Zmey

Hi again Yes, postponents are bad, i know it, and, to be clear and correct with players in SKY CLUB, we decide to put on title of tournaments starting time (in CET). I hope this will resolve the problem. About adding minutes... I don't like to do it, but on previous try, when we start positioning tournaments right on time, we lost 20% of players .... I don't know why, but don't blame us. It looks like players wait for last few minutes to register. Anyway, we'll try to resolve this issue too, positioning tournaments to max 7-8 min from starting time (remember, it's writen on tournament title, or in tournament description). About rule for NT opening with single - we already decide it, pls, i need the name of TD, and will fix this. I can't stay 24h per day in tournaments, to see each tournament "advice" of each TD. That's why we create this issue. We NEED YOUR HELP for that. And finally, THANKS AGAIN for your support. I'm really happy, when someone write something about SKY CLUB - good or bad. This mean, that you care about SKY. We can fix each problem, when we know that there's a problem Regards Zmey

About the postponements - We try to start on time, w/o any added time, but... most of the players register on 1st tournament in row, no matter of the host, and a lot of players didn't register, if time to start is more than 15 min ... So, now we have different strategy - all the starting times are scheduled, you can find them at www.sky-club.org/tournaments.htm About the misconduct - I'm not agree, that we "kick a customer out of your shop", if we kick them from our tournament - actually, it's better to kick him, but not to loose another 3 players at table, and, after all, if we didn't kick him, in the club will remain only players like him... and, finally, about predealt hand and analisys ... It's another story, we start to create such a tournaments with analisys 5-6 months ago, but ... well, it didn't work well. Maybe will try to do it again in the future, but no more than 2-3 tournaments per week, max 1 per day

Hi SKY CLUB exists 10 months already. We had a lot of tournaments, give a lot of awards, had a lot of problems with incorrect players and not only.. But until today, we don't have feedback from you, our players. We'll be happy, if you write here about your problems, ideas, etc. so we can find a solutions together. Let's make SKY CLUB better. Regards Andrey PETRENKO Zmey on BBO, SKY CLUB

Yesterday i had situation - on 4 card endplay dummy say "WDP". 1 of the defenders start argue with me with more than 20 posts, asking me to adjust AVE- because of dummy's words. Here the link to the game :) http://online.bridgebase.com/myhands/fetch...php?id=18618985

I'm agree with all of you, that player are fair until there's prove, that they are not. i'm also agree with Helena, that this is minor problem, i think, that we'll reconsider our position about 1 and 2NT open bids Roland also is right, that it's language problem of reading the Laws. Thanks a lot for your help for reaching the solution of the problem. Regards

i don't get it - am i wrong to use: "LAW 40 PARTNERSHIP UNDERSTANDINGS D. Regulation of Conventions The sponsoring organization may regulate the use of bidding or play conventions..." if, YES, so, why this rule exists? to Helene - please, imagine the level of cheating in paid tournaments - every week we found new players, lay unfairly, it's more than normal, that we're suspicious. In BBO players are hiding behind Nicks, some of them have more than 1 username. Of course, we believe to our players, but, because of these unfair players, we're more cautious to their reasons to use psyche or off-shape bids.

Agree, but there's 2 reasons to not allow this 1NT open bid in SKY: 1st - as i wrote, it's very complicated how will you explain this issue to Advanced players, feelings as Experts, when in this bid (because it's highest level bid and looks like only STARS in BBO and few really good players will use it), and their opponents "blame" you, that only because they're STARS, you didn't penalty them? 2nd - there's no 100% agreement even at experts level, that this hands suppose to be treated as 15p NT opener That's why we use our right to disallow this kind of bids in SKY tournaments Regards

Sorry Rolland, i'm in "typing" mistake Let "But IF you like to open 1NT with single, it's OK, " to be read as "But IF you HAVE AN AGREEMENT to open 1NT with single, it's OK, " It's typing mistake, of course, if someone make psyche and NOT send illegal information to his partner, no need to alert it :)

Good day I'm responsible for SKY CLUB organization. My name is Andrey Petrenko. Let me make more clear this issue: 1st and most important - it's our mistake, to not posted rules in Tournament Rules. We'll try to improve the quality of SKY CLUB and fix this kind of problems To "candybar" If you feel, that you don't want to play in tournament like this, or feel, that doesn't like TD and "his rules", i'll be happy to refund you - in case, that you ... "I did not have an opening 2N hand with a singleton, but if I had, I would have opened 2N and then when he adjusted, filed a complaint." This mean, that you finish the tournament, and just want to clear the situation, right? But to say for someone "self-appointed bidding policemen TDs" is like to say "stupid player" on table, which will be away from Zero tolerance Rules, agree? We dont want to create our own rules, we just want players to feel happy when playing in SKY tournaments. As McBruce says... "4. Wise TDs who realize that in a short tournament many pairs will try to psyche their way to victory, because nobody wins a short tournament with 60%. 5. Frustrated TDs who have tried in the past to determine whether the psyching pair has a concealed partnership agreement and gets only angry responses from the pair that 'psyches are legal.' 6. Suspicious TDs who look at the results of their tournaments and notice that a certain pair's frequent psyches never seem to lead them astray..." If someone use illegal information (and it's much easy here, than in real bridge tournament) the psyche and opening 1NT with single will allow him to have advantage, just because him partner MAY have an information about his single. But IF you like to open 1NT with single, it's OK, but you need to alert it - after all, it's self-alerting in BBO, so, even if your partner know, that you can have single for your opening bid, your opponents doesn't know, and it's like illegal agreement, agree? The level of players, playing paid tournaments, are little higher than "Andvanced", except few players, so, it's more fair, if we clear the situation for them - all bridge book for novice says, that you should open "1NT" (or even 2NT), with balanced hand, shown max 5c minor in hand - it's not Bermuda Finals here, it's normal "local" bridge club level, which mean, not so high. After all, as McBruce says ... "LAW 40 PARTNERSHIP UNDERSTANDINGS D. Regulation of Conventions The sponsoring organization may regulate the use of bidding or play conventions..." SKY CLUB looks to be Sponsoring Organization, as long as we give awards for winners - players need to enjoy, playing bridge online, not to suffer just because some Experts want to enjoy, using psyche always just for their own fun. "Banning psychics is not bridge. It is kicking at one of the main supports of a game whose intrigue lies on several delicate balances. The continuing attempts to interfere with a critical mechanism represents a failure to come to grips with the underlying problem: Where players need protection is not against honest psychics that fool both partner and opponents but against undisclosed partnership knowledge, including implicit understandings that arise from tendencies to violate agreements (as explicitly stated in Law 75B)." This is the main reason to disallow psych bids in 1st/2nd position in SKY - if you have no security, that this is "undisclosed partnership knowledge", how can you enjoy the game? And, last of all - seems, candybar, love very much to use psyche, opening 1NT with singleton - why you, after your previous knowledge about 1NT restrictions and disagreement with it, continue to play in same tournaments and have same problems again? I'll be happy, if we continue to discuss the issues and the problems in BBO and bridge as well, but lets keep good tone, not like "Lazy TDs" and "Ignorant TDs" P.S. Opening 2NT is different story, but it still be better, if you alert it, just because the same reason of "undisclosed partnership knowledge"