BBO not recognizing sub

[Butchie T]

I was tapped to sub in an ACBL Speedball. I entered the game at the start of the second board and played till the (almost) end of the game. I say "almost" because, as the final board was being played – I was dummy – I was replaced with "The original player has returned. Blah blah blah..."

 

I asked the director what had happened. He said he didn't know (really?) but that there was nothing he could do and that I should contact BBO.

 

Anyone have a similar experience?

[paulg]

(This is my understanding or virtual club tournaments and I presume ACBL Speedballs are similar. I do not work for BBO)

 

When a player is subbed or replaced in a pay tournament, normally for connection problems, if the player returns then they are put back into their seat at the first sensible opportunity: normally this is the start of the next hand, but when the position is dummy then it can be done immediately.

 

This seems fair to me as the original player has paid to play.

 

The TD can prevent this happening if they wish, by manually replacing the sub with the sub: this is the BBO mechanism to prevent original players being reseating, even though it sounds strange.

 

In essence, it seems like ACBL policy to replace the original player, It has nothing to do with BBO, although they set the default policy and it may be that the ACBL just doesn't ask its TDs to do anything different.

[Butchie T]

(This is my understanding or virtual club tournaments and I presume ACBL Speedballs are similar. I do not work for BBO)

 

When a player is subbed or replaced in a pay tournament, normally for connection problems, if the player returns then they are put back into their seat at the first sensible opportunity: normally this is the start of the next hand, but when the position is dummy then it can be done immediately.

 

This seems fair to me as the original player has paid to play.

 

The TD can prevent this happening if they wish, by manually replacing the sub with the sub: this is the BBO mechanism to prevent original players being reseating, even though it sounds strange.

 

In essence, it seems like ACBL policy to replace the original player, It has nothing to do with BBO, although they set the default policy and it may be that the ACBL just doesn't ask its TDs to do anything different.

[Butchie T]

Thanks Paulg. I appreciate your input. Yes, it makes sense to replace the original "paying" player. However, it is the practice of BBO to consider a sub the player of record if s/he has played more than half the boards. In my case, I was seated at the start of the second hand, played the next ten boards, and bid, with partner, to win the auction on the twelfth, and final, board. Yet, I was not the player of record. It should be noted that I'm not politicking for points as none were won by our team. Trying to satisfy my curiosity. Thanks again.

[paulg]

In my local NBO, then you would get any master points earned in this scenario and you would be the player of record. However I don't know the BBO and ACBL policies (although I am an ACBL member too).

[Karert]

As far as I understand or recall ACBL tourneys, they invite you to ask to be made permanent if you play six or more boards. Doesn't happen automatically, and obviously annoying if you play 10/11 boards, only to be replaced at the end, but unless you ask, I believe there's a good risk of you being booted after you've completed the tourney.

[diana_eva]

The sub remains on record only if the original player does not return at all. If the original player returns, even if only for the last board, they are allowed to get their seat back.

[barmar]

As Diana said, if the original player is reseated and finishes the tournament, they get the masterpoints. We only use the number of boards played to determine who gets the points if the original player doesn't come back.

 

It's true that this means that the original player could get disconnected during board 1, and come back very late and just play the last board and get all the credit. But they did pay for the entry. The fact that subs who don't pay ever get points should be considered gravy. You shouldn't sign up as a sub with the expectation of earning points.