Game and Match Results
A player who wins a match, or a single game played during a qualifying round, should capture a screen dump of the game table, report the result as instructed by the tournament director, and remain at the game table until confirmation or the pairing for the following round of play is received. This is to facilitate resolution of disputes over the final score.

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