why is someone with 2700+ bbo points in the 499ers?

[underd0g]

I just played an acbl 499er game which requires at maximum 499 acbl points. Knarf1 was one of our opponents. He has a 27 by his name meaning he has 2700+ bbo points. How can he possibly qualify?

[pilowsky]

Because Knarf1 has:

 

ACBL Virtual Clubs 53.37

American Contract Bridge League 68.27

But also has:

Robot Duplicate - IMP 135.32Robot Duplicate - MP 245.33Robot Race 1843.04

According to many writers on this forum playing against robots is a pointless waste of time that has absolutely nothing to do with Bridge skill.This may be true, or maybe not.

[Butchie T]

For the life of me, I cannot fathom why ACBL awards ACBL Masterpoints to members who compete in Robot Tournaments. Robots are not ACBL Members.

[pgs58]

The offender had too many BBO points?

ACBL masterpoints are NOT BBO points.

[mad6_9max]

I just played an acbl 499er game which requires at maximum 499 acbl points. Knarf1 was one of our opponents. He has a 27 by his name meaning he has 2700+ bbo points. How can he possibly qualify?

 

If you see someone who "does not qualify" Call a director and let them know. Most likely this player was put in as a replacement or filled a sit out.

[hrothgar]

Both BBO and the ACBL sell master points

 

As of yet, there isn't a secondary market to exchange one for the other

[mycroft]

Occasionally, however, like the airline industry, some games are codeshared and award both.

 

But yeah, this person is just as much a 499er as the "30 years of cash rubber" player is. The good news is that should they choose to play in this event, they will "age out" quickly.

 

Edit to add: there is a bit in the regulations that "you must disclose significant experience in another NBO" and you will be seeded appropriately. But that only applies on first start, and BBO isn't an NBO, even if they award their own masterpoints. And still doesn't apply to the "30 years of cash games" player. Or the 2nd year university students that have 250 MPs, 220 of which they earned last year.

[1arrygiff]

Once at a second round GNT "B" qualifier for limited point holders, we encountered a team of experienced rubber bridge sharpies who were inspired to beat up the bunnies by a valuable incentive, thereby defeating the purpose of stratification.

[mycroft]

You know what? I have almost zero sympathy for that one.

 

Despite who the BoD thinks needs protection from evil bidding like 1♣-1♥ showing spades or 1♣ on a 4-4-4-1 13 count, 2000 points isn't "bunny". 1000 points isn't "bunny". Frankly, if Life Master is "bunny" (and yes, there are those who think so, and they may not be wrong), then it's too easy to become a Life Master (and I know there are people who think this, and they also may not be wrong).

 

I have been playing seriously (well, as seriously as I do) for 30 years, I've won our district's GNT B more than once, and expect to be in Flight B for another 7-10 (more if they decide to jump the limit again). Came second just this weekend playing with a pair that might *never* get out of eligibility for flight B. Only the top 8% of MP holders have over 2500 MPs, and they certainly aren't all the best 8% (although that's the way to bet). Even ignoring the clear non-tournament players (20% of the membership are <20), that means only 10% of actual people playing duplicate bridge have over 2500. If 90% of tournament players are "bunnies", then the term is meaningless.

 

Yes, there's one "can't play" level between me and the best in the city, and another between them and the best in the ACBL, but that doesn't make me or you a bunny. Doesn't make me a shark either for trying to win flight B (especially now that our district has laddered the flights, so I can put in a Flight A team if I want, and still come back to "my level" later.)

 

Now, do I have sympathy for the "new life masters who now have to play flight B against 30-year regulars, because we keep upping the range on flight B (and A) to protect the 30-year never-wills"? Absolutely. Flight B is massive, and it's hard to get out of (which is why I push to get the good flight C players into NAPs and GNTs while they still can). But the rubber sharks looking for a subsidised trip to RI? That's different from the 2200 pair who is looking at their last shots (or the "flight B pro" who hasn't played enough to age out playing with a paid client, even) for said subsidised trip how?

[pigpenz]

There are some that think Leo should not have 40,000 masterpoints in the ACBL.

[thepossum]

Its a strange question since BBO points and ACBL points are obviously not the same - although the colour of ACBL points awarded for Bot games would be similar value to BBO points I imagine

 

I like the idea of a market for points - can you trade them for crypto?

 

I hate to stand up for average - experienced - maybe even half decent players - with no real points who managed to earn a few meaningless bot points - but since I am one who never earned a real point in a club in his life I have to

 

I regard myself at the low end of average and can still get into 299ers - perhaps

 

The other interesting aspect is that you never need to have played in the USA/Canada/other American countries to join and play in Bot tourneys :)

 

Who knows who you could be playing in the 299ers or 499ers

[pilowsky]

I like the idea of a market for points - can you trade them for crypto?

 

You can only spend them in the jurisdiction where they are earned.

If you get 100 ABF points you might be able to afford a coffee.

I'm saving up for a set of steak knives.