November 2013 - 8

Letters to the Editor
or wondering why a result was poor.
Inevitably, someone on the short end
will hypothesize that the computer
must have it wrong.
And don't get me started on the "hilarious" comments about 50% scores
after a board is first played.
Showing percentages and other
results on tableside scoring devices
erodes the camaraderie around the
bridge table. Unless a score is dead
average, inevitably one pair is happier
than the other. The pair with the lower
score often feels the need to justify
their actions, while the higher-scoring
pair sits by in smug satisfaction.
There are many reasons results are
not shown at tournaments. Club players should be eased into this practice
so as not to show up at tournaments
wondering why they can't see their
scores. As for the club owners who
claim they're just giving their customers what they want, they should simply
reassure players that every piece of information collected by the devices will
be available upon completion of the
game. They'll be amazed how much less
interest players have in such minutiae
when they've finished out of the money
and have the chance to beat the traffic
home.
JORDAN CHODOROW
Los Angeles CA

of the scores by some self-appointed
Howard Cosell leads to slowing down
the game, recriminations over bad
boards (often based on mistaken analysis) and gloating over good boards.
We cannot, unfortunately, eliminate
these problems altogether, but turning
off the traveler function goes a long
way. It also helps minimize the problems associated with overheard results.
In the five or so years that QuickTricks has been using BridgePads, I do
not recall a single player complaining
that the traveler function was unavailable. Occasionally a visitor or other
infrequent player inquires. So far,
everyone has accepted our straightforward explanation: "We don't use that
here. It's better for the game."
A final note: We are extremely proud
of your CEO, Robert Hartman, who was
a regular at QuickTricks.
KIM FANADY
San Francisco CA

Space them out

The ACBL does not "direct" clubs in
this area of their operations.

When in London, I used to play at
many clubs where the owners spaced
out the tables to make sure no one
received unauthorized information.
Table one may be next to table six and
so on. This was even before the devices
they now have. Why can't this be done?
It would solve most problems.
SARI BERLINER
Larchmont NY

Turned off

Not so good

I manage the QuickTricks Bridge
Club in San Francisco CA. I write to
second the letter concerning tableside
electronic scoring devices and to add a
few points of my own.
From the day QuickTricks began
using BridgePads, the traveler function has been turned off. No scores, no
percentages. We do not use the traveler
function because the inevitable reading

8 Bridge Bulletin November 2013

With respect to the appeals committee's ruling that decided the Vanderbilt
Knockout Teams quarterfinal match
(June, page 27), I have heard many
complaints that it was the worst ruling
ever. I disagree. In my long career, I
have come across at least one - perhaps two - that were just as bad.
SAMI KEHELA
Toronto ON

E-problem

Earlier this year, my wife and I attended a large regional tournament in
Oklahoma. One gentleman smoked an
"electronic" cigarette throughout the
morning session. I realize these devices
do not release harmful substances into
the air, but the vapor has a mild scent
that lingers for a few seconds.
My wife and many of my patients (I
am an allergist) can become sensitive
to even mild fragrances. I should emphasize that we were not dealing with
one or two puffs. At our table, the man
chain-smoked for the entire four-board
session, at which point my wife no
longer felt well.
It was also distracting as the man
repeatedly picked up the cigarette, inhaled and then exhaled a large cloud of
vapor. It definitely slowed the play, and
it was disconcerting to players at other
tables who thought they were seeing
smoke and reacted with alarm. Players
at one table asked him to stop. He complied but resumed at the next table.
As these devices become more and
more popular, an increasing number of
people will likely be using them at tournaments and club games. I would not
mind an occasional puff from an occasional player, but this has the potential
to become widespread and noxious.
I hope the ACBL and local clubs will
consider what to do about this situation. It is not fair to the players who
might be held captive to scented ecigarette vapor for three or more hours.
DR. RICHARD PAGE
McKinney TX
At this time, ACBL does not have a
policy regarding "electronic" cigarettes.
ACBL District 7 and ACBL MidAtlantic Bridge Conference were
inadvertently omitted as WYOBC
sponsors in the story on the Youth
NABC that appeared in the October
issue (page 28).
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of November 2013
