[blml] What constitutes a frivolous appeal? [SEC=UNOFFICIAL]

[richard.hills at immi.gov.au]

Grattan Endicott:

[snip]

>>Cuddlies in England are appointed from among senior
>>players and others well versed in the subject of appeals.

[snip]

William Schoder:

[snip]

>I have yet to find most professional players or revered
>partners who, when asked by a customer, have not
>recommended an appeal, NO MATTER HOW RIDICULOUS IT MAY BE.
>It's called "business". It costs them nothing, and makes
>them further respected by the customer.  I do not dream
>this up, but have discussed it many times with the
>"professionals".

[snip]

George Bernard Shaw, The Doctor's Dilemma (1906):

"All professions are conspiracies against the laity."

Richard Hills:

My experience is that Aussie experts often correctly advise
less experienced players to eschew a frivolous appeal.  For
example, Southwest Pacific Teams 2007, Match 10, Board 6:

Dlr: East          JT8765
Vul: All           J9
                   542
                   KQ
KQ9                                  A42
Q865                                 AK74
T87                                  AKJ3
T97                                  43
                   3
                   T32
                   Q96
                   AJ8652

WEST      NORTH     EAST      SOUTH
          Hills               Ali
---       ---       1D        3C
Pass      Pass      Dble      Pass
3D(1)     Pass      3H        Pass
4H        Pass      Pass      Pass

(1) Break in tempo

The Director ruled that Pass was the non-suggested logical
alternative to the demonstrably suggested 3H, so adjusted the
score from 620 to 130.

East-West, very talented (quarter-finalists this year) but
inexperienced teenaged experts, asked other experts whether
an appeal would be deemed frivolous, and were uniformly told
that it would indeed frivol in a big way.

Unlike in the ACBL, only a tiny proportion of Aussie experts
play bridge as a "business", so the amateur experts are
uninhibited in truth-telling.

But perhaps there is another reason for an ABF expert to more
objectively assess frivolity than an ACBL expert.

In my opinion, the ACBL Appeal Without Merit Warning lacks
teeth.  Meanwhile the ABF system of imp and matchpoint fines
for meritless appeals has real fangs.  Therefore, it is not
good "business" for an ABF professional to advise his sponsor
partner to launch a meritless appeal, since the victory
points lost might be significant, and therefore impinge upon
the professional's "success bonus".

Perhaps the ACBL could overcome its characteristic tendency
towards Not Invented Here, and replace AWMWs with matchpoint
and imp fines for appeals without merit?


Best wishes

Richard James Hills, amicus curiae
National Training Branch, DIAC
02 6223 9052

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