An experince on BBO Tournament

[jerome_ckf]

I had a quite unpleasant experiment when playing a BBO Tournament yesterday, which I would like to share here.

 

The situation is like this: I invited a friend. who has neither been my teammate or partner before, to play in a BBO Tournament.

 

In the very first board of the tournament, we both overbid a little bit to reach a 6NT. It is not a bad contract, just require not 4-0 break in hearts with a Jack offside, or not 5-0 break in Spades, or a finesse in Diamonds. With the cards lay favorably, we have no problem in making the contract.

 

After this board, the opponents starts to complain about the boards without reasons, so we just trying to ignore it.

 

On the second board. the bidding goes like this:

 

1♦-(DBL)-?

 

I intend to bid 1♠, but has misclicked 1♥. I search for the undo button, but found that it is not there. So what can I do? Just wait and await development. Finally the bidding goes to 3NT like this:

 

1♦-(DBL)-1♥-(PASS)

2♥-(PASS)-2NT-(PASS)

3♥-(PASS)-3NT-AP

 

After the board, the opponents call the director, complaining my bid. I agree that it may be my problem for a misclick, but by law I am not required, and not allowed, to tell the opponents that I have misbid or psychic!!

 

However, the Tournament Director just ignore me, and some minutes later, he adjusted the score of board 1 to AVE-. When I ask for the reason, he told me that I am CHEATING!!! This is totally not a acceptable reason. I of course argue with him/her, because this relates to ethic problem!!

 

Unfortunately, within less than five minutes time, I was kicked from the tournament, with the reason of abuse the TD.

 

I would like to ask, is the BBO Tournaments offered to entertain people, rather to provide an opportunity to sharpen their skills by playing against players from different countries? Otherwise, why good result is not allowed?

 

I can understand that a Tournament Director is at high pressure, as I also have the experience to be a TD in both BBO game and local tournament. But I totally cannot understand the action taken by that TD.

[jillybean]

This is an ongoing complaint where people running tournaments are free to create their own rules and boot players at will. Unfortunately, the only option you have is to avoid these games in future.

 

You may have grounds for complaint over the TD’s accusation of cheating, send screen shots to abuse.

[ochinko]

There is potentially an additional problem. Some TD's tend to share their black lists with each other, and one could find themselves banned from more than one tourney after arguing with a TD.

[1eyedjack]

Unacceptable, of course, but if I might add a practical point for future note:

 

If you psych or misbid in such a fashion that it might be construed as a psych, then it is increasingly common for TD to require that the "offender" message the TD at that time simply to notify. I think that is a sensible precaution, whether or not required by the TD.

[babalu1997]

I had a quite unpleasant experiment when playing a BBO Tournament yesterday, which I would like to share here.

Well, I have come to accept that free tournaments at bbo are much like trying to get into Studio 54 in New York City in 1979. You come there all cool in your green half-shaved frock of hair, then the bouncer kicks you out.

 

It is common for TDs not to direct but to accept the opinion of the complainants and dismiss the unsuspecting opps without inquiry, so THE SQUeAKY WHEEL (THE ONE WHO COMPLAINS FIRST) GETS THE GREASE.

 

One of the funniest experiences I have had was this:

 

1) the opp did not pre-alert or alert during bidding some artificial auction. I asked the TD. his response was:

 

-- Well, not everyone is expert, they did not know any better, nothing i can do about it.

 

Very well, I let it go.

 

 

2) Later in the same game, the next opps were rated expert. They also made an alertable bid which was not alerted or pre-alerted. Last round and we were at table 1, I called the TD. His response:

 

-- As I said, not everyone is expert.

-- These are rated expert, I replied.

-- Then you were warned of their expertise and should not complain.

-- Could you look at it and see if there are gorunds for adjustment?

-- You called to late, game is over.

--Not true, i said, you can continue to adjust immediately after the game.

 

Can't win for losing. LOL.

 

bUT I HAVE A PACT WITH MY PARTNERS:

 

iF THE BOUNCER DOES NOT LIKE OUR GREEN HAIR, AND EITHER OF US GETS BOOTED FROM THE GAME, THE OTHER ONE LOGS OFF. IT IS THAT SIMPLE.

 

NO MATTER IF THEY BLACKLIST, SICE WE WILL NOT PLAY THEM ANYMORE.

[helene_t]

Mosts TDs are OK, IMHO. I can recall two wrong rulings I have had against me and I have played hundreds of online tourneys.

[TimG]

You may have grounds for complaint over the TD’s accusation of cheating, send screen shots to abuse.

There is a chat log feature. I know a screen shot is better, but one may not think to take a snap shot in the heat of the moment.

[jillybean]

There is potentially an additional problem. Some TD's tend to share their black lists with each other, and one could find themselves banned from more than one tourney after arguing with a TD.

TD's share ban lists in an attempt to prevent abusive players and those who quit mid tournament from joining. Each TD has their own tolerance level, argumentative players could also find themselves on the list.

[jillybean]

Mosts TDs are OK, IMHO. I can recall two wrong rulings I have had against me and I have played hundreds of online tourneys.

Helene,

Is 2 bad TD decisions proof of good TD’s or a low rate of TD calls? ;)

[jtfanclub]

Not enough information here. I've certainly pissed off enough people when they've made a 'misclick' in Addicts and I've said that I'll follow them a while just in case there's a pattern in the 'misclicks'. Rules say in Addicts that you have to tell a director when you misclick or psyche, so that we're warned in advance. I've never actually adjusted (or banned) due to a clear misclick or psyche that we weren't told about, and I don't know that any of my fellow directors has as well.

 

But absolutely, if what you say is true, the director violated at least two rules here (accused of cheating and showed favoritism). If you have a log, send it to abuse. If you don't, send the tourney name and time and board numbers to abuse along with an explanation. Even without the chat log, if Abuse has heard several complaints about this director he may be able to do something.

[mycroft]

Probably both (in response to the "Helene" question)

 

I have had a couple of poor treatments - the rulings may have been correct, but they could have been explained to us better (actually, in one case, *at all* - even "thanks, I'll look into it" would have helped). Most of the time things are just fine.

 

But on the other hand, it's usually Just Not Worth It to call, so low numbers as well.

[Tola18]

The problem is perhaps not the uneven standard of the TDs - which of course must happen, or the ruling is now and then faulty. ALL judges do some mistakes in sports. Fotball, basketball, you name it.

Some percentage is always wrong.

 

No, I think the major problem is the whiners tend to get right, as mentioned already. The more ruthless and unpleasant fellow, the better for their intentions. It is the ruthless who can make up a good cause.

The aggressor tends to win and gets also the ruling with himher.

 

 

I think the only remedy is to actively rule against aggressors. Ie, not only to abstain from ruling, but actively rule against them.

 

In fotboll (=ie european fotball = soccer) there is nowadays a rule it is forbidden to "film", ie pretend. They do get warnings in clear cases.

Why not in bridge too?

[Michele13]

For what it's worth, I ask players who misclick to tell me. I also announce at the beginning of a tourney that if there is an honest misclick to stop bidding or playing and to call me immediately. I go to the table, size up the situation and activate the undo if it is an obvious misclick.

If the opps complain, I explain that I would do the same thing for them in such a situation. If the opps repeatedly refuse to accept the undo, I will usually adjust the board if the honest misclick affects the result and tell them why. hey

mira esta animacion de bush :P

http://ani7.servegame.com

[1eyedjack]

Perhaps I am being a bit oversensitive, but I am not sure that it is a good idea to provide HTML links to executable files. At least not without some accompanying description. OK the burden is perhaps on the recipient of the file to protect himself, but even so...

[DJNeill]

Hi all,

On the topic of TD's you prefer not to play under again, it would be great if at least the notes on the TD if not the whole profile would be available to a player so they could easily check out whether to play under them or not again, rather than having to see who is directing, then go find them in the list of players, all when under time pressure perhaps to make it before the limit is reached (ok you can register and then unregister later but it's extra clicks/thought/time/energy). We already see the profiles in the partnership desk and registration lists, why not a nice place to see the directors' profiles?

 

On the current topic of "should TD's be adhering to standards", whenever you use someone's software for free, you need to learn to live with less than perfection and realize all the good stuff you still have.

 

Thanks,

Dan

[ASkolnick]

On misclicks, I am sorry, I don't understand why you can't tell the opponents. Not saying you shouldn't notify the TD as well, but it could be a time limitation thing.

 

1) You give no information to your partner if you bid appropriately

2) Your opponents will be able to do what they need to do more accurately. Remember, there are "virtual screens" blocking your information from your partner.

 

I have done this many times also when I fail to hit the alert button, I private chat with the opponent and say "alert". Never had a problem.

[olegru]

On misclicks, I am sorry, I don't understand why you can't tell the opponents.

...

2) Your opponents will be able to do what they need to do more accurately. ....

Sorry, I am also do not understand, why on misclick you can't just tell opponents all your cards - will be able to do what they need to do even more accurately. B)

 

 

If you forgot to alert agreement which required alerting, you need to alert opponent - comletely agree, no questions. But there is no bridge law and no logical reason why misclics should be alertable.

[1eyedjack]

On misclicks, I am sorry, I don't understand why you can't tell the opponents.

...

2) Your opponents will be able to do what they need to do more accurately.  ....

Sorry, I am also do not understand, why on misclick you can't just tell opponents all your cards - will be able to do what they need to do even more accurately. ;)

 

 

If you forgot to alert agreement which required alerting, you need to alert opponent - comletely agree, no questions. But there is no bridge law and no logical reason why misclics should be alertable.

The purpose of alerting misclicks is to solicit an undo. The TD does not need to give permission for an undo. If you misclick and have no intention of requesting an undo, then I agree there is no point in telling the opponents (but you might tell the TD at the time). But if requesting an undo, I think that saying it is a misclick should be sufficient justification without having to tell them all your cards. But if I am not going to be granted an undo, it would I think give the opponents an unfair advantage if they were privy to the knowledge that I had misclicked while my partner is left in ignorance of that fact.