ReadersDigestAustraliaNewZealand-March2018

March• 2018 | 87

READER’S DIGEST

allmatchesfromthequarter-finals

throughtothefinals–sincenoone

imagines that every dishonest pair

hasbeenrootedout.

Before the end of the tourna-

ment, ACBL CEO Robert Hartman

convenedthefirstmeetingofanew

anti-cheatingtaskforce–including

Willenken, Woolsey and Cullin – who

discussedmeansforstreamliningthe

processofinvestigatingcomplaints.

Meanwhile, the International

Bridge Press Association named Bro-

gelandtheBridgePersonalityofthe

Year for 2015. When he arrived for

hisfirstmatchattheDenvernation-

als later that year, he had to fight his

waythroughthecrowdthathadcol-

lected outside the tournament room.

“Thankyouforyourservice,”saida

beardedmanwhohadstoppedBro-

gelandatthedoorofthegameroom.

“Well, I had to do it,” Brogeland

said, shaking the man’s hand and

trying to move off.

“Youreallyputyourselfonthe

line,” the man persisted.

Brogeland smiled. “Bridge de-

serves it,” he said, then headed for

his table.

MatteristhedisgracedLotanFisher.
Brogeland cannot explain why
Fisherwouldassistinthequestto
root out cheaters – unless, by help-
ingtoexposeothers,hehopedto
take the focus off himself. Fisher, in
an email to this writer, claims that
heonlyaidedNoMatterandthathis
motivation was the same as Broge-
land’s–tocleanupthegame.“Ilove
[bridge] more than Boye or anyone
else,” he wrote, adding, “My next step
istoprovethatmeandRon Schwartz
didn’t cheat. NEVER.”

IN MAY 2016,Bridge Winners an-
nouncedthattheEBLhadissued
FisherandSchwartzafive-yearban
fromitseventsandalifetimebanon
playingaspartners.Theotherpairs
have also faced repercussions from
various leagues and events.
Brogeland’s actions have also had
amorepermanenteffectonthe
game.InDecember2015,theACBL
held one of bridge’s biggest annual
tournaments, the American nation-
als.Forthefirsttime,theACBLhad
installed small video cameras and
microphones at the tables to record

FROMVANITY FAIR (FEBRUARY 2016) © 2016 BY JOHN COLAPINTO, VANITYFAIR.COM

MEASURED RESPONSE

The car sticker proudly displayed on the back of the lorry

infront of us touted the local police station. Its motto:

“When the seconds count, we’re there in minutes.”

GRACIELA NUNEZ