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Treatment to new players about serious UI


MinorKid

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Most clubs I am familiar with allow visitors without vetting them in advance.

 

Of course they do, but it is very rare that a pair of novices turn up at a club that is not their own.

Much more likely that they are taking a course with the same club, or at least that some club official invited them to play.

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I'm surprised that a competent director would even consider giving a ruling that is not according to the laws. :(

Slightly OT:

Many years ago I was called to an irregularity involving among the players one of the absolute top directors at that time.

I no longer remember the actual case other than being a matter of TD judgement.

 

My ruling went against that player, a bit lenient on the less experienced pair, and I added: "This is such a case where I rule differently in 1st and 5th division".

 

My fellow TD burst into a laughter exclaiming that she had absolutely no problem with that.

 

This annual event at Christmas time was one of the most popular we had with participation from absolutely top level to "below average".

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Of course they do, but it is very rare that a pair of novices turn up at a club that is not their own.

Much more likely that they are taking a course with the same club, or at least that some club official invited them to play.

Although I can describe an exception that proves the rule.

 

A few years ago a woman showed up at our club out of the blue. She'd never played bridge before, nor even took a class, but she knew "bridge whist", which I guess is one of the forms of the game from the transition from whist to bridge. Someone gave her a brief explanation of the rudiments, and we allowed her to sit in and play and try to figure it out as she went. We recommended some books she could read and suggested she take our class that January.

 

She ended up playing pretty regularly for a while, but then disappeared.

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Although I can describe an exception that proves the rule.

 

A few years ago a woman showed up at our club out of the blue. She'd never played bridge before, nor even took a class, but she knew "bridge whist", which I guess is one of the forms of the game from the transition from whist to bridge. Someone gave her a brief explanation of the rudiments, and we allowed her to sit in and play and try to figure it out as she went. We recommended some books she could read and suggested she take our class that January.

 

She ended up playing pretty regularly for a while, but then disappeared.

 

Here if someone turns up out of the blue and has never played we would try to talk them into joining a course or watching a tournament to see what it is all about. If she knew the rudiments we would also pair her off with a tutor to play in the more tolerant Friday tournament, which doesn't have a real TD anyway. But we wouldn't allow her to play with another beginner or to play in a real competitive tournament where you must have a licence anyway.

The dividing line is club membership which entails a significant annual fee, so people who aren't really hooked or have had mixed experiences will often disappear when payment arises.

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My ruling went against that player, a bit lenient on the less experienced pair, and I added: "This is such a case where I rule differently in 1st and 5th division".

 

 

 

I have some recollection of my inaugural session. I had accumulated a couple dozen hands over the lunch table and read a Goren cheat sheet. It so happened that I fortunately had stumbled into the strongest 45 table game for 5-600 miles. At least half were sharks. I was paired with a Norwegian International. And for all the nervous trepidation it was a good time.

 

But if the TD had said, "This is such a case where I rule differently in 1st and 5th division." it would have been the last session. Actually, it almost was the last session because after the scores were posted what was said was, 'You have a lot of talent.' Which I translated as solicitous manipulation.

 

There is much dignity in being treated as a bridge player; which is lost when treated as a piece of meat.

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But we wouldn't allow her to play with another beginner or to play in a real competitive tournament where you must have a licence anyway.

Hm. Who issues these licenses? How much do they cost?

 

The concept of a license to play bridge surprises me, but then so did the concept of a license to watch television when I lived in England. :blink:

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Hm. Who issues these licenses? How much do they cost?

 

The concept of a license to play bridge surprises me, but then so did the concept of a license to watch television when I lived in England. :blink:

 

Licenses are issued by the national federation, as in all Olympic sports, to which Bridge is equated.

You can't play in a federal club or event without having a federal licence, and you can't currently get a licence without being a member of a club.

The licence doesn't demonstrate any level of ability, just commitment and verified identity.

IIRC a club pays 500 Euros annual affiliation to the federation independent of it's membership.

Each member of a club pays annual membership which includes the fee for a federal licence.

The licence fee varies between 20 Euros for a beginner or someone who can only play social games in his own club, to 50 Euros to be able to play in any club and up to regional championships, to 100 Euros to compete at any level.

So the annual membership fee for a beginner varies from about 50 Euros to 120 Euros according mainly to size of club and whether or not it pays rent.

About 30 Euros a year more for a competitive player.

But actual play costs less than many countries, a national simultaneous tournament is usually around 6 Euros often with the possibility of winning modest cash prizes.

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I think converting to 1S was a very lenient penalty. By standard , it can be treated as simular as intentional exposed card by west prior to East's call, in which east must pass on that round (penalty under L24) but instead she made a bid, violating obligation by law to pass(L37B). If south does not call nor accept the infraction, then EW will be slienced for the whole auction. Futhermore , such enforced withdrawn should attract lead restriction penalty on both partners.(one for exposed "cards" & one for withdrawn call undet L37)!

 

It is a matter way beyond civil law 16 can handle. But L16 can be brought into if applicable.

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I think converting to 1S was a very lenient penalty. By standard , it can be treated as simular as intentional exposed card by west prior to East's call

 

No, it can't. An exposed card could be named by one of the other players at the table.

 

, in which east must pass on that round (penalty under L24) but instead she made a bid, violating obligation by law to pass(L37B). If south does not call nor accept the infraction, then EW will be slienced for the whole auction. Futhermore , such enforced withdrawn should attract lead restriction penalty on both partners.(one for exposed "cards" & one for withdrawn call undet L37)!

 

It is a matter way beyond civil law 16 can handle. But L16 can be brought into if applicable.

 

You can't just make stuff up to suit yourself.

 

Having now read your edited original post, I should also say that nor can the TD make stuff up on a whim.

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Clearly the solution is to let the pair continue to do this until they've been playing for a year or two, and then take them out in the back yard and shoot them in the head.

 

 

"That's the stupidest way to raise a bridge player I've ever heard of!"

 

"True, but back in the 20th Century, that's how they raised their kids."

 

--- Robert Heinlein, Starship Troopers

 

Actually, Heinlein was talking about raising a puppy. Call it poetic license. B-)

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No, it can't. An exposed card could be named by one of the other players at the table.

 

I've realised this might not be very clear. What I mean is that if no-one at a table could name the card that is suggested has been "exposed", then it certainly wasn't. The player named part of his distribution, but no specific cards within the hand.

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Hm. Who issues these licenses? How much do they cost?

 

The concept of a license to play bridge surprises me, but then so did the concept of a license to watch television when I lived in England. :blink:

It sounds like it's something analogous to being an ACBL member.

 

But except for a handful of specific events, ACBL doesn't require you to be a member to play in their tournaments, although they often have a surcharge for non-members. Club games are generally even more lenient, it's quite common for non-members to play (but ACBL has incentive programs that encourage clubs to get their players to join ACBL).

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Licenses are issued by the national federation, as in all Olympic sports, to which Bridge is equated.

You can't play in a federal club or event without having a federal licence, and you can't currently get a licence without being a member of a club.

The licence doesn't demonstrate any level of ability, just commitment and verified identity.

IIRC a club pays 500 Euros annual affiliation to the federation independent of it's membership.

Each member of a club pays annual membership which includes the fee for a federal licence.

The licence fee varies between 20 Euros for a beginner or someone who can only play social games in his own club, to 50 Euros to be able to play in any club and up to regional championships, to 100 Euros to compete at any level.

So the annual membership fee for a beginner varies from about 50 Euros to 120 Euros according mainly to size of club and whether or not it pays rent.

About 30 Euros a year more for a competitive player.

But actual play costs less than many countries, a national simultaneous tournament is usually around 6 Euros often with the possibility of winning modest cash prizes.

 

Wow

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It sounds like it's something analogous to being an ACBL member.

 

But except for a handful of specific events, ACBL doesn't require you to be a member to play in their tournaments, although they often have a surcharge for non-members. Club games are generally even more lenient, it's quite common for non-members to play (but ACBL has incentive programs that encourage clubs to get their players to join ACBL).

 

This policy changed recently with the introduction of temporary memberships.

Now sectionals and regionals require you to be a member.

 

Not sure about STACs.

 

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