[blml] 40B3?

[richard willey]

On 1/17/08, Herman De Wael <hermandw at skynet.be> wrote:

> Not really. What I'm trying to say is that, even if I would admit to
> it being because of DWS considerations, at two other tables there will
> be two unknown players. One of them would do it because of a genuine
> belief that he had misbid, the other could be an unknown DWS adept.
> How are you going to rule against thowe two. Why should actions be
> forbidden when they are done by HDW, but allowed by all others?

As I have noted in the past, I don't really care much whether the law
of the land is based on the mainstream interpretation or the DWS
interpretation.  Tell me what I'm supposed to do and I will happily
follow the rules.

What does concern me greatly is that the laws are consistent.  I
consider a situation where one group of players follows the mainstream
school while another group of players follows the DWS highly
problematic.  This can't lead to anything good...

I think that it is useful to distinquish between academic debate
regarding the DWS and practical application of the DWS.  Here once
again, I couldn't care less if Herman enjoys ivory tower arguments
regarding the DWS since these don't have any bearing on the way that
the game is played.

This is very different from real world application of the DWS.  Here
we have a deliberate attempt to fork the regulatory structure.  I find
this type of behaviour problematic when it comes from players.
However, Herman is not a mere "player".  Herman is an experienced
director who should known better.  He can not claim ignorance.
Rather, he is making a deliberate and concious decision to flaunt due
process and place his own personal opinons ahead of precedent.

Moreover, Herman repeatedly behaves in this same manner.  Recall
earlier discussions regarding the Herman 1H opening where Herman
openly stated that he refuses to provide the local regulatory
authorities with a description of his actions because he fears that -
in their ignorance - they would rule against him...

The difference between Herman and the unknown DWS adept is the amount
of information that we have regarding intent.


-- 
"First they came for the verbs, and I said nothing because verbing
weirds language. Then they arrival for the nouns, and I speech nothing
because I no verbs."

Peter Ellis