LEAGUE - GENERAL
Pure Pino is a league intended for the players of regular play pinochle. The primary emphasis is on tournament play.
League members are permitted one account and one account only in Pure Pino. Members may have one name only registered and are required to play under that name at all times. Members' Email addresses MUST be current and correct at all times. Any violations are subject to severe penalties, including the possibility of removal from Pure Pino.
All Pure Pino play will take place in Advanced Lounge 8 of the Yahoo Normal Pinochle Area (Advanced 8).
Tournaments will be created and scheduled by the Tournament Directors (TDs) and offered daily and at various times consistent with guidelines established by the Ladder Administration. The tournaments offered will be announced on the Pure Pino Main Page, which is updated by Case's Ladder twice daily. Tournaments created with insufficient time for inclusion on the Pure Pino Main Page will be announced on the Pure Pino Tournament Calendar Page, which is updated when a tournament is created, and by other means available to the TD.
Cheating of any type in any way, shape or form is grounds for the possible immediate removal from Pure Pino. Cheating includes, but is not limited to, breaking rules, using card viewers, reporting false results, or tampering in any manner with Ladder games and/or rankings.
Rude conduct toward any other person is prohibited. Rudeness includes, but is not limited to, offensive or inappropriate language, impropriety, derogatory comments on the playing abilities of other members, unnecessary interruption of games and references to and of a racial or sexual nature. If a member is deemed rude by a TD or Ladder Administrator he/she will be issued a letter of inappropriate conduct by the Ladder Administration. Further actions of this nature will result in a letter of warning, loss of ladder ranking, suspension from league play for a specified period of time (being placed in the Penalty Box) and/or removal from Pure Pino.
All tournament play in Pure Pino will be on unrated tables. Pure Pino games outside tournaments will also be on unrated tables unless all players are in full agreement to play the game on a rated table. Forced forfeits are prohibited for any reason in any Pure Pino game.
Achieving a Top 20 ranking on the Pure Pino ladder is no mean feat, and one that players can deservedly feel proud of with their accomplishment. However, maintaining this rank places additional requirements on a member, since other members may be attempting to accomplish the same goal. In order to maintain a Top 20 ranking, members are required to participate in Pure Pino activities at least once every 48 hours. Normally, this should supply a sufficient number of opportunities for members in the Top 20 to oppose each other so that members may achieve a higher rank. If a formal challenge is deemed appropriate, a member ranked in the Top 20 may challenge another member ranked no more than five rungs above him/her. A formal challenge will normally be issued in the chat area of Advanced 8. If the player challenged is not present, the challenger is permitted to send that player an Email requesting a game. The challenged member has 72 hours to complete the challenge. Failure of the challenged member to complete the formal challenge within that time period will be considered avoidance and the challenged member's ladder ranking will be lowered by ten rungs on the ladder. A reminder to challengers - the formal challenge is to be utilized only as a last resort.
Always remember, all of the administrators who created and currently operate this league and the TDs who organize and host tournaments are volunteers. They are NOT compensated in any way except for the TDs, who are prohibited from participating in their tournaments (except as substitutes) and therefore receive LadderBux only for hosting. It would be a shame for those involved to see their volunteer spirit destroyed by some unthinking, vituperative and mean-spirited comments. Members and players should always try to be considerate to all and treat others as they would like to be treated. HAVE FUN ALWAYS!
LEAGUE - TOURNAMENT PLAY
Pure Pino LadderStats games will be regular pinochle games played to 500 points only. All other variations and hand-limited games will be Non-LadderStats. The only exception to this will be regular games played to 12 hands or 500 points, whichever comes first, but this exception will not be scheduled by the TD's except under unusual and/or extraordinary circumstances.
The TD will announce all pairings in the chat area of Advanced 8. The player who is first named is required to create the table. All tables will be created with the following options: "Extra Score for Duplicate Sequences", "At Least 20 Needed to Score", "Unrated" and "Do Not Allow Idle Forced Forfeiting". Normally this will only require the host to uncheck the "Rated" and "Allow Idle Forced Forfeiting" boxes in the drop-down option list of the "Create Table" box. Immediately after the table is created, the host will go to the "Table Type" drop-down menu and check the "Protected" box. This ensures that only the players the host invites can sit and play. Private tables may not be created and used except upon permission of or instruction by the TD.
After the table is created and protected, the host will invite his/her partner and choose seats before the opponents are invited. The opponents are then invited, as well as the tournament Director (TD).
Once seated, all players must turn off the "Kibitz" option.
If the player named by the TD to create the table is not immediately available, the TD can require that the player's partner create the table. If neither player on the team is available, the TD will require that one of the players on the opposing team create the table. In either case, once players present are seated, the TD will start timing the missing players as if they had been booted.
During each game each player is allowed a maximum of 4 boots, each team, 7. Maximum allowable boot time per team per game is 15 minutes. Players and/or teams exceeding these limits may be disqualified from the tournament in which they are participating.
There will normally be no requirement for players to report losses either to the tournament page or to the Ladder. The TD will do this as a matter of course. An exception to this rule is that participants MUST report losses to winning substitutes as specified below. The TD will notify tournament participants of any other exceptions if, when and as necessary.
In singles (1x1) tournaments, substitutes for players who have booted, players who have withdrawn and/or players who have not withdrawn but are otherwise missing are permitted. Substitutes are also required when it becomes necessary to fill uneven slots in the first round of a tournament. All substitutes MUST be members of the Pure Pino ladder. Substitutes will normally be found by the player from other players who have received a bye in that round of the tournament, by asking for volunteers from other Pure Pino players in Advanced 8 or by any other means at his/her disposal. If, after these actions have been taken by the player fail, the TD is permitted to locate a substitute partner by any means necessary. If no substitute can be found, the TD is permitted to substitute. Substitutes must be selected without unduly affecting the conduct and flow of the match and the tournament. TDs will report match wins by substitutes to Admin, who will post to the substitute's tourney record. Substitutes assume the previous penalties assessed the player for whom they are substituting, if any.
If a player is absent for more than 5 minutes, a temporary sub may be utilized until the booted player has returned. Should the missing player return during the play of a hand, the substitute may, at the option of the returning player, complete the play of the hand before relinquishing the seat. A temporary sub may not be utilized in the final round(s) of any single- or double-elimination tournament.
No substitute player is ever required to report a loss. A substitute player is using his/her time to assist the TD and player complete a tournament rather than competing on their own. Players are reminded that they will all need substitutes from time to time, and should be willing to act as a substitute themselves on occasion.
If a player is required to report a loss, he/she will go to the Pure Pino Main Page. On the left side of the page immediately under "The Ladder" header the player will click "Report Loss", enter their name and password, enter the player's name to whom the loss is to be reported and click "Submit". It is suggested that the tournament jump number be entered in the "Comments" section in the event any disputes should arise.
Yahoo Messenger, other instant messaging services and ICQ MUST be disconnected prior to participating in a game. Use of these during a game WILL cause those players to be disqualified from the tournament. Exceptions to this rule are Ladder Administrators and Head TDs, who are required to have them on for availability by Pure Pino, MyLeague and Case's Ladder.
Any disputes between players must be brought to the attention of the TD, whose decision in the tournament will be final. If the player's dispute is with the TD, then a Head TD, if present, will be contacted, who will attempt to adjudicate the dispute. If a Head TD is not present, then one of the Ladder Administrators will be contacted at the earliest available opportunity. Do not hesitate to contact a TD and/or Ladder Administrator by any means necessary even if he/she is playing at the time. If a Head TD and/or Ladder Administrator cannot be reached during the tournament the player can bring the issue to their attention at the earliest opportunity, but the TD's decision will remain in force for the duration of the tournament.
Visitors are permitted to observe ongoing games at the discretion of the TD. Observers are cautioned, however, that excessive conversation or other actions resulting in delay of play or the distraction of the players are to be avoided and may result in the observer being warned, asked to leave or booted from the table. Observers are prohibited from attempting to kibitz games at any time. As players, observers should be aware of their feelings if they were the recipient of such treatment.
Players engaged in a tournament game are prohibited from being involved in another game, whether in another tournament or elsewhere, for any reason at any time. Players found doing so will be disqualified from the tournament.
Players are prohibited from participating in games with other players present in the same room or residing in their household, whether as partners or opponents. It is possible in tournament play that players residing in the same household may be unknowingly assigned to the same game by the TD. If this occurs, the TD MUST be notified immediately in order that the pairings can be adjusted before the game starts. If, when, and only as absolutely necessary, players residing in the same household may oppose each other in a tournament game, but will be prohibited from being partners.
Partners in singles (1x1) competition are computer-drawn based on seedings. Seedings are predetermined by the method desired by the TD before each tournament - either by rank, by rating or by random. If a player feels he/she cannot play with the partner assigned to them by the TD for any reason that player may withdraw from the tournament and absorb the automatic loss that is associated with this action.
A Boston is defined as taking all tricks in any one hand. Any pair accomplishing this feat in a regular or dump game format will immediately be awarded the win in the game in which they are participating. This rule does not apply to games played in a reverse format.
Players playing regular pinochle games (500 points, at least 12 hands) for challenges or non-tournament games for LadderStats inclusion may play on "Rated" tables if all players are in agreement.
Best of all, Have Fun! - and thanks for playing, all.
GAME-SPECIFIC
REGULAR
The object of this game is to have the highest score at the end of the game. Play accordingly.
There is no set hand limit unless specified by the TD - first team to 500 points wins.
DUMP
The object of this game is to have the highest score at the end of the game. Play accordingly.
There is no set hand limit unless specified by the TD - first team to 500 points wins.
Bidding is prohibited. If any bidding DOES occur, the TD must be notified immediately. The penalty for the first bid violation by a player is to have 100 points added to the opposing team's score. The penalty for a second bid violation by a player is disqualification of the team from the tournament. Note that each player is permitted one bid each before team disqualification. The hand in which the bid occurred will then be skipped and the game will continue, with the hand being counted toward the set hand limit, if any.
The TD will keep records of any penalties assessed on paper.
ONE-BID
The object of this game is to have the highest score at the end of the game. Play accordingly.
There is no set hand limit unless specified by the TD - first team to 500 points wins.
Each player is permitted one bid, and one bid only, per hand. Players in first and second positions may give meld to partner or bid to take the hand. The bid may be passed to the dealer.
If any player should bid twice during any hand, the TD must be notified immediately. The penalty for the first bid violation by a player is to have 100 points added to the opposing team's score. The penalty for a second bid violation by a player is disqualification of the team from the tournament. The hand in which the second bid occurred will then be skipped and the game will continue, with the hand being counted toward the set hand limit, if any.
The TD will keep records of any penalties assessed on paper.
REVERSE
The object of this game is to have the lowest score at the end of the game. Play accordingly.
There is no set hand limit unless specified by the TD - first team to 500 points loses.
Bidding is prohibited. If any bidding DOES occur, the TD must be notified immediately. The penalty for the first bid violation by a player is to have 100 points deducted from the opposing team's score. The penalty for a second bid violation by a player is disqualification of the team from the tournament. Note that each player is permitted one bid each before team disqualification. Also note that players who abuse this rule by continually bidding in order to escape excessive meld combinations are subject to penalties. The hand in which the bid occurred will then be skipped and the game will continue, with the hand being counted toward the set hand limit, if any.
The TD will keep records of any penalties assessed on paper.
MODIFIED DUMP
The object of this game is to have the highest score at the end of the game. Play accordingly.
There is no set hand limit unless specified by the TD - first team to 500 points wins.
The opening bid in this game is at least 60. Bidding then proceeds as in regular pinochle. The bid may be passed to the dealer.
If any player opens with a bid of less than 60, the TD must be notified immediately. The penalty for the first bid violation by a player is to have 100 points added to the opposing team's score. The penalty for a second bid violation by a player is disqualification of the team from the tournament. The hand in which the second bid occurred will then be skipped and the game will continue, with the hand being counted toward the set hand limit, if any.
The TD will keep records of any penalties assessed on paper.
ONE-EYE
The object of this game is to have the highest score at the end of the game. Play accordingly.
There is no set hand limit unless specified by the TD - first team to 500 points wins.
Bidding is confined to the player to the immediate left of the dealer, who will take the bid at 50. If any further bidding DOES occur, the TD must be notified immediately. The penalty for the first bid violation by a player is to have 100 points added to the opposing team's score. The penalty for a second bid violation by a player is disqualification of the team from the tournament. Note that each player is permitted one bid each before team disqualification. The hand in which the bid occurred will then be skipped and the game will continue, with the hand being counted toward the set hand limit, if any.
The TD will keep records of any penalties assessed on paper.
Other game formats are possible. The TD will announce this prior to the start of the tourney and incorporate the format rules on the tournament Rules page.
FORMAT-SPECIFIC
Each of the tournament formats below can be played in any game format - Regular, One-Bid, Dump or Reverse, at the discretion of the TD.
SWISS
Swiss tournaments do not have a round limit unless the number of participants is limited by the TD. The tournament will continue until there is one, and only one, undefeated player, who will be declared the winner of the tournament. LadderBux awards are based on the number of wins the player attains in the tournament, with the remainder awarded to the winning player. Players are permitted to withdraw between rounds.
TRUE SWISS
POINTS OR ROUND ROBIN
This format is a start-to-finish marathon format - i.e. participants entering and starting would normally be expected to play in all rounds of the tournament. Current tournament formatting allows 44 to 66 hands to be played, with the norm for an 8-player 7-round tournament being 56 hands. The tournament format allows the pairing of each player with every other player for a set number of hands, and attempts to allow each player to oppose every other player twice. The TD will attempt to format each tournament to allow each pair to act as dealer in the same number of hands as all other pairs. Please show respect for your fellow participants by allowing enough time to complete these tournaments - dropouts create unnecessary byes for your future competitors and scheduling headaches for the TDs. Thanks from the Ladder Administration and TDs for your consideration.
All games will be played to a predetermined number of hands - no points limit. The number of games played will be predetermined by the number of entrants or by the TD. In either event the TD will announce the number of hands per game and the number of games to be played prior to closing in order to allow those without enough time to complete the tournament to withdraw.
The TD MUST be invited to all tables prior to the start of each game and be notified, either at the table, in the room or by IM, when the game is complete to verify the final score.
If any team should reach a score of 500 points regardless of the number of hands or the game played, the TD MUST be notified, whether it be at the table, in the room or by IM, before the hand is cleared from the table. The TD will determine how many points each team will carry over before continuing the game, if necessary, and reseat the players or ask that the players clear the score in order to give each team the same number of deals before the game is concluded. The game will then continue until the hand limit is reached. Points will then be totaled by the players and reported to the TD. Note that if any team reaches 500 points at any time during the game and the team with the lower number of points has more than 20 trick points in that hand, those points, including any meld over 20 points, will be added to that team's score for tournament scoring purposes.
Players or teams withdrawing or disqualified from the tournament will receive 0 (zero) points per game (in reverse, 500 points per game) for the remainder of the tournament and be excluded from any prize consideration. Players or teams scheduled to play against those who have withdrawn or disqualified will receive a bye and be awarded the average number of points per game scored against that team prior to withdrawal/disqualification. Disqualifications will be posted as losses for the players on the disqualified team.
CLOSING NOTE
We can't cover every aspect of gaming in our rules. We have tried to be as thorough as possible and cover all the basics. However, just because something is not listed doesn't meant that it is allowed. Use common sense. If it is something that will adversely effect other members or players and you might think twice about doing, it's probably against the rules. Our head ladder administrators will make the final ruling in such matters. If you have a specific question please feel free to contact them via E-mail.