[hackenbush]

Presumably, coffee doesn't grant you information you're not entitled too.

[shintaro]

Never mind a Coffee ban: Alledgedly our English Mens Team were worried a few years ago that Drinking BEER was going to be banned in Bridge Rooms




And following on from Frances's observation re one of our young Female players ; before frances and Jeffrey came on the scene we had 2 or 3 'Notable' female players with low cut tops and large clevages

[FrancesHinden]

From the 2008 Premier League conditions of contest:

"Smoking and the consumption of alcoholic beverages of any nature in the playing area is prohibited. No player may leave the playing area during a stanza in order to smoke or consume alcohol. There is an automatic penalty of 1 VP for a breach of this regulation."

[shintaro]

must really upset some we know

[Phil]

FrancesHinden, on Mar 12 2009, 06:50 AM, said:

From the 2008 Premier League conditions of contest:

"Smoking and the consumption of alcoholic beverages of any nature in the playing area is prohibited. No player may leave the playing area during a stanza in order to smoke or consume alcohol. There is an automatic penalty of 1 VP for a breach of this regulation."

Only one VP? Sounds like a bargain when you are sitting on 45 VPs after five rounds.

[JoAnneM]

Has anyone read the proposed changes to the ACBL Code of Disciplinary Changes that will come before the BOD at Houston? It is mostly boring but a couple are interesting. For instance, they are upping the penalties for just about everything. Also, I always thought that it was a crime to publicly accuse someone of cheating but according to this you could be put on suspension for 180 days for calling someone unethical. And that happens all the time online!

www.acbl.org/assets/documents/about/bod/091HoustonMotions.doc - 2009-02-16

[hackenbush]

I didn't know a few of the actions are C/E violations, e.g.

E10: Deliberately try to see from where an opponent plays his cards (90 days probation and up to 90 days suspension)

I have better things to think about doing play than staring down opps' hands, but I do sometimes cycle the suits. I guess it's really not that much of a concern then.

[blackshoe]

Well, according to Bobby Wolfe, almost everybody cheats, almost all the time, at least at high levels, so I suppose the sanctions that are already in the laws aren't good enough.

Maybe we should just shoot anybody who appears at a disciplinary hearing, guilty or not. That'd fix 'em!

[blackshoe]

This is a link to the downloadable file Joanne mentioned.

[blackshoe]

Oh, this is good:

Quote

Comment C7:  This offense is quite serious and difficult to prove. Therefore the discipline suggested should be wider on the severe end.

The difficulty in proving guilt means the punishment should be harsher? Or is there an implication here that if proving it is too hard, we should just go ahead and punish the accused anyway?

[shintaro]

hi blackshoe

your ultimate fix of summary execution instead of appeals has some merit

[jdonn]

blackshoe, on Mar 12 2009, 02:46 PM, said:

Oh, this is good:

Quote

Comment C7:  This offense is quite serious and difficult to prove. Therefore the discipline suggested should be wider on the severe end.

The difficulty in proving guilt means the punishment should be harsher? Or is there an implication here that if proving it is too hard, we should just go ahead and punish the accused anyway?

I take that as, since it's difficult to prove (and thus there is more motivation to do it), punish him more severely if you have proven it anyway.

[JoAnneM]

I thought it meant there should be more latitude on the severe end since it was hard to prove, but then I have trouble reading most things ACBL writes, as proved by my being consistently corrected here.

[blackshoe]

Joanne, everybody has trouble understanding the ACBL's writings.

[barmar]

I agree with JoAnne. The disciplinary committee should be allowed to give a lighter penalty if there's less evidence. On the other hand, if the evidence is overwhelming they can be harsh.

[blackshoe]

Maybe. OTOH, either there's enough evidence to convict, or there isn't. I don't see how more than enough evidence makes the crime any worse. OTOH, if the evidence indicates deliberate intent, then perhaps a harsher penalty is warranted.

[matmat]

it seems to me that the ACBL is an organization that prides itself on writing un-enforceable, un-interpretable regulations?

[hrothgar]

Does anyone else find this code of conduct as ludicrous as me?

Looks at some of these offenses:

C1 Poor personal hygiene or dress (CDR 3.7)

Reprimand and or up to 30 days Probation

E3 Unsportsmanlike and frivolous psyching (CDR 3.2 and 3.7)

Reprimand 60 days Probation and or up to 30 days Suspension

On the bright side, there's nothing in there about making political statements when you're up on a podium...

[helene_t]

hrothgar, on Mar 13 2009, 04:09 PM, said:

E3 Unsportsmanlike and frivolous psyching (CDR 3.2 and 3.7)

I love that. How many pages would it take us to discuss how to define "unsportsmanlike" and "frivolous" in this context?

[jdonn]

hrothgar, on Mar 13 2009, 10:09 AM, said:

Does anyone else find this code of conduct as ludicrous as me?

Looks at some of these offenses:

C1 Poor personal hygiene or dress (CDR 3.7)

Reprimand and or up to 30 days Probation

E3 Unsportsmanlike and frivolous psyching (CDR 3.2 and 3.7)

Reprimand 60 days Probation and or up to 30 days Suspension

On the bright side, there's nothing in there about making political statements when you're up on a podium...

Well obviously the point of all of this is they will punish who they feel like, and ignore most of the rest. This way they make almost any behavior punishable just in case it suits them in a particular case.

Probably the worst case of personal hygiene I have ever come across at the table was a very old feeble man, who sneezed and it pretty much went all over his face. He very slowly (as fast as he could move) wiped it on his hand, and used his hand to wipe it underneath the table. He then grabbed his cards and began to play.

Disgusting? Very. But somehow I don't think either reprimanding him or 30 days of probation are the answer...