If this site is not already "Bookmarked”, or saved to your Internet browser “Favorites“, please do that now; all players use the Home Page frequently! From the Home Page, you can change ladder name, password, and e-mail address and it shows Standings, other league stats, league-related news, and has several other tools.

HEAT plays in Beginner Lounge 2. There is a direct link to our room on the Home Page. Feel free to contact any staff member if you ever have problems getting to our gameroom.

Take some time to read these basic instructions. There are several great tips here. Also, navigate the Home Page to familiarize yourself with what the information is, and where the tools are.

LEAGUE GAMES: In addition to playing tourneys, you can also play what are called "league games". These are rated or unrated spades games with 3 other league members. These games are always played on NO FF Tables, just like tourneys. Any member who FF’s another league member during a league match faces disciplinary action. DNil can be played if all players agree prior to the game. If all players do not agree beforehand, DNil is not allowed. After completion of a league game, the losing players "reports the loss” to the league ladder. On the left "LINKS" menu, use the REPORT LOSS feature for this purpose - OR - you can use the Report Loss box near the bottom of the league Home Page.You must enter your league ID as the loser of the match and the exact league IDs of both winning players or you will get an error message. It is always a good idea to ask winning players to wait for you to immediately report your loss. If you agree to a league game and do not report losses, you could be penalized by the league.

FIND A PLAYER: Use this to find league members. You can type in a player's name, or part of their name, and search the league data base to see if they are a member of the league.

DAILY RESULTS: This is the area where Daily News and Results are posted.

STANDINGS: All members are ranked on the league ladder and are shown on this page. There are many options in pull down boxes at the top of this page to view different things. It shows members’ win/loss records, ratings, and stats. It also shows Ladder Bux and some other information.

TOURNAMENT CALENDAR: Scheduled tourneys are listed here. You can browse dates and times for the tourneys you want to play, see what each tourney is, and register for tourneys via the tourney calendar. Simply click on any tourney that you want to join - this will bring you to the tourney main page. From there, click the Register link and follow the steps outlined below.

REGISTERING FOR A TOURNEY: First, a "jump” number is league terminology for a tourney number, and there are different shortcut boxes where you can use the “jump number” to register for tourneys.

If the tourney is 1v1, the quickest registration is to use the shortcut box on the Home Page. Or, from each tourneys main page, click Register, enter your ladder name and password. You must always click in the box that you have read and agree to the tourney rules, then click Register.

If you are registering for a 2v2 tourney, there are registration options:

The simplest and fastest registration for a 2v2 tourney is Auto Team Locator. This allows you to join a tourney without a partner and you will be automatically paired with another player who has also joined the tourney on “Auto”. To register on Auto, click in the bubble next to Auto Team Locator, enter your ladder name and password, “check” the rules box and click Register.

If you are MAKING a new team, click Register, click in the bubble next to Start New Team, make up a team name of your choice, create a team password, enter your ladder name and your league password, “check“ the rules box, then click Register. HINT: You should always use an easy-to-remember team password, such as 123, or abc, or the first 3 letters of your league ID, so it is easy for your partner to remember. There is no need for complicated team passwords because they are only used for one specific tournament and then are deleted. There is no identity protection associated with a team password - always keep it simple. Once you have created your new team, pass along the team name and team password to your partner. The TD can always help you find a partner if you let them know in the lobby, in advance of a tournament.

If you are joining a team that a player/partner has already created, click in the bubble next to Join Team, use the pull down arrow to find your team name, highlight it, tab down and enter the team password given by your partner, or the TD. Enter your ladder name and password, “check” the rules box and click Register.

There is also a shortcut box for joining 2v2 tourneys on the Main Page. It is located just below this scrolling text and marked “TOURNEY #”. Simply enter the “jump“ number, and click Jump and follow the above instructions for joining on Auto, making a team, or joining a team.

RULES: From each main tourney page is a link that says Rules. This will link you to the rules for that specific tournament. These will be the rules, in addition to the League Rules, that the TD uses when rendering a decision on any disputes. It is each player’s responsibility to read and understand all rules for each tourney that they join and play.

TEAMS: Also on each tournament page, this link allows you to see players and teams that have joined the tourney. You can use this page to follow along as the TD is hosting. To keep this page current, this page must be refreshed from your toolbar. As the tourney progress, you can watch to see what the TD is doing as they advance players, etc.

CHECK IN: If you register for a tourney before the TD opens the Check In, you will have to Check In before you play. To do this, simply click the link that says TEAMS/CHECK IN and enter your team password, or if it is a 1v1 tournament, enter your ladder password. That completes your Check In process for that tourney.

WITHDRAWING FROM TOURNEY: Click Register, enter name of player or team, enter password, “check” the rules box and click WITHDRAW. This removes you from the tourney. For quicker removal from a tourney, you can ask the TD in the lobby to "drop” you.

BYE: A bye means that a player advanced to the next round without playing. It is a free win. The ladder automatically gives “preferences” to the highest ranked players in each tournament and those players are automatically advanced (given a bye) if there are an uneven number of players registered for the tournament.

MESSAGE FORUMS: This is the league bulletin board and there may be information there you want to read. All members are allowed to post comments, suggestions, etc. on the Message Forum.

BUY MEMBERSHIP: You can buy a Gold, Platinum or Diamond Membership. This link discusses all the necessary information and benefits of the Premium Memberships.

USER EDITOR: This tool allows you to change your ladder name, password and your email address associated with your league ID. You may only have one league name or account. Cases rules prohibit leagues from having duplicate accounts and all duplicate player accounts are deleted. Creating duplicate accounts will subject the member to disciplinary action by the league.

WITHDRAW: This allows you to completely withdraw from the league.

PENALTY BOX: Violations of league rules and policies will get you “boxed”. Being boxed removes your ability to play in tourneys or league games, in addition to temporarily losing other “membership privileges” until you have served your penalty time. “Box time” is determined by league staff and is never subject to discussion in open forum. A player that causes disruption by arguing about “box time” is subject to increased penalty time and ultimately being banned from the league. If you think you have been treated unfairly, calmly and privately speak with a League Admin to discuss the situation. If no Admin is available, the player is expected to wait and not cause any problems! Remember, we are here for fun - etiquette, respect, and good sportsmanship are expected at all times. Lobby and/or table disruption will not be tolerated for any reason.

TOURNEY TYPES:

Single Elimination = one loss means tourney elimination.

Double Elimination = two losses means tourney elimination.

Swiss allows you to continue playing even after losses. It is played either until only one team is undefeated (Regular Swiss) or by a set number of rounds with the best win/loss record determining the winner (True Swiss).

REGISTERING FOR OTHER PEOPLE: Just don’t do it! And, don’t ask other people to register you for tourneys - it’s never a good idea to give anyone your league password for any reason - it is a violation of our league rules and can result in being permanently banned from the league.

BUX OR LADDERBUX: Fake money that is used for tourney registration and BUX are given for tourney winnings. The more you play, the more you can win. Premium Membership(s) increase your tourney winnings!

The Admin Team monitors Ladderbux and will make sure that everyone has enough BUX to play all the tourneys they want to play. Review the Standings page to monitor your BUX, OR, use the "Tourney Bux Log" link from the Main Page to see a detailed account of what you have spent and won, and your balance. Please don’t ever hesitate to let any staff member know if you need BUX.