VOL. 56 No. 4 DECEMBER 2015 The War on Cheating y now you have probably with it. B heard all about the cheat- Not only is there no discus- ing scandal that has rocked sion at all of criminal charges, top-level bridge. Three of the but the handful of wealthy cli- most successful international ents who have been paying pairs, all frequent competitors for the “services” of the cheat- in North American champion- ers have shown no interest in ships, have been unofficially suing to at least try to get their “outed” for allegedly using money back. prearranged signals. Although For example, there is this there have been no hearings comment by Pierre Zimmer- on any of the charges, they mann, patron of the Monaco were supported by some very squad, which included the ac- persuasive video compilations cused Italian pair Fantoni and and analyses. You can read Nunes. and view all the gory details “I am now in my sixties. I am on bridgewinners.com quiet and Zen. Some friends The very top players in the may have problems or may world reportedly are com- have done wrong things. It manding annual salaries of up can be a fault but they remain to $600,000 from a few very friends. I forget the past. In wealthy patrons. By tapping 2015 I paid to ALL my team- into this source of big reve- mates the bonus for results nues, the cheaters have com- mentioned in the contract I mitted a massive fraud on the signed. Whatever happens I bridge community and on their will sue nobody.” clients. And in a very funda- Financially, the cheaters are mental and real-world way, going to get away with it, they are going to get away (Continued on page 2) whether or not they are ever greement over what should allowed to play organized happen in the future. Some bridge again. say that if there is cheating Even that last matter (of expul- going on, someone must step sion from tournament bridge) is in in and do something about it. some doubt, with hearings … pending in ACBL-land and “This situation very forceful- abroad. Historically, ACBL’s ly brings home the point that efforts to give cheaters the organizationally taking the treatment they deserve have path of least resistance when been undercut by fear of liti- handling accusations of im- gation costs if expelled play- proper behavior is a very bad ers file a lawsuit. The league idea. It doesn’t work. It has was not fully prepared to de- never worked. There is no fend these cases, and they reason to believe that it ever often were settled on terms will work. There are strong that allowed cheaters to return indications that bridge organi- from expulsion. Possibly as a zations have failed to develop result, the league’s top disci- the players’ respect when it plinary committees have been comes to the policing and en- reluctant to impose expulsion forcement of behavioral re- or other big penalties. quirements. Unless there is a Fortunately ACBL has got- dramatic shift in the official ten smarter and better at approach to such matters, we prosecuting cheating cases, have reason to fear a continu- with more resources and per- ing stream of public accusa- sonnel deployed to meet this tions with all their negative threat to our game. Further consequences, because whether steps are being taken now to or not there is cheating there will videotape top matches and to be a lingering belief that the enlist help from the expert possibility has remained un- bridge community in ferreting checked.” out the miscreants. Hopefully To stop cheating, the the World Bridge Federation League must take a firm and their other zonal organi- stand, borrowing a concept zations around the world will from the War on Terror: WE follow suit. DON’T NEGOTIATE WITH In its November issue, CHEATERS. Bridge World Magazine ob- —Marty Hirschman, served, “There is wide disa- Table Talk Editor PAGE 2 TABLE TALK Michigan Bridge Association’s Michael Graham Ann Arbor Sectional January 30-31, 2016 Eastern Michigan University Student Center 900 Oakwood St., Ypsilanti MI 48197 734-487-1157 Saturday, January 30 Stratified Open Swiss Teams Playthrough–7 matches ........ 11 a.m. *Stratified Non-LM Pairs (single session) ............................ 11 a.m. *Stratified Non-LM Pairs (single session) .............................. 3 p.m. Sunday, January 31 Stratified Open Swiss Teams Playthrough–7 matches.. .. …11 a.m. *Stratified Non-LM Pairs (single session) ..... ………………..11 a.m. *Stratified Non-LM Pairs (single session) .............................. 3 p.m. *Starred events are open only to non-Life Masters with fewer than 500 masterpoints Free coffee and snacks. Free parking. There will be a lunch break during which food will be available for purchase at the food court in the building. Stratified Events: A = 3000+, B = 1000-3000, C = 0-1000 Non-LM Strats: (0-50) (50-200) (200-500) (as attendance warrants) Average MP will be used to determine your strat. Directions from Detroit suburbs: Take M-14 to U.S. 23 southbound to exit 37A (Washtenaw Avenue toward Ypsilanti). Go east on Washtenaw Avenue for 2.9 miles. When you first come to the Eastern Michigan University campus, turn left (north). This is Oakwood Street (there is a traffic signal but no street sign). Go .4 miles to the Student Center. The center and park- ing lot will be on your right. There is no charge for parking on weekends. Tournament Chairman: Bob Katz, 734-657-3091, [email protected] Partnerships: Rosanne Winokur, 248-661-3567, [email protected] Marilyn Crane, 734-591-3431, [email protected] District 12 Website: www.district12bridge.org TABLE TALK PAGE 3 TABLE TALK MBA Officers Official publication Richard Temkin ............. president of the Michigan Bridge Association Jonathan Fleischmann 30660 Woodgate Dr., ............................. president-elect Southfield MI 48076 Kurt Dasher.................... chairman 248-646-3967 Stacey Tessler ... recording secretary e-mail: [email protected] Bob Webber .................... treasurer MARTIN HIRSCHMAN, Editor Board of Directors Production editor: Marcia Abram- Shelley Boschan, Marilyn Crane, Kurt son Dasher, Jonathan Fleischmann, Mar- MBA Corresponding & Mem- tin Hirschman (non-voting), Robert bership Secretary: Paul Pome- Katz, Marilyn Nathanson, Grant Pe- roy, 34069 Hathaway St., Livonia tersen, Patti Stoner, Richard Temkin, MI 48150, [email protected], Stacey Tessler, Zachary Wasserman, 734-421-0193 Rosanne Winokur, Willie Winokur MBA CLUB DIRECTORY ■Ann Arbor BC, Walden Hills 248-887-9283. Thursday, 6 p.m. Clubhouse, 2114 Pauline, Ann ■Neighborhood Club, St. Paul Arbor. Ray Gentz, 734-769- Evangelical Lutheran Church, 3994. Wednesday 7 p.m. 375 Lothrop, Grosse Pointe Farms. ■Burns Center Bridge, 1320 Bald- James Schmidt, 586-463-9835. win, Ann Arbor. Dick Fortune, Thursday 12 p.m., Sunday 1 p.m. 5674. Wednesday 12 p.m. ■Plymouth Community DBC, Cul- ■Burns Park Bridge, 1320 Baldwin, tural Center, 525 Farmer, Plym- Ann Arbor. Stacey Tessler, 734- outh. Jim & Cheryl Perna, 248- 623-8050. Thursday 12 p.m. 887-9283. Tuesday 11:30 a.m., ■Downriver BC, Southgate Civic Wednesday 11:30 a.m. Center, 14700 Reaume Pkwy., ■Thursday Evening Bridge, Ann Southgate. Ron Smith, 519-969- Arbor City Club,1830 Washtenaw, 4441. Tuesday 10:30 a.m. Ann Arbor. Dorothy Kuhn, 734-761- ■Ford DBC, Ford Motor Company 6691. Thursday 7 p.m. World Headquarters, 1 American ■Trenton DBC, 2700 Westfield, Rd., Dearborn. Ellen Silverest, Trenton. Charles May, 734-301- 810-225-2278. Tuesday 7 p.m. 3872. Thursday 7 p.m. ■Friendly Friday BC, St. Paul ■War Memorial, 32 Lakeshore, Evangelical Lutheran Church, 375 Grosse Pointe. Judith Thomas, Lothrop, Grosse Pointe Farms. 313-372-4218. Monday 12 p.m. Tony Faint, 586-649-3575. Fri- ■Young Center BC, R.A. Young day 12 p.m. Recreation Center, 5400 McKin- ■Huron Valley Bridge Club, Hart- ley, Dearborn Heights. Joyce land Senior Center, 9525 E. Highland Kozma, 313-274-5587. Wednes- Rd., Howell. Jim & Cheryl Perna, day 11 a.m. PAGE 4 TABLE TALK Zero would be a nice number Most of our players have no The first offense usually will ambitions to be world champi- result in a penalty of one- ons. They would just like to quarter of a board or 3 IMPs. have a good time playing their A second offense will lead to favorite game and trying to do the player being kicked out of the best they can. that event. Potential additional Unfortunately all too often penalties include expulsion very poor conduct — often by from the entire tournament a few of our better players — and convening of a conduct has made “just having a good and ethics committee with time” impossible for many. power to issue suspensions. We all know who these re- Also, a record will be kept of current bad actors are [names the incident(s) to provide the omitted]. MBA would like to basis for further action in the deal effectively with them, but future. we need your help. Please help us clean up the Our unit is a strong support- game by immediately inform- er of the ACBL Zero Toler- ing the director when a bad ance Policy, which gives play- actor acts up. ers and the league a frame- —M.H work for building a case . against the jerks as well as From the ACBL Zero providing for immediate penal- Tolerance Handbook: ties for individual incidents of The ultimate purpose of the inappropriate conduct. Here is Z-T policy is to create a much how it works: more pleasant atmosphere in If a player at the table be- our [tournaments]. We are at- haves in an unacceptable tempting to eradicate unac- manner, the director should ceptable behavior in order to be called immediately.