August 2024 - 9

A MESSAGE
FROM THE
PRESIDENT
The issues we face as an organization are many and
PRESIDENT
Margot Hennings
VICE PRESIDENT
Cindy Shoemaker
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Bronia Jenkins
CHAIR, ADVISORY COUNCIL
Doug Couchman
Board of Directors
Region 1 * Jonathan Steinberg
Region 2 * Mark Aquino
Region 3 * Joann Glasson
Region 4 * Margot Hennings
Region 5 * Dennis Carman
Region 6 * Barbara Heller
Region 7 * Larry Sealy
Region 8 * Jeff Overby
Region 9 * Paul Cuneo
Region 10 * Cindy Shoemaker
Region 11 * David Lodge
Region 12 * Jacqueline Zayac
Region 13 * Tim White
To contact a district director,
visit acbl.org/boardofdirectors.
varied, ranging from how to entice a younger generation
to join our aging ranks to play a game we all love
(membership); to how to ensure the integrity of this
game is preserved and that all believe it is fair and
competitive (discipline); to how to balance the preferences
of our members for both face-to-face (FTF) and
online play (competition). It is this last issue - competition
- that I will address here.
There are many avenues available through the ACBL
website to find FTF games: at clubs and at sectional,
regional and national tournaments. Not only black
points but also silver, red and gold (collectively known
as pigmented points, but also playfully dubbed " glitter
points " ) can be earned at clubs, notably in Royal STaCs
that were introduced a few years ago, and in other ACBL special games.
Regarding online games, the Board coordinates with management and the
MARGOT HENNINGS
Competition and Conventions Committee to develop an annual online tournament
schedule along with opportunities for club games that complements our
current sanctioning of FTF tournaments and games. This schedule can be found
on the ACBL website: look for the box for Upcoming Events, click on View
All Events and then on the box for Online. When you scroll down, you will
see a colorful box that contains a link to the Online Calendar. There you will see
all the " glitter point " games listed for the rest of this year.
In addition to these ACBL-sponsored events, districts (and units when they
are the sponsors) that hold regionals are encouraged to include a two-session
online event together with their FTF schedules. This event can be held on one
day or with one session held across each of two consecutive days. This is a great
way to provide both players who crave the sociability and competitiveness of
FTF play and those within the host district who are unable to attend that regional
access to " glitter. "
At this time, participants in online games offered in conjunction with FTF
regionals are limited to members of those districts. This regulation is in place
so as not to jeopardize attendance at other FTF regionals held concurrently
across the ACBL. Holding these online regionally rated events is entirely at the
option of the districts. Many have chosen to hold these, while others have not. If
the regionals within your district are not offering this online game, contact the
district organizers (e.g., district president, unit president, regional tournament
coordinator) to see if it is financially feasible for them to do so. Like FTF games,
there are costs associated with holding online games and we need you to come
out and play, whether it is at a club, at a tournament or at home.
As part of our ongoing strategic planning to accommodate both FTF and online
players and provide opportunities for all, we review our current offerings
and work diligently to ensure they are complementary and conflict as little as
possible. This is a continuing challenge and we are committed to continuing
this in-depth review.
August 2024 | Bridge Bulletin |
9
http://www.acbl.org/boardofdirectors
August 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of August 2024
