on being a TD

[Keene_JP]

Is it necessary to have passed the test and be certified by ACBL as director at the club level? LONG ago, the ACBL stated that (perhaps temporarily) it would not be. Our ACBL is expanding its games and we are thinking about another TD.

[barmar]

Clubs can do pretty much whatever they want.

[blackshoe]

Technically, as far as I'm aware, an ACBL club game should be directed by an ACBL certified Club (at least) Director. Practically, I'm pretty sure barmar's right -- the ACBL doesn't really care what clubs do, so long as they pay the vig on time.

[Vampyr]

Is ACBL director certification still just a test?

[jnichols]

Is ACBL director certification still just a test?

 

Yes - just a test - Open book

[pescetom]

Yes - just a test - Open book

 

Sounds rather inadequate.

 

Here it is 2 hours of multiple choice, with only the Laws and Regulations open book.

Plus 1 hour of responding to calls for director from a table of a sadistic examiners.

 

And that is for the lowest of four levels, enables you to direct pairs tournaments in your club.

[Vampyr]

Sounds rather inadequate.

 

Here it is 2 hours of multiple choice, with only the Laws and Regulations open book.

Plus 1 hour of responding to calls for director from a table of a sadistic examiners.

 

And that is for the lowest of four levels, enables you to direct pairs tournaments in your club.

 

Sounds rather inadequate.

 

Our club director course has three full days of tuition and simulations, a couple of tests and and an all-day assessment. We are also assessed on how fluently we give our spiel for an opening lead out of turn (this we are expected to do without the law book; for everything else we are expected to at least bring the book to the table. If you know the laws backwards it still looks more professional, and the player might want the law read out to her.)

 

When I took the ACBL test decades ago, you had to matchpoint an average and a fouled board. Do you still have to do that now? I understand that you will rarely have to do that nowadays, but it is still useful to know how the process works.

 

Unqualified people are allowed to direct; fortunately our local club has about half a dozen county directors and twice as many club directors, so there is always someone to consult with. This adds to the pool of directors, so no one has to do it too frequently. We also have a tournament director and a movements director, so it makes both roles a lot easier and increases the pool for both obviously, since someone who dislikes or is inadequate at one role is usually happy to do the other.

 

It is different at the virtual club, because the person (not the chairman but the IT guy who set up the virtual club) in charge does not trust too many people to do it right. So those of us who have been directing have so far done it once a month, but I think the pool is slowly increasing.

[jnichols]

Sounds rather inadequate.

 

Our club director course has three full days of tuition and simulations, a couple of tests and and an all-day assessment. We are also assessed on how fluently we give our spiel for an opening lead out of turn (this we are expected to do without the law book; for everything else we are expected to at least bring the book to the table. If you know the laws backwards it still looks more professional, and the player might want the law read out to her.)

 

When I took the ACBL test decades ago, you had to matchpoint an average and a fouled board. Do you still have to do that now? I understand that you will rarely have to do that nowadays, but it is still useful to know how the process works.

 

 

The ACBL offers a class, but it is not required. You only have to pass the test. You can use any materials you like, except for another person.

When I took the test about 20 years ago you still had to matchpoint a couple of travelers, I took the class about a year later and they had a new test - no travelers - much simpler.

 

 

[pescetom]

Sounds rather inadequate.

 

Our club director course has three full days of tuition and simulations, a couple of tests and and an all-day assessment. We are also assessed on how fluently we give our spiel for an opening lead out of turn (this we are expected to do without the law book; for everything else we are expected to at least bring the book to the table. If you know the laws backwards it still looks more professional, and the player might want the law read out to her.)

 

That actually sounds similar, adequate or not. We too require 3 full days of tuition and you would have no chance of passing our more stringent exam with less or without several evenings of study. We too are examined on our spiel for LOOT and other frequent situations.

[Vampyr]

That actually sounds similar, adequate or not. We too require 3 full days of tuition and you would have no chance of passing our more stringent exam with less or without several evenings of study. We too are examined on our spiel for LOOT and other frequent situations.

 

That doesn’t sound like what you said at first.

[pescetom]

That doesn’t sound like what you said at first.

You thought people just sat down for a 2 hour exam and hoped?

Or that an hour of calls to table would not examine spiel for common situations like LOOT or insufficient bid ?

[Vampyr]

You thought people just sat down for a 2 hour exam and hoped?

Or that an hour of calls to table would not examine spiel for common situations like LOOT or insufficient bid ?

 

The point here is that the ACBL qualification is JUST the test.

[blackshoe]

I had no formal training when I took the ACBL Club Director test some 25 years ago. There were 115 questions, and you had to get 80% I think. I missed three, and I still think two of those were poorly worded. :-)

[Vampyr]

You thought people just sat down for a 2 hour exam and hoped?

Yes, as in the ACBL.

Or that an hour of calls to table would not examine spiel for common situations like LOOT or insufficient bid ?

 

Insufficient buds are much more complicated to rule on now! I consider it a pity that this law has been so toned down that you rarely get penalised. One might as well try it on frequently to see if LHO is dozy.

 

It seems to me than the basic mechanics of the game are the least you can ask of people but unfortunately this is not the case anymore.

 

Remember the joke about how you could play in 5NT after a Blackwood enquiry? You just bid bid something insufficient, and if the opponent didn’t accept you could correct it to 5 Nt. Since one or both of the original and replacement bed was conventional, your partner was barred. Probably not really possible now with bidding boxes, unless you are one of those people who takes out one card at a time.

[pescetom]

Yes, as in the ACBL.

 

 

Insufficient buds are much more complicated to rule on now! I consider it a pity that this law has been so toned down that you rarely get penalised. One might as well try it on frequently to see if LHO is dozy.

 

It seems to me than the basic mechanics of the game are the least you can ask of people but unfortunately this is not the case anymore.

 

Remember the joke about how you could play in 5NT after a Blackwood enquiry? You just bid bid something insufficient, and if the opponent didn’t accept you could correct it to 5 Nt. Since one or both of the original and replacement bed was conventional, your partner was barred. Probably not really possible now with bidding boxes, unless you are one of those people who takes out one card at a time.

Our multiple choice exam has 60% (IIRC) pass with wrong answers counting negative, so just sitting down and trying would have little chance. Also some questions require interpretations of laws which were inculcated during the course (although I disagreed with one about insufficient bid - funny you should mention it - and knowingly answered 'wrongly' on principle).

 

The second level exam is basically a repeat of the first (rather sadistic) but with a higher pass rate and less tolerance for fluster or error at table. It enables you to direct inter-club team tournaments and to assist in higher level tournaments.

 

I'll let you know about the third level if I feel masochistic next year :)

[Vampyr]

It’s very strict in Italy, isn’t it, who can direct where. IIRC there were also rules about what duplicates or tournaments people could enter?

[pescetom]

It’s very strict in Italy, isn’t it, who can direct where. IIRC there were also rules about what duplicates or tournaments people could enter?

 

Very much so. As a first level director last year I could direct my own club. Now as a second level director I can direct inter-club team tournaments, direct provincial tournaments and assist in regional tournaments (a county is somewhere inbetween province and region). At third level I could direct regional tournaments and assist in national tournaments. If I ever reach fourth level (I have a friend who has failed three times) I could direct national tournaments and assist in international tournaments. All very logical, although arguably one level too many.

 

As players it's even more complex and I will spare you the details. There are 5 different levels of competitive license and 16 levels of ranking, recently reduced from 20. To enter any duplicate or tournament you need an appropriate level, to compete in nationals you need to do well in regional qualification, and so on. Italians are very competitive and love making rules :)

[pilowsky]

Very much so. As a first level director last year I could direct my own club. Now as a second level director I can direct inter-club team tournaments, direct provincial tournaments and assist in regional tournaments (a county is somewhere inbetween province and region). At third level I could direct regional tournaments and assist in national tournaments. If I ever reach fourth level (I have a friend who has failed three times) I could direct national tournaments and assist in international tournaments. All very logical, although arguably one level too many.

 

As players it's even more complex and I will spare you the details. There are 5 different levels of competitive license and 16 levels of ranking, recently reduced from 20. To enter any duplicate or tournament you need an appropriate level, to compete in nationals you need to do well in regional qualification, and so on. Italians are very competitive and love making rules :)

 

Not like the British at all.

[Vampyr]

Very much so. As a first level director last year I could direct my own club. Now as a second level director I can direct inter-club team tournaments, direct provincial tournaments and assist in regional tournaments (a county is somewhere inbetween province and region). At third level I could direct regional tournaments and assist in national tournaments. If I ever reach fourth level (I have a friend who has failed three times) I could direct national tournaments and assist in international tournaments. All very logical, although arguably one level too many.

 

As players it's even more complex and I will spare you the details. There are 5 different levels of competitive license and 16 levels of ranking, recently reduced from 20. To enter any duplicate or tournament you need an appropriate level, to compete in nationals you need to do well in regional qualification, and so on. Italians are very competitive and love making rules :)

 

Actually I am very interested in the levels of license and ranking. Could you direct me to a link (if there is one in English)?