FROM THE MANAGER - Jackie Altschuler

Summer has certainly arrived in Naples! We have the heat, the afternoon showers, the restaurant bargains, but none of our Northern friends!  You are missed.

I hope many of you will come to the July 4th party and Swiss Teams on Sunday.  The club will provide the "mains" and members are asked to bring a side or dessert.  Lunch starts at 12.  Call Marilyn Blair (262-5165) for help finding teammates.

NAP Qualifying games continue through July and August.  These are triple point (half black, half red) games with qualification for the next round.  You could win a trip to the Spring Nationals!

We are having a PRO-AM game this month during Club Championship Week.  This is an opportunity for our experienced players to mentor the non-Life Masters for a session.  Remember, no one was born knowing how to play this game - everyone had to learn.  The Pro-Am is a great opportunity to show the newer players some of the finer points of the game and let them know the "old pros" don't bite.  If you would like to invite a non-LM to be your partner, please do so.  Otherwise, please sign up on the bulletin board and we will assign you a partner.

My special thanks to Stan Ogden for the many hours he spent working on our library (see details in box below).  Please return any books that you have borrowed so Stan can add them to the list and properly label them.  Don't forget that this is primarily a reference library, so don't keep books away too long.  Donations are always welcome.

Please check the minutes from the June Board meeting as they include an "annual report" from me about my first year managing the Naples Bridge Center.  Many things have been accomplished, but many things remain to be done.  Always remember this is YOUR club - and your help is always needed.  You can volunteer to help in the kitchen or at special events, with our decorating committee, or for special projects of your own initiative, like Stan's work on the library.  If you'd like to be more involved, just speak to me or a member of the Board.

Remember to be nice at the table - welcome others and save your "discussions" with partner until after the game.

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE - Mike Hunt

This column is going to be devoted to only one topic - the quality of behavior at our club.  As you know from the summary we gave of our winter member's survey, the number one negative issue the club faces is inappropriate behavior during our games.  The Naples Bridge Center has long had a zero tolerance policy.  At the June Board meeting, the Board of Governors formally adopted the ACBL disciplinary policy which is written in a black box below this article.  During my two years on the Board, this is the policy the Ethics Committee (Jo Rogan, Board member Roger Zucker, and past president Tony Cipolla) has  followed when incidents have been reported.  The ethics committee has, after review and with Board approval, issued warnings, placed players on probation, suspended playing privileges, and, on one occasion, revoked playing privileges.  They have even told certain partnerships not to play together for a period of time.  We don't publicize the Board's actions because we hope that those disciplined will change their behavior and most have.  But, we are very serious about enforcing zero tolerance.

I get more comments, calls, and written complaints about behavior than everything else combined.  Sometimes I am convinced that a public flogging is the only thing that would satisfy the aggrieved party.  Sadly, the complaints sometimes relate to our best players -  who should always strive to be role models.  But I am also convinced that a significant part of the problem is the members who are complaining.  They think people have offended them in the past and they are just waiting to get even. Or they "remember" some bad behavior from years ago and relive it in the present, regardless of what actually happens at the table.  Members, we are playing a game - a wonderful game that challenges our intellect and has an inherent beauty to it.  Enjoy it!  Sit down at each table with a positive attitude, expecting to have a good time.  Dismiss your old prejudices and smile.  Some time ago I realized that I would never pass Meckstroth on the all-time-points leader list, but, if I was ever going to get to be the best player I could be, I had to play against the best.  Last fall at the Regional, I got to play against Meckstroth and Rodwell.  I would like to say we beat them, but that would be a lie.  However, they were perfect opponents.  They alerted all of their alertable bids, gave us succinct descriptions when asked, and didn't say a word beyond what card to play when they were declarer.  On one occasion Jeff said that I was in the correct contract when I went down on a bad trump split.  Afterward, I asked Jeff a question and he told me what he would have done.  They couldn't have been nicer and these are the world champions!

Why can't we behave like they did?  We have bidding boxes because we don't want people to hear our bids.  Yet, I hear people talking all the time after hands have been played.  Why?  If people didn't talk at the table, we would have a lot less bad behavior.  Wait until the hands are over and, if you need to talk to your partner, leave the table.  This would eliminate our second biggest problem from the survey - too much noise.  Cut the newer players some slack, as they are our future.  Of course you can call the director if they are in error, but make sure you really need to.  If we all behaved like Meckstroth and Rodwell, we wouldn't have nearly the problems we do.   We might even get to be better players.

EDITOR'S MESSAGE - Sarann Kraushaar

As most of you know, we are new to bridge and the atmosphere at clubs and public groups where the game is played.  It is interesting to hear about the behavior issues that have been a problem at NBC because we have yet to encounter any.  That certainly doesn't mean that they don't exist, but probably that our schedule limitations and low number of points have yet to put us in contact with those who take this game so seriously.  Perhaps the fact that I always play with my husband as my partner makes it possible for me to be obnoxious to him privately, rather than across the table in public (are you laughing?!!)  Anyone who knows me, would not put me in the category of easy-going, and I am certainly anxious to improve my game so that I do not embarrass myself with horrible bids or play of cards.  But, at this point in my life, I am far more interested in getting to know new people with whom I enjoy spending time, while playing a game that is fun and good for my memory.  There is so much in the world that isn't fun, especially as we get older and deal with the aging process, it would certainly be nice to think of our time playing at NBC as a gift that many others do not have.  I, for one, am going to try to do just that.

PLAYER OF THE MONTH - Anne Showell

Anne is originally from Washington, DC, and has lived in the Moorings section of Naples since the early 80s.  She had a very interesting career with the State Department as a political analyst.  During a six year period, she spent time in Jordan, India, Iran, Viet Nam, and Egypt.  Fascinating, huh?

She has played bridge ever since her college days at Goucher, but didn't play often until 4-5 years ago when she joined NBC.  She is almost always at the 299 games twice a week and usually plays once a week with the better players.  She is often taking lessons, too, but she is quick to tell you that she doesn't seem to make a lot of progress, even though she enjoys the process.

Anne's hobbies include reading and cooking. Since she has no family for whom to cook in Naples, she seldom comes to NBC empty-handed. Many of those delicious cakes we all enjoy are the result of Anne's talent in the kitchen. Anne was a little uncomfortable being this month's player, but I, for one, am glad to know her and plan to compliment her for the treats she brings for us.

RANK CHANGES POSTED IN JUNE

Once again, here is an explanation of the categories achieved by some of our members who are listed below. A Junior Master has 5 masterpoints. A Club Master has 20 masterpoints. A Sectional Master has 50 masterpoints of which 5 must be silver. A Regional Master has 100 masterpoints of which 15 must be silver and 5 red or gold. An NABC master has 200 masterpoints of which at least 5 are gold, 15 red or gold, and 25 silver. A Life Master has 300 masterpoints of which 30 are silver, 25 gold, and 25 red or gold. There are other categories above these which our members have yet to achieve. Congratulations to all of you!

The table count for June was 383 compared to 350 in 2009. Our year-to-date count is now 83 tables ahead of last year - 5727 YTD compared to 5644 YTD in 2009.

DIRECTOR'S CORNER

The ACBL website contains a section on "active ethics".  Part of that is the Principle of Full Disclosure as reprinted here.  Everyone should read this and understand what they should tell the opponents when asked for more information and what they should expect to hear from experienced partnerships.  As always, my recommendation is NOT to ask during the auction unless you have a "need to know".  Otherwise, wait until the bidding is over to ask about the partnership's style.

Principle of Full Disclosure
               
The philosophy of active ethics tells us that winners should be determined solely by skill, flair, and normal playing luck. Actively ethical partnerships take pains to ensure that their opponents are fully informed.

A major tenet of active ethics is the principle of full disclosure. This means that all information available to your partnership must be made available to your opponents.

Let's take a look at weak two bids from the point of view of full disclosure. When an established partnership opens a weak two bid, they have a great deal of information of which their opponents are not aware. The convention card discloses the point range, but little else.  However, the partners are aware of the range of hands on which the bid can be made (discipline?, suit quality requirements?, five-or-seven card suits allowed?, side four-card major ok?, void ok?, positional variations?, etc). Full disclosure requires that all these inferences, restrictions and tendencies be made known to any opponent who inquires about their style.

If you are interested in knowing these things about your opponent's bid, merely say to the bidder's partner, "Would you tell me more about your style?" You may use the 'style inquiry' to ask about any call your opponent makes.

The actively ethical player will often go beyond what is technically required in volunteering information to the opponents. Quite often, the declaring side in an actively ethical partnership will volunteer such information before the opening lead is made.

New players or infrequent partnerships usually will not have understandings about the items discussed here and, of course, it will be perfectly proper for them to reply "We have no agreement as to style."

FROM JACKIE'S "LIMITLESS" ARCHIVES!

This is a card from 1985 which you may find interesting.  Note: Light Initial Action means opening with 11 points.

07/02/10