And the Winner Is...

[daveharty]

Congratulations to the winners of the 2012 Posty Awards, as selected by their peers.

 

Newcomer of the Year: PhilKing

Though he didn't join the forums until June, PhilKing was the runaway winner of the Newcomer of the Year award. He was active in numerous subforums, but none more so than Expert-Class Bridge, and it's easy to see why; a top-shelf player, he has effortlessly slipped into the role of respected poster. Perhaps just as important as his obvious qualifications as a player is the easy, conversational tone of his posts; while some newcomers make their mark by ruffling feathers, he made his by creating a high volume of quality content.

 

"Bridge in the Real World" Award: JLOGIC

2012 was another outstanding year for JLOGIC: he started off the year with a bang, winning the Platinum Pairs at the Spring NABC in Memphis, and finished with a workhorse performance in San Francisco, with high finishes in every event he entered. As his partnership with Bob Hamman matures, expect him to become even more dangerous in the biggest events.

 

Thread of the Year: Zelandakh's "Mandatory Falsecarding"

With this post, Zelandakh started a fascinating thread about a topic that has received comparatively little attention in the literature. It now includes dozens of at-the-table situations, and has been viewed over 3,100 times. As Zelandakh expressly hoped in his initial post, the thread has become a repository for information that is not readily available anywhere else, for the benefit of and use by all. Informative and entertaining, it is an evolving illustration of the true potential of these forums.

 

Individual Post of the Year: han's memories of the "Secret Bridge Olympics"

Those of us who know han personally know him to be an outstanding analyst, a fearsome opponent, a compassionate partner, a reliable teammate, and a truly nice guy. But regular readers of the forums also know him as a satirist with a sense of humor as dry as the Sahara. With this post, he brilliantly skewers the notion of an invitation-only "Secret Bridge Olympics".

 

Most Helpful Poster for N/B Players: helene_t

helene_t is a longtime, and prolific, member of the forums, and her posts can be found in a variety of subforums; but she is particularly noteworthy for her contributions to the Novice/Beginner (and formerly the Beginner/Intermediate) Forum. She consistently takes the time to answer questions that many other advanced players overlook or ignore, and to do so in a way that is approachable, succinct, and free of confusing jargon. She doesn't use the N/B Forum as a stage to display her own superior knowledge; rather, she strives to share her knowledge with others in a friendly, matter-of-fact style that encourages newer players to delve deeper into the game.

 

Poster of the Year: gnasher

It's no secret that gnasher has long been one of the most respected members of the BBO Forums community. He has one of the highest reputation totals on the forums, but the numbers don't adequately convey how much weight his words here carry. Quite simply, when gnasher posts, people listen. It's not just because he is an expert player, although he is; he's also a gifted writer, with an eloquence and clarity of thought that others would do well to emulate. He is unafraid to challenge others when their arguments don't hold water; at the same time, when he disagrees with other posters, he does so without rancor. He is a worthy recipient of the title, "2012 Poster of the Year."

 

Thanks again to everyone who voted. I feel like the changes to the forum structure made it a little more difficult to find this thread, but I plan to do it again next year, hopefully with increased participation. I continue to feel that it's important to recognize those who contribute to the BBO Forums; it remains a unique online resource for those who wish to improve their game. I am also amazed by how cordial this community is, for the most part; those who have visited other online communities are probably aware of how much bile and vulgarity is sadly the norm for online discourse. Much of the credit goes to the BBOF moderators, who do a uniformly outstanding job of keeping things civil without being intrusive. But I think there is also something particular about bridge players; they like to argue, and will do so heatedly, but it's all in search of some "higher truth". When it comes down to it, we all love bridge, and we tend to appreciate that about each other, regardless of the level at which we play. As BBO continues to grow, so too will the forums; I know I'll be eagerly watching.

[JLOGIC]

Thanks for doing this. I agree that it should be in general bridge discussion rather than bbo forum events since no one seems to find bbo forum events.

[Antrax]

Great writeup, even if it doesn't include me :P

Thanks for doing this. For next year I think maybe have several rounds for categories where the number of nominations exceeds some limit?

[edit]

You forgot to update your title, Justin :)

[diana_eva]

So enjoyed reading this. Dave, I think you deserve your own category.

[Codo]

Thanks for your work and the nominees for their contribution to BBF.

[gwnn]

Congratulations to all winners, thank you for your work daveharty!

[daveharty]

For next year I think maybe have several rounds for categories where the number of nominations exceeds some limit?

 

I have definitely considered this. I think following mgoetze's suggestion for "preference voting" was a step in the right direction, but if there is an unwieldy number of nominees next year, multiple rounds of voting might be called for.

[gwnn]

In unrelated news, gnasher overtook JLOGIC in plus votes.

[Phil]

Great writeup. I'll try to get more involved in this process for '13. Congratulations to the winners, especially Gnasher.

 

I'll make the first nomination for newcomer of the year: RSClyde. I don't agree with everything he says, but he is a welcome addition.

[kfay]

Good work, Dave :)

 

Congrats to the winners.

[Fluffy]

I feel sorry for other newcomers, the quality of them this year was pretty high, but they didn't stand a chance to Phil.