[kansas88]

Speedball.

What? Did I miss the poll about whether a price increase was acceptable to the customers? Sure, it's only another lousy twenty-five cents--but it's my quarter and I'm keeping it. (Actually, I'll just spend it playing in those bot tournaments since those seem to be what the ACBL's likely to hold again and there's no use practicing with a live partner for such things.)

Speaking of bots, a buck a day for an "advanced" bot that (1) won't lead the suit I bid; (2) won't lead back the suit I led, and; (3) apparently thinks it's complimenting my declaring ability by putting me in 24-point no trump and 25-point major suit games? Like, no...

[smerriman]

Yep - you missed the poll where everyone voted to increase fuel prices too.

[steve2005]

 kansas88, on 2017-September-03, 20:16, said:

apparently thinks it's complimenting my declaring ability by putting me in 24-point no trump and 25-point major suit games?

wow your Gib is conservative I dream of have 24+ pts when in game lol

[Bermy]

 steve2005, on 2017-September-03, 20:35, said:

wow your Gib is conservative I dream of have 24+ pts when in game lol

Pay $1.25 for Gib bidding and leads and no refunds for Gib howlers? Come on people say something. I have enough trouble accepting its worth my $0.25.

[Bermy]

 kansas88, on 2017-September-03, 20:16, said:

Speedball.

What? Did I miss the poll about whether a price increase was acceptable to the customers? Sure, it's only another lousy twenty-five cents--but it's my quarter and I'm keeping it. (Actually, I'll just spend it playing in those bot tournaments since those seem to be what the ACBL's likely to hold again and there's no use practicing with a live partner for such things.)

Speaking of bots, a buck a day for an "advanced" bot that (1) won't lead the suit I bid; (2) won't lead back the suit I led, and; (3) apparently thinks it's complimenting my declaring ability by putting me in 24-point no trump and 25-point major suit games? Like, no...

Perhaps I am misunderstanding something here. ACBL tourneys seem to be the same as regular ones with robots but $1.25. Why do so many people prefer to pay $1.25 when there is a much cheaper alternative. How can ACBL games be more popular than regular ones? Is it because you get ACBL points too, and that your would pay the extra dollar for it? Robot bridge is fun, but the true standards of Gib bidding and leads and no signals (defence and play is sort of ok) are low and do not warrant official points , and if is so......its because of your dollar?

[The_Badger]

BBO's timing of raising prices is not good, though they have stated it is over a decade since they were raised.

The number of posts (Lycier, MrAce, Bermy et al) about GIB's (in)ability to play bridge do not astound me as programming a bridge computer is probably - I speak from inexperience - a very, very difficult thing to do.

However, BBO might have an ulterior motive here, not just a profit-making one, inasmuch a 25% increase might pay for specialist help with the problems that occur with GIB, and some of the issues with GIB will be tackled and in the long run GIB will bid and play better. Only time will tell.

[Vampyr]

 Bermy, on 2017-September-03, 23:05, said:

Perhaps I am misunderstanding something here. ACBL tourneys seem to be the same as regular ones with robots but $1.25. Why do so many people prefer to pay $1.25 when there is a much cheaper alternative. How can ACBL games be more popular than regular ones? Is it because you get ACBL points too, and that your would pay the extra dollar for it? Robot bridge is fun, but the true standards of Gib bidding and leads and no signals (defence and play is sort of ok) are low and do not warrant official points , and if is so......its because of your dollar?

Yes, the ACBL seem sometimes to be in the business of selling masterpoints rather than promoting bridge in North America.

[steve2005]

I don't know why people are complaining. There is easy solution just play the free games or don't play. There are plenty especially without the hated robots.
To play at a club I have to pay $8 and get there.

[barmar]

 kansas88, on 2017-September-03, 20:16, said:

25-point major suit games? Like, no...

What's wrong with that? Seems perfectly normal to me. Even less is needed if you have extra distribution.

I remember learning that 26 HCP was needed for a major suit game when I first started out. I've since figured out that this is just for beginners, since they don't know how to declare well and need a little extra safety.

[ggwhiz]

If the masterpoint awards were increased by even 10% I think even the cheap seats would be onboard.

[barmar]

FYI, this increase is a little less than the actual inflation rate since the last price change. If we were tracking the US CPI more closely, the new price would be about $1.30.

[johnu]

 barmar, on 2017-September-06, 08:07, said:

FYI, this increase is a little less than the actual inflation rate since the last price change. If we were tracking the US CPI more closely, the new price would be about $1.30.

Did the fees to the ACBL go up since the last price change? If not, the net income to BBO would probably be a bit more than inflation although if you keep the same price for several years, inflation will catch up.

Taking out my crystal ball, I expect overall tables to fall based on the fact that the $1.50 18 board tournaments proved to be such a failure. Totally unrelated, but there are plenty of dollar stores around, but nobody has a dollar and a quarter store.

Although BBO has had a policy of providing free bridge, maybe that time has passed and the tens of thousands of free players should pay a nominal amount to keep BBO running instead of placing the costs on the paid tournament players.

[barmar]

 johnu, on 2017-September-07, 16:26, said:

Taking out my crystal ball, I expect overall tables to fall based on the fact that the $1.50 18 board tournaments proved to be such a failure. Totally unrelated, but there are plenty of dollar stores around, but nobody has a dollar and a quarter store.

I'm pretty sure the unpopularity of the 18 board tourneys had little to do with the price, and everything to do with not wanting to commit to 90 minutes of online play.

[johnu]

 barmar, on 2017-September-08, 08:05, said:

I'm pretty sure the unpopularity of the 18 board tourneys had little to do with the price, and everything to do with not wanting to commit to 90 minutes of online play.

Almost nobody would take the full 90(?) minutes to play. Based on 30 minutes to play 12 boards on average, it would take 15 more minutes to play 18 and I don't think 15 minutes would deter many players.

You paid 50% more in entry fees for 50% more playing time (boards) and a little more than 50% masterpoints in a 15+ table game. If there were less than 15 players which was almost all of the time, the 12 board tournaments were a better masterpoint value. The 18 board games should have had a substantial discount so you got more hands per buck, maybe something like $1.10 or $1.15 assuming ACBL sanction fees were the same.

Besides price, if you started off with a couple of bad boards (especially if GIB stuck a dagger in your side) it was a long ways to go to the last board when your chances to do well were badly damaged.

[barmar]

 johnu, on 2017-September-08, 12:38, said:

Almost nobody would take the full 90(?) minutes to play. Based on 30 minutes to play 12 boards on average, it would take 15 more minutes to play 18 and I don't think 15 minutes would deter many players.

My mistake, I was thinking of human tourneys, where you don't get to set your own pace, not robot tourneys.