Inside the Boardroom

with

Barbara Nist

Anaheim 2000

District #19 finally made the "front page" in the Grand National Teams. Our Flight "B" team consisting of Insa Fricker and Tai Eng of Richmond, BC plus Gilbert Lambert of White Rock, BC and Mike Moffatt, Captain, of Surrey, BC finished strongly to come from behind with a 17 IMP victory over District 14 (Kansas-Missouri). I was proud to invite them to President Glenn Smith's, suite for a reception in honor of GNT Winners.

While Anaheim was not a particularly entertaining experience for me because of my health, for many it was a wonderful experience. The adjoining hotels Hilton and Marriott offered excellent playing space and meeting rooms. The California weather was as expected and the entertainment was also. Even though this was the largest summer NABC since 1994, the table count was 13% below expectations at 13,712.

The Hall of Fame Induction Dinner started out the week on a grand note. Anyone from the district who would like to attend this annual occasion on the first Thursday evening of each Summer NABC is invited and encouraged to attend with me. It is without a doubt the finest event ACBL produces.

After 12 long years of working with Henry Bell and Ed West, I am pround to announce the first ever ABA/ACBL joint game at a NABC. ACBL President, Glenn Smith, hosted a reception after the event and everything was a huge success. The ABA is planning on a joint game at the National in April in Reno and we are planning another joint game in Birmingham. Players may select to take their masterpoints from either the ACBL or ABA.

In addition, at the meeting of the ABA/ACBL, the committee voted unanimously to join together to form the US Bridge Federation The intent is to represent the interests of the US bridge players with the US Olympic Federation.

Our own Bill Gates attended his first NABC. He and his team qualified for the finals in the Mixed Board-A-Match. Our thanks for the much needed publicity and we hope to see more of Bill at our local tournaments.

Membership

I am pleaqsed to report that though we haven't completely turned around our membership retention, it appears that for the time being the "finger in the dike" is holding and membership is almost stable. Attendance is up at Regionals, Sectionals, and STaC's. Individual tournaments appear to be slightly smaller, but there are more events being held.

Membership Dues

Get your dues paid now! Due to the increasing red ink, ACBL annual membership dues are increased effective January 1, 2001 from $30 to $32. Corresponding increases will be made in the other dues categories and service fees to preserve their current relationship to the regular annual membership dues level, to the nearest $.25.

Membership Benefits

It shall be the policy of the ACBL that ACBL Life Masters from Zone II NCBO's who are delinquent in their dues or service fees shall not be eligible to write bulletin columns, give lectures, or engage in similar paid or voluntary employment by the ACBL.

Financial Woes

ACBL management had budgeted a deficit of about $200,000 for 2000. It now appears that the deficit will be at least $450,000. While we expected that we would be expending some of our capital in the marketing areas, management will have to do better with job with cutting costs. The Finance Commitee has requested management to bring a break-even budget for 2001 to Birmingham.

Communication Devices

Except for health related equippment, or by permission of the Director-in-Charge, cell phones, audible pagers, or other similar communication devices may not be operated in the playing areas during sessions at NABC's. Sponsoring organizations are strongly encouraged to adopt this policy.

Education Foundation Game

Starting in 2001, the opening night Charity Game will be renamed the Education Foundation game, with the proceed goiong to the ACBL Education Foundation, rather than the ACBL Charity Foundation. This will increase the funds available to support teaching programs and promote growth in our game. It is important to note that ACBL is not getting out of the Charity business! The Charity Foundation will continue to raise over $200,000 annually. Clubs throughout North American will continue to raise funds for charity.

United States Bridge Federation

The United Sttates Bridge Federation will be formed to represent the interests of the US bridge players. Until such time as the bylaws are drafted, the ACBL CEO, David Silber will act as the interim CEO of the USBF.

ACBL Vice President

Without having completed the first year, the position of ACBL Vice-President has been eliminated. Again the board changes it's mind like the wind. Wait until next year.

WBF Membership Dues Increase

After voting down the WBF request for an increase of annual dues to $1. per member, the board reconsidered and voted to increase annual membership dues for each paid-up member, excluding juniors to $.50 In addition the ACBL will remain responsible for paying expense reimbursement to its five (5) delegates attending meetings of the WBF Executive Council. I vote NO on both issues.

Expert LM Designations

The designation of "expert" was eliminated. Last year the designation was created. There appeared to be little interest, and record keeping, particularly for past events appeared to be a problem. Don't throw away those "platinum points" just yet, they are being retained and sometime in the future I'm sure we'll find a use for them.

Bulletin

Management has been authorized to vary the page count of specific issues, but in no event will the page count go below 100 pages.

Electronic Business Methods

Management is authorized to require, at its discretion, business between ACBL and Districts or Units to be conducted electronically. If your Unit does not have an electronic contact, please do so as soon as possible. This will be used for many of the mailings that go out and for sanctions as well as other yet to be determined uses.

Advertising

Units and Districts that advertise their Regionals in the ACBL Bridge Bulletin will now have their Regional ads on the ACBL WebPage without cost.

Internet Activities

The ACBL has formed a licensing partnership with e-bridge, a privately held international company, for an ACBL run online game. It will be available this fall.

The MSN Gaming Zone World Computer Bridge Championship, the fourth ACBL hosted, will be held in conjunction with the upcoming bridge Olympiad, in Maastricht. There are 10 entrants from around the world.competing.

Masterpoints On-Line

Check your masterpoint total on line at the ACBL Home Page www.acbl.org "Members" option.

Disciplinary Code

The Code of Disciplinary Regulations has been amended so that "Expulsion" is expulsion. The board will no longer automatically review each case after 5 years. Should the board decide to hear a request, the following guidelines shall be used in considering the possible readmission to the ACBL membership of former members who have been expelled or who have resigned to avoid possible disciplinary action: 1. Admission of guilt; 2 Appropriate written apology; and 3. Support for readmission from the player's local bridge organization(s).

Recorder

Management shall establish and maintain an up-to-date ACBL-wide Recorder Database.

Management shall develop and implement a training program for recorders at all levels. In addition, the ACBL Recorder shall be available to assist a unit or district on recorder matters.

The Disciplinary Code is amended to read that it is an offense for a player to refuse any reasonable request for cooperation by a duly appointed recorder or ass't recorder pursuant to the proper conduct of their duties.

Further, that a player refusing such cooperation may, at the discretion of the Director-in-Charge of the tournament, be denied an entry for one or more sessions of play up to the remainder of the current tournament.

Equitable Treatment of Sanctioned Club Games

The following will be added to the Handbook of Rules and Regulations under Unit Responsibilities, To provide equitable treatment of all sanctioned club games in good standing within the unit.

Viewing Convention Card

The ACBL Laws Commission is requested to recommend a change to Law 40 E 2 and further to interpret the Law to permit the zonal organization to designate levels of competition and events in which a participant may refer to his/her own convention card.

Non Championship Sectional

Something to help some of our smaller or more remote units, effective immediately a unit of 200 members or less or a tournament which averages 15 or fewer tables per session may run up to three non-championship sectionals a year. This sectional is not required to use a Tournament Director. The sectional will award silver points, the M value will be no greater than .65 of Open, and will be listed in the Bridge Bulletin with an * that it is non-championship. The sanction fees will be the same as for a Championship Sectional. The sectional must have a sanction and meet all other requirements.

Upon notification to ACBL Headquarters, a unit may downgrade a Sectional (from its sectional allotment) to a locally rated non-Championship tournament.

Regional/Sectional Allocation

The regulations that apply to sanctioning Sectionals shall apply to the sanctioning of District GNT and NAOP Finals.

STaC's

STaC's remain under the sectional sanctioning regulations. There is no limit on the number of units that may participate. In scheduling these tournaments, units should give preference, where there is a conflict among clubs, to those clubs that have regularly scheduled games during the tournament period.

ACBL Mid-Chart

A proposal, that during 2001, the ACBL Mid-Chart will be expanded to include (on a trial basis) more dynamic and experimental systems (examples are wide-range 1NT openings, split-range 1 NT openings, multiple convention cards based on vulnerability) with each experimental convention or system allowed reviewed at year-end and a decision regarding future use made at that time, was referred to Competition and Conventions Committee and the vote deferred to fall.

International Team Trials Conditions of Contest

The conditions of contest for International Team Trials will provide for an open format. No longer will someone decide whether your team is good enough to compete.

The East Memphis Hilton is approved as the site of the 2001 and 2002 Open Team Trials. Dates to be determined later.

Las Vegas is approved as the site of the 2001 Women's International Team Trials. Specific dates for the trials will be scheduled to coincide with the 2001 Las Vegas Regional, June 18-24, 2001, subject to the approval of the District 17 President.

North American Collegiate Team Championships

The North American Collegiate Championships is reinstated. Details of format and funding will be presented in Birmingham. The early stages will take place on the Internet, with finalist playing for the championship at an NABC.

Club Sanction Fees

A proposal to raise the club sanctioned game table fee from $.60 to $.64 failed. I voted NO.

On the proposal to raise the fee per sanctioned game from $1 to $1.25, I voted YES. The current fee has been in place since January 1994. Finally I voted YES to raise the annual sanction fee per club from $11 to $11.50. I'm sorry to have raised the fees, but as a Vice-Chairman of the Finance Committee, I have to look at the bottom line. We have to increase revenues somewhere.

Finally, while Birmingham may not be on the top of your list of places to go, this will be the cheapest NABC in years. The cost of living and lodging is significantly lower in Birmingham. If you haven't been to a NABC for a long time, or never been to one, maybe this is one you should try.

Sincerely,

Barbara Nist, District #19

ACBL National Director

14836 SE 16th SSt

Bellevu,e, WA 98007

425-641-4343

bnist@uswest.net