HBJ : Psychs often get under everyone’s skin for the following reason. In practice they are weapons which only good players really know how to handle….but here lies the rub…..surely good players don’t need to resort to below the belt punching when they are quite capable of inflicting KO’s with a few well aimed right hand jabs on the chin.
In my humble opinion psychs best belong to the cut and thrust world of big money rubber bridge, where as in poker bluff is an essential part of the game. And if there are to be used in bridge at any level, the tendency to use them or any other deviations needs to be disclosed on the system card as ” random unilateral possibilities “.
As for ZT tolerance policies these will always be flawed because as in law all cases need to be judged on their individual merits. If someone stands on and nearly crushes my foot I might well understandably swear, but that outburst should not suject me to a reprimand under ZT policy for foul language…..whereas to turn on an opponent using unwarranted abusive foul language is a diffirent kettle of fish.
In every incident of reported bad behaviour, THE ROOT CAUSE AND MOTIVES NEED TO BE LOOKED INTO AND CONSIDERED before implemented ZT disciplinary proceedings. This is what is known as fair and just procedure.

Dear Paul:

I agree with you wholeheartedly. Less attention to psyches and more focusing on the real, stealthy problems created by modern day bridge. Bobby and I have given our all, but the powers on high (the administration) seem to like the status quo.
Cerrtainly Convention Disruption should be given immediate attention but it rocks too many boats and rattles too many bigshots who like it just the way it is.

However, you have given it a good try. We’re behind you!

Judy

Well, in the words of the old Miller Lite commercial, I feel strongly both ways. That is, I support the right of players to psyche (just as I would support the right of players to falsecard), but I would also subscribe to the suggestion that players be required to report their psyches at the conclusion of play (just as players are required to then tell the opponents that their partner on defense missed an alert). Although I would not describe this practice as unethical, I do think players should try to refrain from psyching against highly inexperienced players.

As far as the other subjects you mention: (1) I also support you in enabling club players to submit to the unit recorder actions that violate ZT (and learned that that can’t happen when I tried to complain about an opponent who basically accused my partner of cheating, when my partner happened to make a poor bid that worked in our favor); and (2) I am not familiar with the issue of electing our District rep; in fact I thought that is done through election by the players in the district: am I wrong or does practice differ from one district to the next? Maybe I am wrong, because at least in my recent (perhaps feeble) memory, I do not recall voting on district rep and alternates although I definitely recall voting regularly on candidates for the unit board.

Hello Jeff,
You do vote for the members of your Unit Board, and it, along with each of the other Unit boards in your District, votes to elect the District representative to the ACBL board. There is no connection between the two elections, and thus the membership at large has no say in who gets elected to the ACBL board.

The vast majority of ACBL members do not care who is their BoD rep, they just want to play bridge.
Those who do care usually can make their wishes known with the Unit board members (or are board members themselves).

Hello Steve,

Thanks for the input – much appreciated!

Is it possible the reason ACBL members don’t care about who represents

them on the ACBL Board is that they don’t get to take part in the vote? I

hate to think that the vast majority simply don’t care at all.

Fiidnng this post solves a problem for me. Thanks!

That’s really thniikng out of the box. Thanks!

Isn’t she just the sweetest, tiniest thing? I can see how not being able to cuddle her would be heartbreaking. And I just love the idea of naming the giraffe after such a thoughtful, baby-knowing nurse.Sending all sorts of love and good thoughts to friends from MT. And I’ll go see about a few dollars, too.

It would be a mistake to underestimate the deliberateness of this administration's foreign policy. They are rejecting the traditional view by which you judge them, much as they reject traditional America itself. They are collectivists, globalists. They are certainly not aimless.

Simply a smiling visitor here to share the love (:, btw great pattern. “Justice is always violent to the party offending, for every man is innocent in his own eyes.” by Daniel Defoe.

Hi there friends, good article and nice urging commented here, I am in fact enjoying by these.