[roghog]

We have several County events that run on weekday evenings. Rulings are rare and and are very seldom appealed. But, in the very unlikely event of an Appeal, it is probably something complex.

I started wondering how fair it is to convene an AC from tired players, some not necessarily particularly well-informed in the bye-ways of bridge-law, others perhaps not wanting to get home late. Maybe it would be better for us to record the facts and send them off to someone experienced and knowledgeable? After all, we don't need an immediate decision.

OK, you lose the ability to ask questions directly to the players.

I wonder how others deal with this sort of thing. In England, do the EBU L&E Committee currently get involved in such matters?

[bluejak]

EBU Referees are listed in the diary and on the website: they are used to looking after appeals.

I get sent a few appeals every year from everywhere: I am always happy to arrange them and deal with them.

As you say, there are pros and cons.

[FrancesHinden]

The L&E committee as a committee rarely get involved unless all other avenues have been exhausted. They act as the National Authority to whom appeals of appeals can be directed.

However, a number of individual members of the L&EC are also referees (Jeremy, David Burn, Tim Rees, Martin Pool, Me) and the others are all experienced TDs (David S, Mike Amos, Neil Morley and the secretary John Pain) and we are all used to be asked to give rulings/appeals. The EBU publish a full list of referees and their phone numbers. Ideally you ask a TD to give the ruling of first instance, and a referee to manage the appeal - referees tend to be stronger bridge players but less practised at straight laws rulings*

What you could do is what e.g. Surrey does, which is they have one or two TDs (one has just retired and not been replaced, the other is Bluejak) whom you are invited to call for a ruling of first instance. They also have an official 'Surrey appeals consultant' to whom all appeals are sent. He usually consults with other good Surrey players not involved in the original hand. The one time he was personally involved as were all the other top Surrey players he asked Jeremy to run the appeal. I think having a few people nominated as the standing AC who get sent any appeal by email the next day is fine. They could still contact the players if they wanted to, and then they have time to consult others and come to a considered opinion rather than being rushed by the time of the last train home.


*for everyone who thinks I've just insulted them, assume you are the exception to my 'tend to' above.