In ACBL online tournaments with 18 boards and 15 pairs per section, three boards per round are played. If you’re playing at a tournament in real life, you’ll play most of the pairs in your section and at least 24 boards. Which do you think is a greater test of skill? When you miss playing nine of 15 pairs, your results are totally determined by which pairs you play. If you play four pairs of novices, you’ll win; if you play two world class pairs, you’ll lose. There is no integrity in the contest. Tournaments are supposed to be based on skill. These tournaments are all about luck. To give master points for luck is obscene.
