[SoTired]

although i don't know for sure, i suspect that the purpose of the ban (electronic device ban, not just cell phones) is to protect the integrity of the event. It is done to prevent extra communication with a player. Rather than make the directors expert communication device detectors, they simply banned all electronic devices. Wouldn't it be terrible if someone rewired an IPod to communicate with an Ipod of a kibber to pass information about another players hand or teammates score? Since all the hands are duplicated across sections, the kibber would not even have to be in the same room. I think it is about time. Why wait for a scandal.

My brother lives in Las Vegas and came looking for me. When he couldn't find me, he decided to kib some GNT play. He remembered he had his cell phone on in his pocket, so he went into a corner of the room to turn it off. A director saw him and chased him out.

Chess has had some serious, embarrassing problems in this area many times.

[TimG]

SoTired, on Jul 29 2008, 10:50 PM, said:

Wouldn't it be terrible if someone rewired an IPod to communicate with an Ipod of a kibber to pass information about another players hand or teammates score? Since all the hands are duplicated across sections, the kibber would not even have to be in the same room. I think it is about time. Why wait for a scandal.

Wouldn't it be terrible if a kibitzer walked out of the room and spoke to a player? Why bother with the iPod rewiring (or cell phone using) when cheating is simple without them?

I don't think the boards are duplicated across sections in early rounds of the Spingold.

We've been over this, but the cell phone ban is merely a cosmetic attempt to appear to be protecting the integrity of the game. There are other measures, which would take more effort on the part of the ACBL, that would serve to actually protect the integrity of the game.

[JoAnneM]

From what I read in the Bulletin it sounded like ACBL volunteers were manning the "phone" booth so I may have been completely wrong when I said that ACBL was not collecting the money themselves on this venture. At this point I simply don't know. Since I am treasurer of the 2010 Reno NABC guess I'd better find out.

[Vilgan]

Most people I know just turned off the phone for early parts of national events and left it in the room for later parts. I think I would not mind the cell phone ban nearly as much if it felt like they had already addressed some problems that are significantly worse first (people playing different boards at different times).

[rbforster]

I know plenty of people who just carried their phones turned off in the game room. Of course there was no way to tell. In a non NABC event I had my phone in my pocket and it buzzed (vibrate mode) when someone tried to call me. No one at the table noticed.

[pclayton]

Rob F, on Jul 30 2008, 08:40 AM, said:

I know plenty of people who just carried their phones turned off in the game room. Of course there was no way to tell. In a non NABC event I had my phone in my pocket and it buzzed (vibrate mode) when someone tried to call me. No one at the table noticed.

In the non-NABC events I carried my cell phone too - and my iPod.

Some yahoo didn't like me wearing my iPod at the table so I took it off. No big deal.

[jmc]

I'm really curious how the yahoo expressed their displeasure of your ipod? Was it during a pairs game? Was it before the round began? Was your ipod on? Were you listening to it?

I might have called the director if I thought said yahoo was just being a jerk for no reason. I certainly would have filled out a recorder slip if I thought said yahoo was an intimidate or irritate for a top board kind of yahoo. I am still amazed these people exist at bridge.

jmc

[TimG]

I find it rather rude if someone comes to the table wearing headphones or does a crossword puzzle or reads a book while dummy. But, I wouldn't say anything or otherwise make an issue.

[pclayton]

jmc, on Jul 30 2008, 08:37 PM, said:

I'm really curious how the yahoo expressed their displeasure of your ipod? Was it during a pairs game? Was it before the round began? Was your ipod on? Were you listening to it?

I might have called the director if I thought said yahoo was just being a jerk for no reason. I certainly would have filled out a recorder slip if I thought said yahoo was an intimidate or irritate for a top board kind of yahoo. I am still amazed these people exist at bridge.

jmc

It was a KO match. At first he said, "you can't have that on". I said, "sure I can, this isn't a NABC" (it was a compact KO). He got kind of a confused look, and I just said, "if it bothers you, I'll put it away".

He's someone I know from my area, and I didn't feel like making an issue about it.

[pclayton]

TimG, on Jul 31 2008, 04:13 AM, said:

I find it rather rude if someone comes to the table wearing headphones or does a crossword puzzle or reads a book while dummy. But, I wouldn't say anything or otherwise make an issue.

This surprises me. You seem like a person who wouldn't care about something like this.

I know a lady from LA that constantly knits while she is dummy (she is a Grand LM).

I think it was Compton that was reading a book during the USBF when he was dummy.

My feeling is someone could do about anything they wanted while they were dummy, as long as it didn't slow the game down. During long matches, I'll keep my headphones in my ears and listen during the bidding, although if I need to explain a lot of things, I will keep the volume at "1", so its barely audible to me, and I can hear other things going on.

[JoAnneM]

I am surprised that this is allowed. Not because I don't approve (I don't have an opinion), but because of a recent conversation with a tournament TD. We were talking about a player at a table who had earphones plugged in while he was playing and the Director said he had a note from his doctor saying he had AHDD? and playing music kept him focused. Without the note it wouldn't be allowed. This was at a Regional.

[NickRW]

JoAnneM, on Jul 31 2008, 04:23 PM, said:

saying he had AHDD?

ADHD, attention deficit hyperactive disorder.

Personally I reckon being allowed to have music on the grounds of ADHD is a fairly lame excuse - a lot of people find concentrating better with music whether they have ADHD or not. If such aids are banned, they're banned - or - if they're allowed then they're allowed to my mind. Clearly if the person has the volume so high that they can't hear if spoken to, then it is bad manners minimum.

Nick

[JanM]

pclayton, on Jul 31 2008, 09:59 AM, said:

TimG, on Jul 31 2008, 04:13 AM, said:

I find it rather rude if someone comes to the table wearing headphones or does a crossword puzzle or reads a book while dummy.  But, I wouldn't say anything or otherwise make an issue.

This surprises me. You seem like a person who wouldn't care about something like this.

I think it was Compton that was reading a book during the USBF when he was dummy.

Probably it was Chip, who always reads something when he's dummy so he doesn't waste brain cells trying to figure out what's going on (or get unhappy if partner doesn't play a hand as well as s/he should ). I do crosswords when dummy for the same reason. I've never considered that either of us was being impolite to anyone.

[jeffford76]

TimG, on Jul 31 2008, 07:13 AM, said:

I find it rather rude if someone ... does a crossword puzzle or reads a book while dummy.

I hadn't realized people cared about this. What is it that is wrong with this?

[uday]

The defenders need to be able to communicate with dummy ( perhaps to ask a Q about the auction ).

Headphones (on or off) send a "don't disturb me" signal and make life harder for some opps. This feels like poor sportsmanship to me.

Discreetly reading or knitting or doodling or making paper airplanes under the table seem perfectly fine to me. I'm not sure why.

[jillybean]

How can people knit, read, and doodle and play the cards from dummy?
I like it when my partner is paying attention to the game. Partners who gaze around the room or stare off into space lave me with the feeling they would rather be elsewhere. On the other hand, Ipods would not both me.
Maybe this will change with more live play and the more comfortable and confident I feel.

[ASkolnick]

Personally, reading or knitting, I wouldn't care about. However, headphones could be a problem. The problem you have with headphones is the same problem you have with any other communication device. It is possible that someone could be communicating with you. I have been on the side where a pair was caught cheating (and this was a money event), so the information cost us several places, so I understand why there may be issues.

[TimG]

pclayton, on Jul 31 2008, 09:59 AM, said:

This surprises me. You seem like a person who wouldn't care about something like this.

Uday put is very well when he said: "headphones (on or off) send a 'don't disturb me' signal." To me, that is rude. (Of course, my kids think that me having headphones on is a signal for them to ask me as many questions as they can think of, so maybe my "don't disturb me" perception is entirely out of line...)

As for a book or a crossword, it has been my experience that a dummy who is otherwise occupied often has to pause when playing a card -- that is be snapped out of their other pursuit, register the designated card and then find it -- or will finish the crossword entry they are in the middle of, or the sentence they are reading, before attending to their dummy duties. If dummy can attend to the cards and read/write without appearing distracted, I would feel differently, but that seems to be the exception rather than the rule.

As I said, I would not object to any of these behaviors at the table -- it's not a big deal; on the rudeness scale it is a minor offense.

BTW, I have played against Chip and do not recall him reading. Maybe he just wasn't ever dummy or forgot his book for this session. Or, maybe it didn't register as such a big deal as to be noteworthy.

[mycroft]

Headphones concern me, because my security-obsessed mind sees something other than an iPod on the other end. If I don't have to worry about that because I can hear the bass, well, that's not concerning, but it is irritating.

I agree, if dummy play slows down, especially if declarer is hard to understand and it's unsafe to play before dummy's card is pulled, whatever dummy is doing that isn't his job is irritating. If it doesn't, more power to him.