AMERICAN CONTRACT BRIDGE LEAGUE

Claire Jones

District 18 Director

2708 Lakeview Ave.

Regina, SK. S4S 1G3

Canada

H: (306) 584-3516

F: (306) 585-1443

Email: stats@accesscomm.ca

ACBL National Board of Directors Meeting Seattle, November 20-23, 2011

Hi All,

It is a difficult time whenever a family member wants to leave. Originally I had opposed the transfer of the Boise and Nampa-Caldwell Units. After many conversations and much thought I had to agreed that even though it is a major loss to District 18 the transfer would be best for the players of those Units. This is why I supported the motion that requested their transfer to District 20. We will still host the Regional in Boise next May and I know we will still be seeing the many bridge friends we have made over the years but that will be our last official contact with those Units. Best wishes and good luck to all the Nampa-Caldwell and Boise players in your new home.

The cooperative advertising program continues to be very popular with bridge teachers across the country. The ACBL reimburses 75% of qualifying advertising. I would like to remind you that District 18 has a policy that reimburses the remaining 25%. For full details on qualifying programs check out the ACBL web page.

http://www.acbl.org/marketing/coopAdvertising.html

The complete Board meeting minutes are available on the Wasumi site.

http://www.wasumi.org/BoardInformation/DistrictRep/113Seattle.pdf

Minutes from past meeting are available on the ACBL web site.

http://www.acbl.org/about/bodmeetings.html

Here are some of the motions that affect us the most.

Item 113-151: Election of the ACBL president.

Congratulations to Sharon Anderson of Eagan, Minnesota (District 14) on being elected the ACBL president for 2012.

Item 113-161: Strength of Field Formula.

This is a proposal to change the method of calculating masterpoints at Sectionals and Regionals. In order to have more time for input and consideration this motion was deferred to the March meeting in Memphis.

Item 113-88: Transfer of Units 394 and 398 from District 18 to District 20.

Carried unanimously.

Comments above.

Item 113-27: Online Masterpoints Used for Rank Advancement.

and

Item 113-28: Requirement for Achieving Additional Life Master Rankings.

Both items carried.

I supported both motions.

As a combined action these do away with the inequality online players have had when only 1/3 of their online points were counted for rank advancement and they give the Ranking system a more standardized structure. Check the details in the full minutes.

Item 113-44: Alert Chart.

Carried unanimously.

These two changes come into effect January 1, 2012.

1. Remove the Alert of the cheapest club response over a natural 1NT opener or overcall which asks for a 4 or 5 card major. Rebids other than standard by the NT bidder (such as "Puppet" responses) are still alertable.

2. A 1 club opener on specifically 4432 with 2 clubs and 44 in the majors is now defined as natural. The 1 club is still announced as "Could be short." but you are not permitted to use special defences against it as you could before when it was classified as conventional and treated similar to "Big Club" systems.

Reconsideration Item 113 - 159: GNT Entry Fees

The ACBL will waive all entry fees for NABC final GNT events.

Defeated: 12-13

There was a meeting scheduled for all NAP and GNT coordinators in Seattle. It is hoped that suggestions on how to increase attendance in these events will come from these meetings. I voted against the motion as I felt it would be better to evaluate the suggestions and then put forward a more complete motion at the Spring meetings in Memphis. I believe that eliminating entry fees can still be part of a more comprehensive motion.

NABC Sites: The following future NABC sites were approved.

Spring 2017 - Kansas City

Summer 2017 - Toronto

Fall 2018 - Hawaii

Fall 2020 - Tampa

I would like to wish everyone the very best in the upcoming holiday season and as always may all you finesses be successful.

Claire Jones

District 18 BoD

(306) 584-3516

stats@accesscomm.ca