[dickiegera]

At a Team event the President of our unit is playing and the declarer accidentally drops a card from his hand and it falls face up of the table. The RHO [PRESIDENT} calls for the director whom happens to be his wife and she rules that the card must be played. This causes a loss of the match.

It is widely known that director wife never rules against husband or for that fact any of her friends.
Does anyone have a suggest as to what can be done
about this situation? [ Poor if not illegal directing]

Is there someone at ACBL that this could be addressed?
Thank you.

[campboy]

Just in case there was any doubt about it, this particular ruling was incorrect. Law 48A adresses this exact situation "Declarer is not required to play any card dropped accidentally".

I'm afraid I know little of the ACBL, so can't address the rest of the issue (other than to be shocked that this goes on).

[bluejak]

Try getting the mayor for illegal parking in a small town.

No, you cannot do much practically. The ACBL is much less inclined than the EBU to get involved in something done by one of its component parts.

[Sadie3]

Since this was the

(wife of the ) edited 10/2/2009

Unit President that made the bad ruling, I suggest contacting your District Board and asking how to report this. Just as a general statement, directors do make mistakes (not always this blatant) and I am taking for granted that the ruling was already challenged at the club level and the director refused to change her mind after referring to her law book and/or a committee review was denied. You can also write "Ruling the game" and asking Mike Flader his opinion. He can be reached via email at rulings@acbl.org. He might be able to make some recommendations on how to proceed.

As an aside, how did your unit ever elect a person with this unethical an attitude and make them president of the unit? Is this a new development in this person's personality?

This post has been edited by Sadie3: 2009-October-02, 15:09

[mjj29]

If it happens to you then asking politely for the law to be read from the lawbook is always an option

[jnichols]

Was this at a club game or at a National/Regional/Sectional tournament. If it is a club game I would be greatly surprised that the ACBL would do anything. They keep "hands off" of club games. You will need to speak with the club management -- they might do something (or not).
If it is a tournament with directors paid by the ACBL you should speak to the Director In Charge at the tournament or contact the ACBL Tournament Department in Memphis. While they don't do much based on a single complaint they will do something if they see a pattern.

[Cascade]

dickiegera, on Oct 3 2009, 02:47 AM, said:

At a Team event the President of our unit is playing and the declarer accidentally drops a card from his hand and it falls face up of the table. The RHO [PRESIDENT} calls for the director whom happens to be his wife and she rules that the card must be played. This causes a loss of the match.

It is widely known that director wife never rules against husband or for that fact any of her friends.
Does anyone have a suggest as to what can be done
about this situation? [ Poor if not illegal directing]

Is there someone at ACBL that this could be addressed?
Thank you.

If this is deliberate then it is cheating.

If it is accidental then it is incompetence.

You always have the option of appealing the ruling.

I would also consider making a formal complaint against the director.

[TylerE]

In addition to the above, show your discontent in the simplest way: with your feet. Don't play in that director's games, and make sure the club owners no why you aren't.

[bid_em_up]

Sadie3, on Oct 2 2009, 11:09 AM, said:

Since this was the Unit President that made the bad ruling, I suggest contacting your District Board and asking how to report this.

The Unit President did not make the ruling.

His wife did.

I would suggest consulting with the District recorder on how such a matter should be addressed.

[bid_em_up]

deleted after rereading the original post.

[dickiegera]

It was a UNIT Game. It was an IMP league TEAM GAME. There is a total of 4 games over a 4 month period of time. I do not play in the game because of the director and other minor reasons. I would like to play in the game in the future under more favorable circumstances.

The "POOR DIRECTOR RULING" was reported to me by my past teammates.
I told the team captain to carry a copy of the ACBL RULES and next something unfavorable happens to give
the book to the director and say "show me please"
THANK YOU ALL

[barmar]

dickiegera, on Oct 2 2009, 10:54 PM, said:

It was a UNIT Game. It was an IMP league TEAM GAME. There is a total of 4 games over a 4 month period of time. I do not play in the game because of the director and other minor reasons. I would like to play in the game in the future under more favorable circumstances.

The "POOR DIRECTOR RULING" was reported to me by my past teammates.
I told the team captain to carry a copy of the ACBL RULES and next something unfavorable happens to give
the book to the director and say "show me please"
THANK YOU ALL

If it's "widely known" that she frequently makes biased rulings, yet people keep playing in the games she directs, I guess it's also "widely not cared about". You may be fighting a losing battle, because the ACBL tends to cater towards what pleases most of the members.

What "ACBL RULES" are you talking about? Do you mean the Laws, which are worldwide, not ACBL-specific (except in a handful of places where the Laws allow RA options)?

[dickiegera]

Sorry, Yes it is ACBL LAWS.

[bluejak]

barmar, on Oct 3 2009, 04:02 AM, said:

If it's "widely known" that she frequently makes biased rulings, yet people keep playing in the games she directs, I guess it's also "widely not cared about".

I think this is an unfortunate and likely incorrect presumption. If I decided that rulings in the local league were biased I would continue playing, but saying I did not care is just not true. As for voting with my feet, what is the alternative? Playing in the Manchester league, which is not only fifty miles away, but the rulings are given by someone who never is or has been a TD?

Over the years I have often played in clubs, leagues, local events, and even trials for a national team with TDs who are incompetent or worse. I would like to do something about it, and I do not approve nor like it. But it is difficult to get away from and I just look on bad TDs as one of those things.

The one thing I can do is to use my expertise to improve things. That is why I started this forum, for example. I have taught other TDs in England, Wales and Scotland, and in a European training event. I have made my contact details available to any TD anywhere in the world for advice, and I spend a lot of time answering questions [and then getting criticised when I am quoted or misquoted]. Fine: I shall live with it, and probably places where I play have better TDs than if I did not play. But I will not stop playing if somewhere has an incompetent and/or biased TD.

Now, I have a certain amount of power and position, and could perhaps do a little something about it. But think of all the average players who play: what can they do? Probably nothing, so saying they do not care because they continue to play may be totally unfair.

[blackshoe]

There is a director here who is widely considered to be incompetent. People have tried, unsuccessfully, to educate him or convince him to change. They've given up. Many still play in his games. I suppose they consider the opportunity to play bridge more important than the inevitable but really not all that frequent, ruling (which will almost certainly be incorrect in some way).

[aguahombre]

Yep, there are many places where people cannot show their discontent with their feet. The choice is to play bridge in a less than desirable environment or not play bridge. I am thankful that in my somewhat remote locale:
1) there is bridge
2) the director tries his damnest to be fair and apply the rules
3) When in doubt, he tries to get other opinions --locally or by phone.
4) All the rulings are not perfect, but nobody senses any bias.