Well, this month started off with a bang, as I got called to direct at the Austin regional at the last minute. Thanks to Wally and Don for stepping in to cover the game and class and Jay for getting our supplies to them.
As I mentioned last month, since we're no longer able to hold unlimited charity games, we're participating in a variety of special activities to maximize the number of points available to our players. One thing I'm not planning to do currently is hold any of the North American Pairs (NAP) games. Several years ago, ACBL cut the price of NAP pairs from $7 to $4 to encourage participation. Apparently seeing an opportunity to grab some easy money, District 15 (which has no expenses related to the NAP, as the subsidy for the district winners comes from ACBL) promptly tacked on a $1 surcharge. After 5 years of complaints from various club managers, District 15 removed its $1 last year, but apparently the policy-makers saw the end of charity games as another opportunity to line the district's coffers as they reinstituted the $1 charge effective July 1--right at the end of the unlimited charity games.
If someone has their heart set on representing the district in the NAP (the district finals are in October in Kansas City and the national finals are in Louisville next spring), I will hold a game for the purpose of letting them qualify, but there hasn't been much demand for an NAP game and I don't expect that to change.
We are still allowed to hold one special game per month, so my current plan is to make the biggest game of each month a charity game. The exceptions are in February, April, and September, when every game is allowed to be a special game benefitting that month's focus (Junior Fund in February, Charity Foundation in April, and International Fund in September).
I'm leaving for New Orleans to direct at the NABC at the end of the month. I'm very excited about this as it will be my first NABC on staff. Thanks for all your great support and let's keep making Norman bridge grow.
See you at the table,
Eric