Happy Festive Season


I'm no doubt that you're aware of Law 1C by now:

C. The Backs of the Cards

The backs of all 52 cards in a deck should be identical. They may incorporate words, a logo or a pictorial design but the image used should possess a centre of symmetry.

We also need to see what the laws say about "should":

Established usage has been retained in regard to “may” do (failure to do it is not wrong), “does” (establishes procedure without suggesting that violation be penalised) “should” do (failure to do it is an infraction jeopardising the infractor’s rights but not often penalised),”shall” do (a violation will incur a penalty more often than not) “must” do (the strongest word, a serious matter indeed). Again “must not” is the strongest prohibition, “shall not” is strong but “may not” is stronger – just short of “must not”.

This shows that while it is strongly encouraged for clubs to have identical (and unmarked) cards, there's no absolute need for them.

Naively this makes sense; as card backs/markings are only one potential source of UI for players. It'd be weird to absolutely enforce this, but not to segregate each table in an opaque and sound-proof pod such that there was no transmission of UI via overheard comments or seen cards.

Practically, it's economically unsustainable for a club to replace an entire deck once one card becomes marked, or even more worn than the rest. This means a casual attitude towards the card standards is typically maintained. If you don't replace the whole deck you'll be replacing one marked card for a different one [a significantly newer card].

This is more dealing with marked cards, rather than a marked deck as a whole - that's a whole 'nother kettle of fish. I can elaborate more on my stance if the above isn't compelling; but to directly address your questions:

What shouild the director do at this point?

Ideally replace the deck used for that board with a new / unmarked deck - however if circumstances prevent this; noting the issue for the club to deal with at a later date.

Can this board with marked cards be played?

If the marking is that cards have their rank written in vivid on the back, then no. If the marking is relatively discrete then it can be if not practical to immediately fix.

Can the result of the tournament stand?

Absolutely

Can masterpoints and prizes be awarded?

Absolutely

Should the players be given refunds?

Absolutely not, this'd be akin to giving you a refund because partner revoked on a board; or you got a 60/60 board due to a comment made at another table.

Should the organisers face sanction?

Absolutely not. This is a perfect example of a time to use a recorder. Obviously if it was your local club it'd be easy to bring it to attention and get changed. If it wasn't your local club, you should contact the regional recorder - something like:

Hey Name,

Recently I played the 5A Pairs at Timbuktu Bridge Club. While there I noticed that board 12 had a marked card. I brought this to the attention of the director, but I want to ensure that it's correctly followed up on. 

This gives you a clear escalation path if you return a month later and find the same marked card - that'd be a good time to have the organisers face sanction.

People are all here to try and facilitate the play of bridge, which is a game we all enjoy. Sadly we're all humans and issues like this do crop up. Drawing and quartering people for them is a great way to decimate the volunteers that run each bridge club you play at, and reducing everyones enjoyment for this game.

Hope this response helps.

I am not talking about accidently defaced cards. I am talking about approx twenty five packs of cards being preprinted marked decks intended for use by stage magicians or card cheats.

Replacing that many decks in a tournament is most likely ruled out by a lack of available substitute decks.

What about using unmarked decks from the next / previous session? The worst that'll come is that someone needs to spend their lunch break dealing cards. Most bridge clubs have enough decks to replace them though. 

Obviously 25 marked decks is quite a bad situation, but there's no guarantee that anyone was well acquainted enough with the markings to employ them.

Most "cheaters" also have a hard time moderating their results - there's the infamous slam hand that was the final nail in the coffin for Fischer/Schwartz. They had a safe -2 against a slam, and "exposed" themselves to get it -3 instead.

I'd still envision the following process taking place:

1. Quiet word with director [why inform other people when it may not be immediately fixable]
   1. Maybe it gets fixed immediately
2. Contact recorder with concerns
3. Recorder will contact club & figure out who purchased those cards
4. Club will determine how easy it'd be to mistakenly order them as opposed to 'normal' cards.
5. The club buys enough new clean decks.
6. In a bad case, the regional committee may assist in the purchasing.

Without investigating marked decks myself, I don't know how identifiable they are; or how easy to read. But a lot of dubious actions survive with a certain security through obscurity. I'd promulagate knowledge of the marked cards, and which clubs use them. If everyone becomes aware of marked decks then clubs will be forced to take it seriously and replace them with unmarked cards.

> Without investigating marked decks myself, I don't know how identifiable they are; or how easy to read. 

I was dummy and I turned over the card to trick one. To me the lack of rotational symmetry stood out like a flashing blue light.

Next trick, I turned over a card and compared the two back patterns (expecting to just to confirm the lack of a centre of symmetry) and the fact that the cards were totally different was again clear. (Same pattern but offset in X and Y directions.)

I wondered if the situation was something like the one that we saw down in Xch last year when there was one rogue card in a deck. (King of hearts in the dark green board 13. Remember it? Has that one ever been fixed?)

But no, on every board with the same family pattern, I never saw two cards alike.

I know of one other person who has spotted marked cards here and that person has an interest in stage magic but surely I cannot be the only player in the country who would make such an observation?

Papatoetoe, another tournament, another bunch of marked decks.

Different pattern to the last two.

How is this happenning?

It gets worse

When my club got a dealing machine at the beginning of 2018 we purchased over 100 packs from the same source

Many of them (if not all of them - I haven't checked that far) have:

[a]     unsymmetrical backs

and

[b]    the backs in the same pack are not identical

Surely the Consumer Guarantees Act kicks in if "Bridge Cards" are sold which don't comply with Law 1C

Several of our top directors have been notified but I haven't heard what action has been taken

I don't think there is much which can be done to rectify what has happened in the past

But from now on:

Those who supply cards must make sure they are compliant before offering them to clubs for sale (someone high up in NZB needs to tell them that)

Similarly clubs should check and, if they are not compliant, send them back and demand a refund or replacement

I have checked the packs my club bought in 2018 and we have 4 sets of 28, the backs of all of which are [a] not symmetrical AND [b] not identical.
If we have any which are unopened I am going to recommend our club return to the supplier

I can see two secnarios how this might have happened:

[a]    ignorance and/or carelessness in the quality control department

[b]    the provider has a sideline selling marked packs to card cheats (who pay a bit extra to be told the code)

Either of those would be sufficient for me to refuse to do any business with them

I think that there is a lot that can be done in this situation and I think that NZ Bridge is in a good position to help you.

In the first instance, you could contact the supplier, explan the situation and ask them to provide you with replacement decks.

If that does not work out, ask NZB to help.

If the supplier refuses to replace the decks then NZ Bridge should name them on this website and in a letter to all affiliated clubs with a statement that nobody should buy any bridge supplies from them in the future.

Beyond that, NZB should contact other organisations that might be customers and warn them of the potential problem.

Then they could contact the NZ gambling commission and the media.

That should work.

More marked cards in use at the Waitemata tournament today.

And more at Te Aroha

About one third of the decks at Tauranga were marked.

That is four out of the last 6 Tournaments that I have played.

Thames and the Auckland new year 5A were clean.

I found another player who had previously spotted that there were marked cards.

One or two decks per 8 board match at Frankin were marked.

Same pattern as at Papatopetoe, Tauranga and Waitemata.

Looking forward to playing the Waitangi day event at Auckland which should be free of this.

and at the Spa Town Teams 5A on Saturday
I have reported it to the director on the day as well as to Murray Wiggins

Saturday's Howick 3A seemed to be better than those two.

None of the decks with a different back for each card but I did see a whole load of the decks that had a very subtle degree of non-rotational symmetry.