Chicago Laws Commision

MEMBERS PRESENT:

Ralph Cohen and Chip Martel, Co-Chairmen

Karen Allison, Henry Lortz,

Dan Morse, Jeff Polisner,

George Rosenkranz, Roger Stern,

Bobby Wolff

ALSO PRESENT:

Chris Patrias, Secretary

Jay Apfelbaum, Rich Colker,

Dick Hewitt, Olin Hubert,

Alan LeBendig, Santanu Ghose,

David Silber, Howard Weinstein

The meeting was called to order at 10:00 a.m.

In regard to the question of renaming the ACBL Laws Commission to honor Edgar Kaplan, the Commission voted 8 to 1 not to rename but to seek some other alternative. The original straw vote was 7 no, 3 yes and 3 neutral with 2 members not replying. The Commission favored dedicating the Lawbook to the memory of Edgar Kaplan either by reprinting or, if that solution proves too expensive, by adding an errata sheet. Dr Rosenkranz offered to pay for some tribute providing the costs were not astronomical. Roger Stern will draft a letter to the ACBL Board with the results of these discussions.

The Commission received the letter from Jeff Reubens concerning unauthorized information and deferred discussion to the Fall NABC.

Jeff Polisner suggested that a footnote be added to Law that would define irrational as 1)playing trump from the bottom or 2) jettisoning high cards under other high cards. The Laws Commission could not achieve a consensus in agreement with this proposal. The Commission did ask for the list of examples which tournament directors are currently using to judge appeal cases. There was some thought to expand this list. There was also a point made that an article could be written on claiming, emphasizing the need to state a concise line of play.

Rich Colker wished to verify 3 points in regard to appeals committees:

a) the right to appeal may not be denied

b) Laws do not define the makeup of an appeals committee

c) the footnote regarding special contests allows for conditions of contest mandating a particular form of committee.

The Commission agreed that Colker's three statements were accurate.

Colker then asked whether law 12c3 could be allowed in special contests within the ACBL if it were included in the conditions of contest. The Commission told him that the ACBL board, as sponsor, would have to regulate this change.

ACBL Laws Commission e-mail addresses:

Dr George Rosenkranz syntexdad@aol.com

Henry Lortz hlortz@halcyon.com

Dan Morse danjoanm@worldnet.att.net

Bobby Wolff lupo1@airmail.net

Karen Allison krallison@aol.com

Ralph Cohen billyspa@memphisonline.com

Chip Martel martel@cs.ucdavis.edu

Chris Patrias bidmup@aol.com

Roger Stern grandys1@aol.com

Jeff Polisner vrivera@pacbell.net

Peggy Sutherlin peggybs@aol.com

OTHER Email Addresses:

Gary Blaiss gblaiss@acbl.org

Rena Hetzer rhetzer@acbl.org

	ACBL Laws Commission Minutes
		CHICAGO, IL 25 JULY 1998

MEMBERS PRESENT: Ralph Cohen and Chip Martel, Co-Chairmen Karen Allison, Henry Lortz, Dan Morse, Jeff Polisner, George Rosenkranz, Roger Stern, Bobby Wolff ALSO PRESENT: Chris Patrias, Secretary Jay Apfelbaum, Rich Colker, Dick Hewitt, Olin Hubert, Alan LeBendig, Santanu Ghose, David Silber, Howard Weinstein The meeting was called to order at 10:00 a.m. In regard to the question of renaming the ACBL Laws Commission to honor Edgar Kaplan, the Commission voted 8 to 1 not to rename but to seek some other alternative. The original straw vote was 7 no, 3 yes and 3 neutral with 2 members not replying. The Commission favored dedicating the Lawbook to the memory of Edgar Kaplan either by reprinting or, if that solution proves too expensive, by adding an errata sheet. Dr Rosenkranz offered to pay for some tribute providing the costs were not astronomical. Roger Stern will draft a letter to the ACBL Board with the results of these discussions. The Commission received the letter from Jeff Reubens concerning unauthorized information and deferred discussion to the Fall NABC. Jeff Polisner suggested that a footnote be added to Law that would define irrational as 1)playing trump from the bottom or 2) jettisoning high cards under other high cards. The Laws Commission could not achieve a consensus in agreement with this proposal. The Commission did ask for the list of examples which tournament directors are currently using to judge appeal cases. There was some thought to expand this list. There was also a point made that an article could be written on claiming, emphasizing the need to state a concise line of play. Rich Colker wished to verify 3 points in regard to appeals committees: a) the right to appeal may not be denied b) Laws do not define the makeup of an appeals committee c) the footnote regarding special contests allows for conditions of contest mandating a particular form of committee. The Commission agreed that Colker's three statements were accurate. Colker then asked whether law 12c3 could be allowed in special contests within the ACBL if it were included in the conditions of contest. The Commission told him that the ACBL board, as sponsor, would have to regulate this change. ACBL Laws Commission e-mail addresses: Dr George Rosenkranz syntexdad@aol.com Henry Lortz hlortz@halcyon.com Dan Morse danjoanm@worldnet.att.net Bobby Wolff lupo1@airmail.net Karen Allison krallison@aol.com Ralph Cohen billyspa@memphisonline.com Chip Martel martel@cs.ucdavis.edu Chris Patrias bidmup@aol.com Roger Stern grandys1@aol.com Jeff Polisner vrivera@pacbell.net Peggy Sutherlin peggybs@aol.com OTHER Email Addresses: Gary Blaiss gblaiss@acbl.org Rena Hetzer rhetzer@acbl.org

ACBL Laws Commission Minutes