Would you act as a director?

[olegru]

Imagine you are by far the youngest player of the very small club and you are a playing director.

At the table next to yours, 86 year’s old, good but somehow demanding player, playing with ~55 years old beginner partner. Beginner visually stressed out to play with good partner and takes longer than necessary for each play. You already had to give them “late play” board on one of the first rounds.

 

Next to the last round, they play against two women. One of them ~70yo experienced, but not good; second, closer to 80yo, much better player, but became a little slow. Couple of weeks ago they were penalized for slow play by the different director.

 

You hear that younger women screams at the beginner opponent: “play the damn card already!” and older opponent says something like “let my partner think.” Nobody bother to ask for director. Would you intervene by your own or will ignore it for some time? (To make it worse you are in a middle of a slam action and don't want to disturb your 95 year old partner.)

 

If you decided to act, what would you do?

[pran]

Imagine you are by far the youngest player of the very small club and you are a playing director.

At the table next to yours, 86 year’s old, good but somehow demanding player, playing with ~55 years old beginner partner. Beginner visually stressed out to play with good partner and takes longer than necessary for each play. You already had to give them “late play” board on one of the first rounds.

 

Next to the last round, they play against two women. One of them ~70yo experienced, but not good; second, closer to 80yo, much better player, but became a little slow. Couple of weeks ago they were penalized for slow play by the different director.

 

You hear that younger women screams at the beginner opponent: “play the damn card already!” and older opponent says something like “let my partner think.” Nobody bother to ask for director. Would you intervene by your own or will ignore it for some time? (To make it worse you are in a middle of a slam action and don't want to disturb your 95 year old partner.)

 

If you decided to act, what would you do?

Sounds like a small club living in its own world.

Unless being called to the table I would let them continue their own life.

If they seriously disturb other tables with their noise I might at some convenient time calmly ask them to try keeping their voices down.

[helene_t]

I might have a word with them individualy at convenient times, maybe before the next session.

[gordontd]

You really need to be there to judge the fine details of these sorts of situations, but from the description I would certainly do something. At the very least I would tell the player that it's not acceptable to talk to her opponent like that.

[Vampyr]

It seems that some people in this very elderly club have trouble keeping up. Perhaps they should be permitted more time per board?

[gordontd]

It seems that some people in this very elderly club have trouble keeping up. Perhaps they should be permitted more time per board?

It was the youngest player at the table who seemed to be slow.

[Vampyr]

It was the youngest player at the table who seemed to be slow.

 

The 80-y-o is apparently slow too.

[ggwhiz]

A simple "keep it down and play nice" should do. Either that or call a C&E committee.

 

How competitive is a CLUB where a partnership of a combined 150+ years gets a slow play penalty?

[olegru]

I might have a word with them individualy at convenient times, maybe before the next session.

It was my thought, did not worked out that time. In less in a minute issue escalated to serious conflict and club management had no choice but ban 70yo woman from the club. The purpose of the question was to understand how much it was my fault for not acting fast. (There is no complains from club management or members, I am trying to understand for myself if experienced director would act differently.)

 

It seems that some people in this very elderly club have trouble keeping up. Perhaps they should be permitted more time per board?

 

Some people have scheduled transportation home. We are trying to be as flexible as possible, but there is always conflict of interests.

 

The 80-y-o is apparently slow too.

Yes it was a reason for conflict. 70yo was already stressed out by slow play of her own partner but kept the stress inside; recognizing that her partner is older person and better player. The existence of second slow player at the table drove her up the wall and his status (relatively young, weak player and polite person) made it easy for her to express unhappiness. In different circumstances the conflict would die there, but this time novice had a partner with strong personality who felt obligated to defend him.

That was the last moment I probably could stop the conflict: her next reply was outrageous, his next reply was personal insult and after it she used strong words and left the club.

[barmar]

I expect that the director being the youngest person in the room is likely to be significant. These old people are not likely to take kindly to being lectured about proper deportment by a "young whippersnapper". But one of your jobs as Director is to keep the peace, so you need to say something.

 

I find their behavior quite surprising for experienced players. They've been playing for many years, they've never seen a player go into the tank? Especially beginners, who often think excessively even when there's nothing to think about, because they don't know enough to realize that.

 

This isn't kitchen-table bridge, table talk like this is just not done. I've been in countless situations where I wanted to scream something like that (often at partner), but it's never gotten past my lips.

 

On Sunday, Brad Moss took at least 10 minutes to follow to Kevin Bathurst's lead from dummy. It didn't really matter which card he played, as the contract was cold on the lie of the cards. He didn't know that, but Kevin probably did. But of course the players just sat there and let him take his time.

[axman]

 

Some people have scheduled transportation home. We are trying to be as flexible as possible, but there is always conflict of interests.

 

 

A way to provide more time per board when there is limited event time is to schedule fewer rounds.

[Vampyr]

A way to provide more time per board when there is limited event time is to schedule fewer rounds.

 

Yes, this is what I had I mind.

[Vampyr]

Does the club have enough money to pay a director? A non-playing director might be able to control the tempo a bit more.

[barmar]

Does the club have enough money to pay a director? A non-playing director might be able to control the tempo a bit more.

What makes you assume that a playing director is not being paid? We pay our director, but if an odd number of players show up, the director usually plays so the extra player doesn't have to go home.

[olegru]

A way to provide more time per board when there is limited event time is to schedule fewer rounds.

Seems like a big change to accommodate one or two slow players when everybody else are happy with speed. (We already give more time per board compare to regular clubs).

Does the club have enough money to pay a director? A non-playing director might be able to control the tempo a bit more.

Unfortunately not. It is not club for profit and our entry fee is ridiculously low. (We are providing hospitality, very small prizes, but no masterpoints).

[mycroft]

In most clubs in England, the payment for being the TD is that you get to play that game for free. Which seems, to me, to be a penalty on partner, who only gets half my attention. When I call someone to fill in with me while I run the game, or if you're playing with the "standby TD" as opposed to going home, half a partner isn't that big a deal.

 

I would expect that Vampyr just assumed those were the two, distinct, options.

[blackshoe]

Some years ago, one of the local club owners slipped on a patch of ice and broke her back. So I agreed to run her Friday night game until she got better. I didn't get paid — I was told to keep the profit. Unfortunately there wasn't any. :)

[Vampyr]

In most clubs in England, the payment for being the TD is that you get to play that game for free. Which seems, to me, to be a penalty on partner, who only gets half my attention. When I call someone to fill in with me while I run the game, or if you're playing with the "standby TD" as opposed to going home, half a partner isn't that big a deal.

 

I would expect that Vampyr just assumed those were the two, distinct, options.

 

I did; "playing director" implied, in my mind, a volunteer rather than a paid director who was playing to fill in.