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The ACBL Board of Directors met in Las Vegas just after
the Fall NABC, November 28-December 1, 2001. Items of interest on the
agenda were as follows:
Item 013-216: All new member rebates for the 1st and 2nd year are
canceled.
Comment: Five or six years ago, the Board passed financial incentives for
teachers, clubs, & units to recruit new members for the ACBL. The
incentives were put in place in the hope that they would encourage greater
emphasis in ACBL membership growth at the local level. A recent management
review of the program revealed that this program has not measurably
improved new member recruitment. Since it costs the League approximately
$40,000 per year for the incentives, management recommended termination of
the program. The board approved management's recommendation.
Item 013-217: The College Bridge Championships be discontinued.
Comment: This program has never been very successful. In the 2001 event,
for instance, only 9 colleges participated in the qualifying rounds and 6
colleges attended the finals in Toronto. This program was canceled by ACBL
in 1996, but was reinstated in 2000 when the ACBL Educational Foundation
Board of Trustees voted to donate $20,000 annually to fund the project.
Item 013-230: Junior Coupons at NABCs. Student coupons shall be given
to those who have not had their 22nd birthday or those that have offered
proof that they are full time students and have not reached their 26th
birthday. Such proof shall be given in advance of entry purchase to the
office of junior affairs. The cost of entries purchased using student
coupons shall be a $5.00 US discount from the regular entry fee.
Comment: Currently, anyone under the age of 26 is eligible for junior
coupons at NABCs, which allows them to play for $6.00/session. This motion
restricts the eligibility for junior coupons, and increases their cost.
Motion passed.
Item 013-232: Out of the funds collected from Junior Games, the ACBL
shall pay the expenses of a team captain for the juniors to accompany the
team to Salt Lake City. This is for the attraction arranged by the WBF to
promote the entrance of bridge as a sport in the Turin Olympics in 2006.
Item 013-147: Mini-Spingold Changes.
A. The masterpoint awards for the Mini-Spingold will be:
1. 75 masterpoints for first place in the 0-1500 category.
2. 100 masterpoints for first place in the 0-5000 category.
B. The restriction that the event be completed in five days is removed
from the Conditions of Contest. The event will end as dictated by the
total number of teams entered and Appendix C. (Note: Appendix C
establishes how the bracket is constructed.)
Comment: To date, the masterpoint awards have been determined by the ACBL
masterpoint formula. The awards given for this event in Toronto this
summer were 65 points for about 40 teams in the 0-1500 event, and 125
points for about 100 teams in the 0-5000 event.
Item 013-151: Super Senior Event Classification.
A. 65+ years of age and 75+ years of age are approved event
classifications for Sectional and higher-rated tournaments. (Note: A 55+
event remains an approved category.)
B. An age restricted event may be run as a:
1. Stand-alone event, which may be either open or stratified by
masterpoints with a maximum of three categories.
2. Stratified event, with up to three age restricted categories. If
stratified by age, the event may not be stratified using any other
indicator.
C. A 65+ or 75+ stand-alone event is treated as though there are two
restrictions. (Note: the masterpoints are 70% of those for an event with
no age restriction and no other restrictions.)
Comment: This item was deferred until the Spring meetings in Houston.
Given that the average age of the ACBL membership is well into the 60s, my
initial reaction to this motion is favorable. If any of you have any
strong feelings about this subject, please let me know.
Item 013-153: Management shall make arrangements to add two events to
the Summer NABC schedule. Each event will be conducted concurrent with the
six-session Life Masters' Pairs.
A. One event is limited to Life Masters with no more than 1500
masterpoints and the other is limited to Life Masters with no more than
5000 masterpoints.
B. Except for the masterpoint restrictions, the conditions of contest of
each event will be identical the six-session Life Masters' Pairs that has
no upper masterpoint limit.
C. The masterpoint award for both events will be calculated using the
current formula for a Nationally rated event that has no predetermined
masterpoint award. There is a cap on the first place award of 50
masterpoints for the LM to 1500 event and 75 masterpoints for the LM to
5000 masterpoints event.
D. Management shall determine appropriate official names for this event.
Comment: This motion was deferred until the Spring meetings. Opinions or
recommendations welcomed.
Item 013-150: ACBL Alert Procedure.
A. The alert procedure is approved as attached. Effective date: 03/01/02
B. Management is authorized to make changes to the convention card to
maintain agreement with the alert procedure.
C. It is expected that there will be no further changes to this alert
procedure prior to January 1, 2005.
Some of the significant changes are:
1. The HCP range for all 1NT openings will be announced. For natural
overcalls, an Alert is required for natural no-trump overcalls with fewer
than 14 or more than 19 HCP.
2. Natural three-level responses to a NT whether a jump or not do not
require an Alert.
3. Natural non-forcing opening suit bids with an agreed range between
10-21+ HCP do not require an Alert.
4. Non-forcing 1C and 1D opening bids that may be fewer than 3 cards in
length will be announced. (Forcing opening bids that may be short will
still require an Alert.)
5. Non-forcing 1NT response or forcing 2NT response that may bypass a
four-card major does not require an Alert.
6. Natural 2NT responses to one of a suit opening will not require an
alert if they are invitational (10-12) or forcing (13-15).
7. Except for a jump raise that is not in competition and weak, no jump
raise requires an Alert.
8. 1NT or 2NT rebid that implies a balanced hand does not require an Alert
even if the agreement is that four-car majors may be bypassed.
9. Except for Doubles and Redoubles with highly unusual meanings or
unexpected meanings, these calls do not require an Alert. (Some examples
of highly unusual doubles or redoubles are: 1H-X for penalty, double of a
splinter bid to request a lead in a suit other than the suit of the
splinter, 1H-P-2D-X as lead directing or penalty.)
10. Passes with highly unusual or unexpected meanings require an Alert.
11. All transfers from diamonds to hearts and from hearts to spades at any
level are announced if the preceding bid was a natural NT bid.
12. No alert is required for the 2D response to a strong artificial 2C
opening that is waiting or negative.
13. Over opening 2-level suit bids: Conventional and/or forcing 2NT
responses are not alertable; Natural and non-forcing 2NT responses are
alertable.
14. A direct cue-bid of natural opening bid is alertable if it is played
as natural. (Example: 1D-2D.) All other cue bids, including those that are
natural, are not alertable. (Example: 1D-P-1H-2D natural or 2H natural are
not alertable).
Item 013-15: Approval of the 2002 Budget.
Comment: The ACBL lost money in 1999 and 2000. This year, we expect to be
$400,000 to $500,000 in the black. A break-even budget is planned for
2002. This includes reductions in salary expenses due to some staff
reductions in Memphis, a hike in tournament sanction fees, and higher NABC
entry fees. Marketing expenses are gradually being increased each year so
that we shall hit our target of 15% of budget by 2005. The tournament
division is on course to get to its goal of break-even by 2005. A Capital
Expenditure Budget for 2002 of $375,000 was also approved.
Item 013-62: Section 11 of the ACBL Code of Disciplinary Regulations is
amended as follows: (Underlines indicate new material.)
11. Disciplines Involving Units or Districts
11.1 When it is alleged that a Unit has violated ACBL, District, or its
own bylaws or regulations, has acted in an illegal or improper manner, or
has improperly failed to act upon a complaint, a member, or group of
members, or Unit or District may bring the matter directly to the District
Disciplinary Committee to request a hearing. The District Disciplinary
Committee may decide not to conduct a hearing for reason, including but
not limited to: the case does not warrant any action, the matter was dealt
with in a reasonable manner at the Unit level, or the matter lacks
significance to warrant a hearing.
11.2 When it is alleged that a District has violated ACBL or its own
bylaws or regulations, or has acted in an illegal or improper manner, or
has improperly failed to act upon a complaint, a Unit, a member, or group
of members may bring the matter directly to the ACBL Board of Director's
Appeals and Charges Committee to request a hearing. The Appeals and
Charges Committee may decide not to conduct a hearing for reasons,
including but not limited to: the case does not warrant any action, the
matter was dealt with in a reasonable manner at the District level, or the
matter lacks significance to warrant a hearing.
Comment: Motion passed.
Item 013-40: The Appeals & Charges Committee of the Board of
Directors is responsible for any agenda items dealing with Conduct,
Deportment, and Ethics and any regulations involving same. This is in
addition to those responsibilities of hearing appeals and reviewing cases.
Comment:Motion passed.
Item 013-41: The stipend paid to Board of Director Members and the
Chairman of the Board of Governors shall be $750 per trimester starting
January 2002.
Comment: Motion passed.
Item 013-49: A check off box be established on the membership forms to
offer members the option of opting out of the selling of personal
information to outside organizations.
Comment: This motion failed.
Item 013-57: The ACBL Board of Directors will review the housing
contract with Mega Housing with a recommendation from the Board of
Governors that the contract should not be renewed.
Comment: After hearing management's recommendation, and reviewing the
terms of the contract, the Board voted overwhelmingly to defeat this
proposal (0 yes/24 no/1 abstention). Management plans on evaluating this
service in the fall 2002 as part of a three-year review cycle. If you have
any complaints about Mega Housing, please address your concerns to ACBL
Headquarters and me.
Item 013-58: As soon as an error in crediting masterpoints (too many or
too few) has been discovered and/or brought to management's attention (the
error must have occurred within 36 months of notification), corrections
shall be made as soon as possible. This will not affect masterpoint races
already completed or rank achieved already recognized. A letter to the
player(s) involved shall accompany the change if the adjustment is greater
than 10 masterpoints.
Comment: This sets a general policy to guide management in addressing
these problems. Motion passed.
Item 013-60: Board of Directors Meeting at ACBL Headquarters.
A. All Fall meetings of the ACBL Board of Directors will be held in the
headquarters city of ACBL rather than at the site of the Fall NABCs.
B. All attendees to the BOD meeting will be reimbursed for expenses
according to regulations in place at the time of the meeting.
C. If a Fall meeting of the ACBL Board of Directors is held at the
headquarters city of ACBL, board members will not be reimbursed for
attendance to that Fall NABC unless they are receiving authorized
reimbursement for other services provided at that NABC.
Comment: The motion was deferred until the Summer meetings.
Item 013-131: The change of 4 flights for the GNT, done for 2 years on
an experimental basis, is now accepted as a permanent feature of the GNT.
Comment: Motion passed.
Item 013-132: Instant Matchpoint Game.
A. Games meeting open standards will be considered in open contest. (Note:
½ table games will be included.)
B. Minimum number of boards to be played by any pair in the open contest
is 20 boards.
C. Howell movements meeting open standards will award a Gold point for
first place.
Comment: Motion passed.
Item 013-130: The lowest flight for GNT and NAOP competitions be
changed to 0-500 MP's with no designation or reference to Non-Life
Masters.
Comment: Motion failed.
Item 013-133: Inter-Club Championship Games.
A. ACBL Management is authorized to sanction and conduct inter-club
championships, which are administered online but played "live."
1. ACBL may sanction and conduct the event.
2. ACBL may hold the sanction and sublet the administration of the event.
3. If requested by a group of clubs, ACBL may authorize (grant a sanction
to) a qualified person to administrate such an online-administered,
inter-club championship for those clubs.
4. ACBL may authorize (grant a sanction to) a qualified person to conduct
an online-administered inter-club championship or sanction the event.
The masterpoint awards for this event are the same as inter-club
championships administered manually.
B. In addition to a clubs regular club championship, the club may
participate in an additional four (4) inter-club championships
administered online. A club may not use one or all of its regular,
quarterly club championships to participate in inter-club championships
whether administered electronically or manually.
Comment: Motion passed.
George Retek, ACBL President for 2002, has made the board committee
appointments for 2002. I shall be serving on the following committees:
Governance Committee
Clubs Committee
Member Services Committee
Minutes Revied Committee
Jay Baum of Omaha, Nebraska has been hired as ACBL CEO, effective
01/01/02. Mr. Baum has been with the Greater Omaha Convention and Visitors
Bureau since 1984, serving as Executive Director since 1989. He is an ACBL
member with 3800 masterpoints.
Please contact me if you have any questions or opinions that you wish to
share:
Shirley Seals
Shirley Seals
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