September 2020 - 7

➺ InBox
Freedom to be yourself at home

In response to the "Ode to bridge in
clubs" letter to the editor (June 2020),
I would like to offer some of the advantages to playing club bridge on BBO. It's
not just for "hardened anti-social"
bridge players. For example, when
playing club bridge online, one can:
1. Tell your partner exactly what to
do next. In fact, you can scream
out loud the card you know needs
to be played next. "THE JACK OF
HEARTS!" If your partner doesn't
play the designated card, you can
scream out loud again.
2. Scratch any itch whenever or wherever it itches.
3. Cough, snort, sneeze, or exhale in
disgust or triumph whenever the
occasion arises.
4. Stand up and do a victory dance
when clearly needed.
5. Let your opponent know how happy
you are that they led into a finesse.
6. Be completely frank with the director if they don't give you the score
you deserve when a deal is unfinished because of time constraints.
Clearly, online bridge with our club
partners gives us a way to be even more
socially responsive than ever. The
problem will be returning to our
button-down ways when the bridge
clubs open up again.
DIANE DAVIS
Austin TX

Points of order

My bridge history since COVID-19: I
started playing in BBO/ACBL tournaments in late March in the Support
Your Club (SYC) games, but the times
did not suit me: The morning game
conflicted with lunch, the afternoon
ruined any chance for dinner, and the
evening had to compete with TV and
other relaxation.
So as a novice on BBO, I started

Letters to the Editor

playing in the ACBL tournaments
that were cheaper and offered a wider
choice of times. I preferred late afternoon (I liked 2:15 or 3:15 p.m. best). I
thought they awarded regular ACBL
masterpoints, but in May, a very nice
lady with the ACBL explained that
what was offered were "clear" (online)
points, not black points, which could
only be earned in SYC games or virtual
club games.
This is my complaint: the SYC robot
games. I practiced against robots, but
did not consider formally competing against them even though such
contests are sponsored by the ACBL.
However, the ACBL awards black
points for games against three robots,
with special rules, that last all day.
Why? That is not tournament or club
bridge, but merely problem-solving
over an extended period of time.
(Bridge is a timed event.) The "clear"
point games that I continue to play in
last just over two hours and are played
against real people, sometimes up to
500 pairs.
How can the ACBL award black
points to aberrant SYC robot games
and not treat the other events listed
as "ACBL Tournaments" on BBO the
same way? If it's a matter of money,
a $1 or so extra fee could be added to
these games. With COVID-19 eliminating regular bridge, it is a travesty to
award a lower level of points to events
with hundreds of competing pairs. I
earnestly request a reconsideration of
this matter.
MIL CLYBURN
Cleveland GA

Cheating redux

I was happy to see you address the
issue of cheating in the July issue of
the Bridge Bulletin. I'm just sorry it
had to be done at all. Bridge has a high
standard of rules and etiquette, so to

me, it's almost unfathomable to find
someone cheating. More than that,
they have affected my experience. I
was excited to be able to kibitz (and
learn) while watching the open players at our club play online. Now that's
stopped because of cheating: Kibitzers
aren't allowed.
I've heard it said that masterpoints
are the cocaine of bridge players, so I
guess some people will do anything to
get them.
JOAN SLOVER
St. Clements ON
I read the statements on BBO cheating with a good deal of mystification.
Cheating at cards is certainly reprehensible. In the case of bridge professionals, it's possible to understand
the motivation: masterpoint standing
directly affects their incomes and
careers. But what possible benefit
could accrue to an amateur lover of
the game? Is there any satisfaction
knowing that one's masterpoint total is
inflated? A 9-year-old would squirm at
the idea.
EPHRAIM LEWIS
New York NY
Recently, our club members received
an email regarding cheating in games
online. Then I received my July Bridge
Bulletin with articles about how serious this is. I totally agree that cheating
is not what ACBL members should do
at any time. Cheating just to get masterpoints is ridiculous.
Last week, after our club game, I got
a call from a person who played against
me. I opened 1NT and this person bid
Letters to the editor are welcome by regular mail and email.
Brevity is considered a virtue, as is subject matter with relevance
to a majority of ACBL members. Unsigned letters are not
considered for publication, so please include your name and
hometown. Letters may be edited. All letters will receive a
response. Send emails to editor@acbl.org.

September 2020 Bridge Bulletin

September 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of September 2020