VACCINATION REQUIRED All players in the 2021 Beth Palmer Women's 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 to enter the event if they do not submit proof of vaccination. There are no exceptions to this rule.

The 2021 Beth Palmer Women's USBC will select the 2 USBF teams for the 2021 Venice Cup, in Salsomaggiore, Italy from March 27 through April 9, 2022.

Location & Dates

The 2021 Beth Palmer Women's USBC will be held at the Schaumburg, IL Hyatt Regency, from October 7-14 if more than 4 teams are entered, October 9-14 if there are exactly 4 teams, or October 12-14 if there are exactly 3 teams. The room rate for the USBCs is $124 + tax per night, including internet; there is no early departure fee. You will be able to make a reservation for any or all of the 2021 USBCs at our online reservation page, or by calling Hyatt at 877-803-7534 and mentioning USBF - when there is an online reservation page link, reservations are open. 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 cut-off date to be guaranteed to make reservations at our rate is September 21st;  the online site will remain open after that and reservations will be accepted at our rate as long as the hotel has available rooms.

Entering more than one event

A player may enter the 2021 Beth Palmer Women's USBC and also as many other 2021 USBCs as she is eligible for. If a player enters more than one event, the player must inform the This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. no later than August 1 which World Championship event she will enter if she qualifies for more than one. A player who qualifies for the Bermuda Bowl is not eligible to compete in the face-to-face stages of any other USBC.

Entry Information

Entries are now open and will close at midnight EDT on September 9, 2021. If there is an odd number of teams entered, we may accept one additional team to make things run more smoothly.

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 if we are using tablets for play, or $500 per day if we are using cards. $500 is due at the time you enter the event and is refundable only if you withdraw before September 9. To pay it, log into this site and click on "Pay Entry Fee" under the User Menu.

Format

All of the 2021 Beth Palmer Women's USBC will be held face to face. If there are more than 4 teams entered, the first stage will be a Round Robin to qualify 4 teams for the USA1 Semifinal.

The KO USA1 stages will be 2-day, 120-board Semifinal and Final KO matches.

The KO USA2 stages will be a 2-day, 120-board KO Semifinal in which the USA1 Semifinal losers will play, and a 2-day 120-board Final between the USA1 Final loser and the USA2 Semifinal winner.

If there are 3 teams entered, the event will probably be a 3-day 3-way Round Robin. If one team is significantly ahead at the end of either day 1 or day 2, they will qualify and the other teams will continue to play head to head to select the second team.

A player or team may withdraw at any time.

Setting the KO Bracket

The KO bracket will be based on Round Robin finish if there is a Round Robin and on random draw if there is not a Round Robin.

system forms

Each pair is required to submit a System Summary Form two weeks before play starts. 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 we will try to help.

Each pair is also required to submit an ACBL convention card two weeks before play starts. 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.

Relevant Dates

Sept. 9: Last day to enter for guaranteed entry.

Sept 9: Final day to submit Recommended Defenses for any paragraph 3 or 7 methods.

: 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.

Sept 23: 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..

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.

If WBF Cancels

If the WBF cancels the 2021 VC more than 1 week before the scheduled date for the USA1 Semifinal, the USA1 stages will be played online, there will be no USA2 stages, and there will be no reward for doing well. If the WBF cancels the VC within 1 week of the scheduled date for the USA1 Semifinal, the event will be played and the USA1 winner will receive a bye to  the Final of the 2023 Beth Palmer Women's USBC, and the USA2 winner will receive a bye to  the Semifinal of the 2023 Beth Palmer Women's USBC.

Available Documents

Draft Special Conditions of Contest for the 2021 Beth Palmer Women's USBC in PDF format will be posted as soon as possible

Conditions of Play for the 2021 Beth Palmer Women's USBC in PDF format will be posted after entries have closed.

2020 General Conditions of Contest in PDF format.

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