The Ranking System!

MyLeague has one of the simplest ranking systems ever used for competitive play. The concept was adopted from the ranking system used on the official Case's Ladders. We call it a "Ladder" because each member holds a unique rank or "rung" that represents their standing among other members. The highest-ranked member holds the #1 Ladder position; for example, someone ranked #2 is ranked below the #1 member. The goal is to "climb" the Ladder all the way to the top!

• When you first join, you are placed in an "Unranked" category on the League.
• You become "Ranked" after winning your first League match. (Unranked members may play each other, and the winner becomes ranked at the bottom of the League.)
• When you defeat a higher-ranked member, you move up in rank 50% the distance between their rank and your own.
  • Example: If you are ranked #50 and you beat the #1 ranked member, then your new rank would be 25.
• Your rank on the League does not go down if you lose a match unless your opponent is ranked DIRECTLY below you.
  • Example: If you are ranked #5 and the #6 ranked member defeats you, then your new rank would be #6.
• When members ranked below you are victorious against members ranked above you, it's possible the member will jump over you in rank and you will move down one rung. This depends on the ranks involved.
  • Example(per 50% rank gain): You are currently ranked #7. If the #10 ranked member defeats the #1 ranked member, then #10 will advance to the #5 rung and you will fall to the #8 rung.

Account Rules

• League Names
  • If your League name is deemed offensive or contains profanity, your account may be removed.
  • If your League name is deemed abusive towards another member, your account may be removed.
  • You can edit your League name by using the 'My Account' tab and choosing the 'Edit Username' option. If you have problems changing your League name, please use the 'Contact Admin' link, located on the 'Support' tab.
• E-mail Address
  • Your E-mail address must be kept current at all times, in case you need to be contacted. You can use the 'Edit E-mail Address' link on the 'My Account' tab to edit your E-mail address.
• Password Security
  • You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your password.
  • You are not permitted to share your password with anyone for any reason.
• Inactivity
  • In order to keep the League as dynamic as possible, your account will be automatically deleted if you are inactive for 180 days. However, one of the features of our Premium Membership Program is never being deleted for inactivity. Information regarding our Premium Membership Program can be found here.
• Multiple Accounts
  • Only one account is allowed per person. There are no exceptions to this rule.
  • It is forbidden for more than one person to use or share the same account.
  • Multiple accounts from the same location will be investigated and possibly removed.

Challenges

Note: Please consult the Admin staff regarding whether or not League challenges are permitted for this League.

A challenge is defined as a request for a match with a higher-ranked member. Whether you are the challenger or the one being challenged, there are some rules that must be followed. Violating these rules may result in penalties. If you notice anyone violating these rules, please contact the Admin staff.

• Chat
  • The best way to find League matches is to announce in chat that you are looking for a League match so that other members will know you are interested in League-play. You can also directly challenge a specific member in chat.
• Formal Challenges
  • Most Leagues permit the use of Formal Challenges. A complete overview of the Formal Challenge system can be found here.
• 3 time(s) Per Day
  • You may play the same member 3 time(s) per day. However, you may play as many different members as you would like on any given day. A "MyLeague" day begins at 12:00 a.m. Pacific Time.
• Verify Information
  • We recommend you ensure a potential opponent is also a member of the League before starting your match. You can do this very easily by searching for your opponent using the 'Search for Players' tool.

Playing a Match

Once you are ready to start playing a League match, there are some guidelines governing game play that you should keep in mind.

• Opponents
  • You are not allowed to report losses to another member that also plays from the same computer as you. Our security software will detect this activity if it is attempted, and participating accounts may be penalized or removed.
• Sportsmanship
  • The same rules that apply to behavior in chat (covered in a later section) also apply during matches.

Reporting the Match

Once your match is completed, the loser of the match is responsible for reporting the loss immediately. You can report your matches using the 'Report Loss' button located on the 'Standings' tab. Please note the 'Report Loss' link should only be used for League matches and not for tournament matches; you should consult the TD with any questions regarding reporting tournament matches. If you have any problems reporting a loss, you should contact the Admin staff and request assistance.

• Reporting the Loss
  • In one-on-one matches, the loser of the match reports the loss to the winner.
  • In partner matches, each member of the losing team reports a loss to both partners of the winning team. At the end of the match, you would either gain two wins or report two losses.
  • In "free for all" matches (matches in which multiple opponents are competing against each other without partners), each loser of the match must report a loss to one overall winner.
  • When playing matches with more than one opponent, it is important for losses to be reported in the proper order if rank will be affected by the order of report. You must report to the better-ranked opponent first in those cases. It is your responsibility to make sure you report in the correct order when necessary. Not doing so may result in penalty.
• Unreported Matches
  • If your opponent does not report their loss within one hour after completing the match or prior to starting another match, you should click on the "Contact Admin" link and then use the "Unreported Match" form.

Tournaments

The rules for a Tournament are determined by the Tournament Director hosting the event. You will find a summary of each individual Tournament, including a Rules page, if you follow the link for that specific Tournament.

League-Specific Rules

Game Specific Rules for the Hearts (VU Games) Ladder

If any of these rules, here under "Game Specific Rules", appear to be in conflict with anything stated elsewhere in other sections of the rules, then the rule in this section takes precedence.

Ladder Names

Ladder name and VU Games chat names must match exactly. Even though the system supports the use of alt key characters, do not use them for chat or ladder names.

Designated Play Area

All ladder matches must be played in the "New Competitive Room". The ONLY exception is if the room is not available.

Under no circumstances may VU Games ladder matches be played on another game server such as Zone or Yahoo.

Legal Game

Top 20: Use ladder room defaults as follows: Game to 100, queen breaks hearts, no hearts on 1st trick. A 50 point game can be played for anyone not in top 20, as long as it's advertised as such.

Official Start of Game

A game of hearts is considered started once the two of clubs has been played. No challenge will take precedence over the seated players at that time.

Tie Breakers

If two or three players are tied for first place at the end of a game, a tie breaker must be played immediately and the game is not considered over until the tiebreaker is finished. If a player loses connection or leaves before the tie breaker is completed, it is treated the same as leaving before the game is over and only a 5 minute wait is required. You default if you don't or can't play the tiebreaker.

To play the tie breaker, only the tied players should reseat at the table, with bots filling any empty seats, and play a short game to 25 points (bot scores included, low human wins). If there is still a tie between any two of the humans upon a seat reaching 25 points, all continue playing until that first time that a hand ends with one human player as the winner.

Disconnected Players

3 or 4 players:

In the event of a disconnection, for the first two times that a player loses connection during a game, the remaining players must hold the seat for at least 5 minutes to give the booted player a chance to return before replacing with a bot. Then, if the booted player does not return, they must continue playing the game with the bot.

Games may not be aborted and MUST continue with the bot playing for the departed player. If any other player quits before completing the game with the bot, he/she must report losses in accordance with the quitting rule.

The only exception to this is when a player loses connection during the first hand. Then, only if ALL players remaining at the table unanimously agree, it is permitted to reseat and restart the game with another player. If this is done, the booted player is not obligated to report a loss since he/she is no longer a participant in the game.

A player who lost connection gets the win if the bot that finishes in his/her seat wins and had played less than all of the last two full hands. (When a player was booted right after the 2 of clubs is led, the bot did not play "all" of that hand.) It is a loss if the bot played for all of the last two hands or longer, with the second place player getting credit for the win in this event.

Once continuing with the computer the booted player has 3 hands to return to table before losing his seat permanently.

If all players agree, booted player may return after 3 complete hands. However players are under no obligation to do so.

Booted player owes report to winner only.

1x1:

Remaining player should wait a minimum of 10 minutes for opponent to return. After 10 minutes the remaining player may choose to leave the game. Failure to wait at least 10 minutes, terminates the remaining player's right to claim win from booted player.

If clearly losing, the booted player owes a report to remaining player.

Substitutes for booted players are not permitted under any circumstances.

Server Crash

In the event that the entire server goes down, and no one can return, the game is considered null, and rematch scheduled at a later time.

Top 20 Challenges

Top twenty challenges must take priority over any other challenges issued to top twenty players. If you have multiple top twenty challenges at the same time, games must be given to the highest rank first.

Valid Challenges

A challenge is only valid if done according to the following guidelines:

All challenges must be made in lobby when challenger and high rank are free.

No challenges may be made at table while game is in progress.

No challenges via PM or other messaging services.

Use of the invite option is not a valid challenge. Invite may only be used after a lobby challenge has been accepted in the lobby.

The challenger must have auto-decline turned off when challenging to facilitate high rank setting up the game.

If the challenger does not turn off auto-decline after three requests by the high rank, the high rank may take the next highest challenger available.

Top Ten

The top 10 positioned players must play all top twenty challenges in the rank order of challenges made by players (if present and challenging). When two (2) Top 10s are in a game together each player should have the right to choose one of the other two (2) players.

Play in rank order as much as possible, but do not hold up playing because person directly below you is not in the room. It is unrealistic to expect to play people in the exact order of rank.

Even if you agree to play a specific player next, if a higher rank comes into room, is available to play, and challenges you, you must accept that challenge.

It is recommended that when ready to play that you ask for ranks in the lobby and take highest available rank.

Camping for up games is not allowed. If you are challenged and are free you should accept the challenge. The only exceptions are as follows:

If you are there to play a challenge match arranged via email for a specific time, you will announce the scheduled time of match. If the opponent does not arrive within 10 minutes of that scheduled time, you must accept challenges.

If the player directly above or below you is playing, but is almost finished with game, you may wait for them to finish and play. Almost through is defined as any player being within 13 points of reaching 100. NOTE: This rule only applies to a rank threatening matches. Example: Number 5 can use the rule to wait for #4 or #6. He can not use it to wait for #3.

Table Settings

The high ranked player chooses a table once a challenge is accepted.

Once everyone has been seated tables options should be set to by invitation. Watchers must be permitted in games involving Top 20. However high rank may opt to mute watchers. If a ladder op requests to speak at the table, mute must be turned off.

Number One Versus Number Two

Top 1-2 challenges must be played at the earliest possible time. This match is no different from any other in that it should be issued in chat and played on the spot. If you wish to setup a time to play in the future that is fine, but rank threatening matches to either player cannot be avoided or postponed based on the time scheduled to play this match.

Priority

If you are a Case's Ladder Player ranked in the Top 10 your first priority is to accept your challenges from Case's Ladder Players before other "league or ladder" games are played. You cannot tell any Case's Ladder Player that they have to wait until you play other "league or ladder" games. Case's Ladder games have priority over any other "ladder or league" games. If Case's Ladder games are not your priority you should ask for a rank reduction and make other "ladder or league" games your priority.

Challenges Prior to a Tournament (Added 12/12/02)

If you are challenged to a ladder match within 25 minutes prior to a tournament you should accept the challenge made to you, unless you have already registered in the tourney.

Away From Keyboard (Added 08/13/07)

Players must remove their name from the lobby chat when they are unavailable to accept challenges.


Top Ten

The purpose of the League is to climb to the top and the competition for the rungs in the Top Ten is high. As such, we have special rules that apply for members in the Top Ten.

• Inactivity
  • Members in the Top Ten must play a League match at least once every 2 days; otherwise, you will be automatically dropped five rungs and your inactivity counter is reset. There are no exceptions to this rule.

Expected Behavior

As a member of MyLeague, you are representing the League, the Admin staff, and all other members when you are participating on a MyLeague. It's part of your responsibility as a member to act in a respectable manner within your League community.

• Avatars
  • The rules of common decency should be followed when uploading images to use as avatars. Inappropriate avatars may be removed without warning or notification.
• Cheating
  • If you believe your opponent is cheating, then you should contact the Admin staff.
• Abuse
  • It is forbidden to abuse or harass another League member.
  • It is important to remember that two wrongs do not make a right. If you are being harassed by another League member, contact the Admin staff for assistance. Do not take matters into your own hands or return the abuse, or you could be penalized as well.
• Nice Guy Rule
  • Please note that behavior guidelines govern all methods of communication. This includes chat, E-mail, message forums, instant messenger services, etc. Treat other members with respect!

Fill in the Blank

Although we have tried to be as detailed as possible, we can't cover every aspect of gaming in our rules. Please be advised that just because something is not stated in our rules and policies, then that does not mean it is allowed. Use common sense. If it is something that will adversely affect other members and you might think twice about it, then it's probably against the rules. The Admin staff will have the final say in such matters. If you have a specific question please feel free to contact us via E-mail.