What is the # of tables limit for free indy tourneys?

[EddyHaskel]

The Beginner Intermediate Lounge (BIL) has been an important club, participating on BBO and nurturing new and intermediate bridge players since almost the very beginning of the site.

The BIL has managed standing free individual 8 board tourneys every morning at 10am ET for years.

The limit is 60 players and the tourneys often fill up 10 or 15 minutes before the 10am ET start time.

Now that BBO is so busy, The BIL morning tourney often gets killed off right at the start time -- which is a full hour before the newly restricted times for free tourneys.

 

The message the players get just at tournament starting time is (something like): "Tournament Error: Too Many Tables," and poof! the whole thing is instantly cancelled!

 

Questions:

1. 
    
   
2. Why does this happen even though the start time is an hour before the restricted time period? Is there a new rule we don't know about?
   
3. Why does this happen with no warning? Neither the players who signed up nor the TD gets a message ahead of time. Seems to me if there are "too many tables" then this could be forewarned ahead of time, instead of waiting until the last second when dozens of people are standing by waiting for the event to start.
   
4. Is there some lower number of players that would allow a tourney to run without being cancelled? 50? 40?
   
5. Is there a new start time restriction which has not yet been published?
   
6. Is there some time other than the top of the hour which would make cancellation less likely?
   
7. Can any new restrictions be communicated to the clubs so they can let us know ahead of time if a tourney is going to happen or not?
   

We all love BBO and will do whatever we can to help us all get through these trying times. But ya' gotta' let us -- and your clubs -- know how to help!

 

Note: I do not speak for the management of the BIL. I am not an official with the BIL. I'm just a long time member and supporter of the club and of BBO.

 

Thanks for all you do to help make bridge a better and more accessible game for all of us.