CANASTAFREAKS MEMBER GUIDE

BELOW YOU WILL FIND INFORMATION THAT WILL HELP YOU UNDERSTAND OUR GAME RULES AND LEAGUES POLICIES.  THIS INFORMATION WILL HELP YOU GET TO KNOW THE CANASTFREAKS LEAGUE AND ASSIST YOU AS YOU NAVIGATE OUR LINKS.

HOW TO JUMP A TOURNAMENT

GO TO TOURNAMENT CALENDAR

http://www4.igl.net/cgi-bin/tourney/gencalendar.cgi?path=canastafreaks

   Select the tournament you wish to jump.  Click to Open.  Click on REGISTER; Add your Ladder name and Personal Password.  Check the box �I Have Read Rules�� then Click Register.

LEAGUE PASSWORD

The password used to join table is FREAK.  Use capital letters and do not use an S.       

Do not give PASSWORD in public lobby.  Please use IM, �Whisper� to the player, or meet the player at a table to share the password.

LEAGUE TOOLBAR

Download our CANASTAFREAK TOOLBAR @ http://canastafreakstoolbar.ourtoolbar.com

Links to all the Case and Freak  links.

TOURNEY ROOMS

We play 2 player canasta in FRIED GREEN TOMATOES under the intermediate tab On POG0.COM
We play 4 player canasta in BLUE MOON under the beginner tab On  POG0.COM

BACKDOOR TO FRIED GREEN TOMATOES SNEEKIN 2 PLAYER  
BACKDOOR TO BLUE MOON SNEEKIN4PLAYER

HOW TO SET A TABLE CORRECTLY

SET TABLE : 60 Second Timer ~ 2 Draw ~ 1 or 2 Canasta (depending upon the game)  Allow Wilds on Opening Meld ~ Allow Players to Replace Computer ~Do Not Limit Player (rating) ~ Allow Watchers ~ Do Not Mute Watchers ~Do Not Allow Watchers to See Hand ~ Unrated ~ Make Private, Using League Password.

HOW TO CHECK YOUR LADDER BUXX

On main page and click on ACCOUNT tab~click on ladder buxx

http://www.myleague.com/canastafreaks/myaccount/ladderBux/

HOW TO REPORT LADDER MATCH LOSS ON MAIN PAGE

Your host will Post all Tourney Winner/////Non-winner for tournaments. 

TO REPORT LADDER LOSS:  Go to Main page~click on Standings tab~click on Report Loss~add information~submit.

http://www.myleague.com/canastafreaks/standings/reportLoss/

HOW TO CHECK AND SEE IF YOU ARE IN A TOURNAMENT

Go to Tournament Registration page and Click on Teams/ Check In.  If you are registered in the tournament your name will appear on list in the drop down box...  If not please jump.

HOW TO CHECK YOUR STANDINGS IN A TOURNAMENT

If you would like to know WHEN or WHOM you are going to play next during a tour, please go to the Tournament registrations page.  Click on standings and you will see the sitting order of all players registered in the current tour.

HOW TO CHECK INTO AN INVITATION ONLY TOURNAMENT OR A TOURNAMENT THAT WAS NOT OPENED

Go to Tournament Registration page and click on Teams/ Check In.  Select your name from drop down menu and add your password.

DOUBLES Tournament: Go to Tournament Registration page.  Choose, join team. 

From drop down menu choose the team you wish to join.  Add team password, add your Ladder name then your personal password.  Check that you have read rules, and click to register.

.BASIC TOURNAMENT RULES

TABLE : 60 Second Timer, 3^rd TIMER IS A DQIF~ 2 Draw ~ 1 or 2 Canasta, depending upon the game ~ Allow Wilds on Opening Meld ~ Allow Players to Replace Computer ~Do Not Limit Player (rating) ~ Allow Watchers ~ Do Not Mute Watchers ~Do Not Allow Watchers to See Hand ~ Unrated ~ Make Private, Using League Password..  NEVER check Players can never pick up discard pile.  Do Not Give Password To Tables In The Lobby. Use IM, "Whisper" To The Player, Or Meet The Player At A Table To Share The Password.

You Can Not Be In Two Tournaments At The Same Time. You May Join the Next Tournament If You Are in the Final round, (be sure you have enough time to not time out of next tour.  Five minute timer in force when a player is in another game).  The Hosts Are Glad To Help By Removing Players When Asked, But This Is Not A Perfect Process. They May Miss The Post, Or Get Swamped By More Pressing Issues, So In Busy Tournaments, With A Lot Of Chat, It Is Safest To Remove Yourself If You Are Still Playing In Another Tournament.

You can WITHDRAW yourself from a tourney by going to the Tournament Registration page~click Registration~add ladder name~personal password~check rules box~CLICK WITHDRAW.  When a YES-NO option appears. Click on YES.

I n Tournaments, Both Players Post in the Lobby (Host Name****** Winner // Looser) To Be Sure There Is No Disagreement, and the Host Reports the Win/Loss to Case's Ladder.  Posting Your Own Loss Would Be A Duplicate Posting.  Individually posting a lost game is for NON TOURNAMENT or LADDER games will count for statistics in Caseïs, (statistics will only be calculated if reported on main page.  How to post is found above under How to report ladder match loss on Main page.

.RULES WITH CONSEQUENCES FOR PLAYER

Do Not Leave A Game Early When Losing.  Do not leave a game intentionally to play in another tournament.  To do so will DQ (disqualify) you in each tournament.  After 3 such events, you will be BOXED for 4 days.

No Abuse, Accusations, Name Calling, Or Upsetting members

Or hosts.  Any conflict, disagreement or dispute should be taken to private table or to instant messenger.  When a host makes a judgment call, THAT CALL WILL STAND. Keep all drama out of the lobby.  If you disagree with hosts call, please send a complaint to Rocee428@aol.com  and Artinpogo@aol.com

UNIVERSAL RULE

Unless An Action Is Specifically Forbidden, You May Assume It Is Allowed.

CANASTA OF THREES (3s)

Although Original Canasta Rules Do Not Provide For Canastas Of 3s, Pogo Does. The Problem Is That "No Wilds" Do Not Always Show For 7-8 Threes.  Of Course, Only Natural Canastas of 3s is possible because one can not meld wilds with black 3s.  The �NoWilds� label shows when hands are NOT the finish of a game or when one of the players stands.

A Canasta of 3s count as 800 pts.  Canasta of 3s which include 4 red 3s and 3 black 3s is especially valuable.

So, For Freaks Purposes, We Do Count Canastas Of Threes.  Therefore, In Games
 like Dr. Pepper, Or Nine To Five, and Several Others, A Canasta Of 3s Is A DQ

You CAN NOT Be In Two Tournaments At The Same Time. You May Join The Next Tournament If You Are In The Final Of Another Tournament... When A Player Is In Another Game, The Timer Is For 5 Minutes. The Hosts Are Glad To Help By Removing Players When Asked, But This Is Not A Perfect Process. They May Miss The Post, Or Get Swamped By More Pressing Issues.  In Busy Tournaments With A Lot Of Chat, It Is Safest To Remove Yourself If You Are Still Playing In Another Tournament.

In Tournaments, Both Players Post In the Lobby (Host Name****** Winner // Loser) To Be Sure There Is no Disagreement.  The Host Reports The Win/Loss To Case's Ladder, So Posting Your Own Loss Would Be A Duplicate. Posting Individual Lost Games Is For Non-Tournament, Or "Ladder" Games, That Count For Case's Statistics

TYPES OF TOURNAMENTS

SINGLE ELIMINATION

Single elimination involves ONE bracket.  Every game is the same.  You are out after your FIRST loss.  You play each person only once then report win//loss in lobby.

DOUBLE ELIMINATION

Double elimination involves TWO brackets.  The top bracket plays a 5000 game.  The lower bracket plays a 2500 game.  You are NOT out after your FIRST loss.  You will have a chance in the lower bracket.  In the finals, the top bracket winner and the lower bracket winner play each other.  You play each person only once then report win//loss in lobby.

DOUBLES IN BLUE MOON

There are NO Second Chances. Make sure you KNOW the rules.  Casual conversation can be used as signals between partners, so�. please be CAREFUL with your chat. (A list of the standard, acceptable comments is on the game rule page under doubles.)
Please stay at table until final score is up. If a player is missing, the team will be on the "10 min time," which stops if a substitute joins (NO sub if missing player is in room.) You MAY only ask you partner if it is OK to go out, but DO NOT tell your partner to go out.

TEAMS IN FGT

1st Name In Team Plays ~ 2nd Name In
Team Sits & Watches.  When Game Is Over ~ All Stand To Reset
Table ~ 2 Players Watching Play.   Best 2/3 Move Next
Round ~ If teams tie After 2 Games ~The 2 Winners Of Each Team Will Play For The Win.

REGULAR SWISS

In Regular Swiss, you play every round win or lose.  You receive buxx for every round you win.  You may request OUT at any time.  You keep playing until there is one undefeated player.

TRUE SWISS

A True Swiss has a SET number of rounds.  Every player plays each round win or lose.  You receive buxx for every round you WIN.  You may request out after each round is finished.  The player with the best record will be the winner.

ROUND ROBIN

There are three PLAYERS per match.  1^st player called sets the table.  2^nd and 3^rd players watch.  As soon as that game is over, the player watching takes the seat of the loser & the loser watches.  The First player to win two games in a row is the winner.  If two people have to play, PLAYER vs PLAYER vs BYE you will play best 2/3.

SPECIALS ESPECIALLY FOR FREAKS

 We honor our members by throwing them a SPECIAL BIRTHDAY TOURNEY.  Please submit the MONTH and DAY of your birth to dverner@sbcglobal.net   An EXTRA SPECIAL BIRTHDAY BASH will be set up in your honor.  In the subject line of your e-mail please put FREAKS BIRTHDAY

FREAK OF THE MONTH

We run a Freak of the Month contest every month.  Look for the details on main page or in your Host's information lobby spam.

BIG BUX

We have BIG BUXX SATURDAY in the following  months: Jan, March, May, July, Sept and Nov on the 3rd Saturday.  As a thank you to all our GREAT members, our Host donate from 1,000 to 20,000 buxx per tourney on BIG BUXX SATURDAY.

FREAK PHOTO ALBUMS

We invite you to add your photo to our MEMBERS PHOTO ALBUM.  We also invite you to show off your family by submitting photo's for our MEMBERS FAMILY ALBUM.  All you grandparents send us those photos' of your grandchildren for our BRAG ALBUM.  E-mail photos to dverner48@sbcglobal.net  Please add me to FREAK PHOTOï ABLUM in e-mail subject line.

 http://www.canastafreaks.com/PhotoAblum/photo_album.html

FREAK RECIPES

Please submit your FAVORITE RECIPES to dverner48@sbcglobal.net to be added to our RECIPE PAGE.  Please add to FREAK RECIPE� in e-mail subject line.  http://www.rocee428.freeyellow.com/recipes.htm

   LEAGUE RULES

1.     We do not allow any sexually explicit language. Even after midnight, Case's time, when there are only adults playing, and occasional "adult issues" come up, no foul or obscene language may be used. This is a league for all ages of players, and appropriate "clean" language is expected at all times.

2.     We do not allow rude talk, which means: any arguing in the lobby, no upsetting other people in the lobby (members or non-members), any attacking or upsetting Tds (tournament directors). If there is a dispute or problem, please realize that the host will make the best decision he/she can at the time, trying to be fair to all. The Tds here are all volunteers of different experience levels who host tourneys, giving up their own free time to allow other members to play.

1. We ask that all conflict between players be taken outside of the public lobby. Please take the issue to a table or instant messenger and discuss it with the tour director. If necessary for you to feel the issue is adequately addressed, please request a Head Td. (We have HTds and Administrators on call 24 hours a day). If no satisfactory resolution can be obtained, then the director's call will stand and play will continue. Please refer to the Staff IM page and the league's main page for email and IM addresses, we are here to help
    

1. ALL games are played with a 60 second timer. If a player gets frozen or booted from the table or room, they are put on 10 minute timer instead (5 minutes if playing in another game). The timer is not off until they are actually playing at the assigned table. Extensions do not count against a player if they are asking game related questions of the host or waiting on the host. Players are allowed 2 extensions on timers of either type; on the 3rd extension/timer the player will be disqualified. Please do not take "timing out" or "dqing" (disqualifying) personally. It happens to us all. We follow guidelines to ensure that the tournament runs as smoothly as possible and is fair to waiting players as well.
    

1. We do not play rated games. In this league, our games are all about having fun and we work to maintain that fun-loving attitude.  
    

1. Both players are responsible for checking that the table is set correctly. If a table is set incorrectly, the host will ask for it to be reset. At this time scores are not kept and the game starts over. The Rules Page covers the proper way to set a table. The only time a score is carried over is when a Pogo glitch is the change. Writing down scores after each hand is helpful when Pogo glitches occur.
    

1. When hosts assign pairings they will assign tables as well. The host will say something similar to Player1 v Player 2 Table 6 -- That means the game is to be played on table 6 and Player 1 is to set. The player's name that appears first in the pairing is the one who sets the table.
    

1. When you jump a tour please be in the lobby at the start time. Also, please watch the lobby for instructions from your host for game rules, pairings, etc.... If you are not in the room or not responding to the host you will be placed on a 10 minute timer (only 5 minutes if in another game). It is the player's responsibility to be ready to play on time.
    

1. All games must be played until the final score is totaled and winner is determined. Leaving a game before the game is over results in a forfeit. Leaving games before the final score is determined will result in "being boxed" after 3 such forfeits. We expect good sportsmanship between players, win or lose.
    

1. Please feel free to jump as many tournaments as you want. We love having players :-) But if you are still in a previous tour when the next is about to start please remove yourself or ask the host to do it. You may not be in 2 tournaments at the same time. If you are in finals of the previous tour an exception is made and you may jump the next tour. However, if you are still playing when it is your turn
    you will be placed on 5 minute timer. Purposely "dqing" in the first will result in a "dq" for the second.
    

1. Only Hosts may watch a game. We do not allow people other than the game host to watch games in progress. Occasionally a HTD or Admin may come to the tables to help settle disputes if the host requests them to intervene.
    

1. During a Doubles Tourney (2v2), if your partner is missing he/she will be placed on a 10 minute timer. During that time you and the host may look for
2. someone to substitute for them. When a sub is playing, the timer will be suspended. Subs may not be a playing in another tour at the same time. Subs are not allowed if your partner is in the room or in another game.
    

1. If you are "boxed" for any reason you may not compete in any tours for the duration of the boxing. If you are put in 2 times, on the 3rd "boxing" offense, you will be removed from the league.
    

1. If the HA gets 3 or more suspects saying they believe you are cheating with instances to prove it you will be banned from the league.
    

1. Your ladder name and your pogo name must match.  If the two names are not the same and you join a tour the host will remove you form the tour till you correct your names.

CASES AND LEAGUE LINKS

Check them out:  All information a FREAK may ever need is found here.