Alas, alack!
The report I received from the Denver NABC indicated that the mandated ZT announcements were not made before each session. I can draw no other conclusions but that the TDs do not want to make the ZT announcements and do not support ZT. Is it because they consider the ZT procedure too time-consuming? How much time would the following scenario take?:
Director, please!
Director arrives.
East tells the director that North called West “stupid”
Director asks North if this is true.
North answers “Yes”
Director says “I’m assigning an immediate 1/4 of a board penalty – another instance of this and you will have to leave the game”.
20 seconds? 30 seconds?
Or is it that Section 6 of the ACBL ZT policy
“The DIC shall provide a summary report of all behavioral penalties to the Tournament Chairman and/or Recorder.”
would require the DIC to spend some time filling out a summary report?
There must be a reason why season after season………
Subscribe to our feed
Bridge-related
My guess is the instruction, “The DIC SHALL…report…” violates the DIC’ version of Zero Tolerance on the job.
More seriously, most tournaments operate very loosely. Why not have procedures as sports does. Entry selling ends at a stated time. Directos reseat/reseed and activate the BridgeMates so there is nothing else to do when play actually starts. Late entries have time to fill out convention cards to comply with the rules.
Require directors to observe on table calls that each partnership has 2 convention cards completely filled out. If not, hand them SAYC cards to use until they both completely fill out a card. These cards are for opponents to use and is a basic rule of competing. Your name is not on the baseball lineup at pregame, you do not play.
We are competing in all flights. Let us formalize following the rules.
Paul, this is just one more, in a long list of complaints and grievances the dues paying members chalk up as failures in the operation of the ACBL It is one thing to tease your partner for a numbskull play or bid .. but an opponentsr? Hardly. Even worse to me is an unsolicited criticism of a ‘kibitzer’ pointing out an overlooked option. Believe me, it happens more than we care to admit.
I must confess , in “these here parts” we have been blessed with an abundance of polite, tactful, sensitive directors who know how to handle the situations with aplomb and class. I cannot speak for how they handle like situation elsewhere.
HOWEVER, ZERO TOLERENCE, SHOULD BE HONORED AND ABIDED BY .. REGARDLESS OF THE VENUE. It should be routine as counting your cards.
Paul, you are such a credit to the game. I love what you
represent!
Cheers,
Judy
Hi Judy,
Your kind words made my day – only hope I can live up to them.
Paul
Paul,
Although we are rather new pen pals, I always fight for what I believe is right and speak up loud and clear when I am diisappointed. The ABCL
Has faltered in their support of ZT .. Especially on their reneging on their latest promise for the directors to work with you. Disappointing .. But maybe they can alter their plan. Waiting and wishing are our only options,
Dear Paul
Thank you for these comments. I recently had the Play Nice cards made and added them to our bidding boxes but find they are pooh-poohed by the older very experienced players. They seem to accept bad behavior as the norm. Our club is actively recruiting new members and are trying to tone down the culprits.