[blml] Disclosure f2f

[Guthrie]

[Brian Meadows 1]
Well, I'll tell you that it's an absolute pain in the backside as far
as online bridge is concerned, where any number of newcomers to the
online game who have played bridge under their local NBO think that
it's *their* local regulations that are in force world wide.

[Brian 2]
Well, given what I hear of the ACBL's declining membership, I wouldn't
put too much money against the online form of the game becoming the
more popular, at least in the USA, within the next decade. My local
club here in northern Pennsylvania folded due to lack of members about
three years ago, and now the nearest club that I know of is over 50
miles away.

[nige1]
It may be hard to persuade local beneficiaries from jingoist local
legislatures but my experience coincides with Brian's: Players find it
hard to understand current over-sophisticated, over-subjective,
incomplete laws. Rulings seem incomprehensible, subjective and
inequitable (dictionary sense). Chauvinistic regulation variants are
the last straw for many would be-players.

[Brian 3]
What I said in my posting, Nigel, was that local regulations are a 
pain in the backside when online players incorrectly assume that their 
own local regulations apply online. Not "the last straw", which 
implies that some (drastic) action results from it, just a damn nuisance.

The rest of what you imply is "my experience" is purely your own view,
and you have no justification whatever for suggesting that I share it.
I certainly can't remember being on the receiving end of a single
ruling that I found "incomprehensible". I've disagreed with a few of
them, sure, but I understood what the ruling was and why, even if I
thought the reasoning was wrong.

I also try hard not to put views in the mouths of others, and *I*
certainly wouldn't claim to speak for "Players" in general.

[nige1]
My original post quoted Brian's views verbatim, about on-line legal 
disputes, clubs folding and falling ACBL membership. I then made an 
honest attempt to summarise what I understood to be Brian's views 
relevant to my argument. (I've requoted them above).

I apologise, Brian, for misinterpreting your opinions.

I also concede that Bridge is just a game and perhaps "the last straw" 
is too emotive a metaphor to describe why some players decide not to 
continue playing it.