" . why would i, for example, direct a tourney when i know from the start that i'm not qualified to do so?"
Jimmy...
I’m one of these totally unqualified TD’s. One of the reasons I started running tournaments is that I saw how badly some were being run, people being booted for making the wrong bid, people failing to alert and the player asking for the explanation being booted, players abusing partners and opps, deliberate hold up of play. (and also I dont play at clubs so can't TD real life, this allows me to have a dabble)
When I started I knew very very little about acbl, wbf rules, I still know very little but I’m learning.
The complaints you see posted here aren’t about the intricacies of the acbl rulebook they are about fundamental table and people management – politeness,table talk, people being booted for making the ‘wrong’ bids etc. These arent difficult problems which need a highly qualified TD to resolve.
I agree, TD’s have no excuse for being rude to people and must be reported to abuse, other than that TD’s should be free to run their tournaments how they see fit. If a TD has a policy of ‘no bad bids, no texas transfers, no 2
♣ openings..’, state that in the tournament rules and let the bbo population decide if they want to play under those rules.
DelfinoD, on Feb 16 2005, 12:45 PM, said:
Or even better - a TD should have someone, who he could ask about a problem that involves dealing with law.
When I run into a “rules” problem that I can’t answer I ask another TD, a yellow, a star, an “expert”

everyone is willing to help if they can. (thanks)
So, unforgivable actions from the TD here, don’t play in that person’s tournament again.
jillybean
"And no matter what methods you play, it is essential, for anyone aspiring to learn to be a good player, to learn the importance of bidding shape properly. MikeH
"100% certain that many excellent players would disagree. This is far more about style/judgment than right vs. wrong." Fred