Grow the membership? How about nurturing the members we already have who are at the bottom of the MP totem pole. Find out how we can help them better appreciate the game, attend local, regional, and national tournaments. Let's recast the special events, particularly the GNTs so that newer players learn to play imps and enjoy the difference between imps and matchpoints. Reward districts who hold club qualifying events for Flight C players.
Our special events could be driving participation to a much greater extent than they are doing. Live tournament bridge will sputter if we don't engage new club players to enjoy play in a larger venue. It's time for a new grass roots approach: North American Swiss Pairs. Qualify during the Grass Roots Fund month in May and earn the right to play at the fall NABC. The grass roots events, NAP and GNT, should be designed to excite newer players, not just reward those who are already coming to the NABCs
Start the 6K Spingold on Day 2 of the regular Spingold. Structure the NABC+ events in a way that encourages folks to play up.
Lobby your ACBL Board rep to move the 10K event at the start of the Spring NABC to Sat-Sun rather than starting on Day1 of both the Platinum and the IMP Pairs. Bueller? Bueller? Hello? Strive to schedule the start 10K events on day 2 of 3 day NABC+ events whenever possible.
Scheduling a 10K event final that falls on day 1 of a new NABC+ event is WRONG
The ACBL doesn't need a one size fits all policy for team entry fees. If you want 100% of the masterpoints then you pay your 100%. A 6 person team willing to receive proportional overall awards, as we do in Swiss team events, can pay the 4 person team entry fee. We already track the sitouts. This is not rocket science
Read more »none vul. 20 imp VPs
second of 8 boards, probable small pickup on bd.1
2/1 5 Card Majors
2N = forcing raise Simplest of J2N: 3M xtras, 3N balanced minimum, 3a shortness, 4a second 5 card suit with 3 of top five
3♣ = shortness
3♦ = cuebid
4♦ denies either the ♠A or ♠K and promises the ♦K or ♦A
North says South HAD to cuebid 4♣. Even if ambiguous: club void or ♣A North will employ RKC to find out
South says without the ♠A or K, ♥AK, ♦A he doesn't have an opening bid without the ♣A
South said he would attempt to sign off in 4♥ over 3♦ holding the ♠QJx ♥QJxxx ♦KQxx ♣x only 1 quick trick
South wonders why North didn't make an immediate splinter with 3♠ which will quickly elicit the ♣A or a nonserious 3N
Caveats: Not interested in hearing about sophisticated Larry Cohen or other 3C=minimum structures which might have been helpful
