[Elianna]

Anyone going to the next NABC, which is in Dallas? I'm going for the last four days.

[rbforster]

I wish. Maybe I'll get the free GNT C trip to Chicago...

[sdoty]

I'll be there.

Does anyone know if there's a BBO gathering planned?

[pclayton]

1st 4 days; NAOP's and Open Pairs.

[Elianna]

sdoty, on Mar 18 2006, 09:22 PM, said:

I'll be there.

Does anyone know if there's a BBO gathering planned?

I don't know, hence the reason for starting the thread.

[kenberg]

I arrive Tuesday (noon or so) the 4th, and will be there through Sunday. No doubt everyone will have a somewhat complex schedule, but if any gathering is announced I would try to attend. Something that might work is to have something like a defined BBO breakfast time and/or place. This could be very loosely organized on multiple days, just let the hostess know that if someone comes in looking for BBO types they should send them your direction. Sonmeone could drop by and say hi, or sit for a cup of coffee, or join in for a longer interaction.

I'll be in a private home until Friday (playing Wed and Thur, but not Fri), then staying at the Hyatt for Fri-Sun.


I would be pleased to hear from any of you while I am there.

Ken

[barmar]

I'll be arriving 1st Saturday, staying through the end.

[fred]

We have never organized a gathering for BBO members at a real life tournament (mostly because we are not very good at organizing such things).

If someone else wants to take the initiative to organize such a gathering in Dallas (or wherever), you will have our support. We can do things like:

- advertise in lobby news
- donote some CDs for door prizes
- possible donate some money to cover expenses (no promises)

And, if any BBO staff happens to be at the tournament, we will be happy to attend. Sheri and I will be in Dallas for the entire tournament. I am pretty sure that Uday will not be there at all.

Fred Gitelman
Bridge Base Inc.
www.bridgebase.com

[bendare]

I live in Dallas area but will be staying at Hyatt from 4th to 8th.

I understand great plans are being made for hospitality/food after the evening sessions. Fred, perhaps you could arrange to display a sizable BBO sign in an area of the hospitality/food area to direct BBOers to congregate in that area, then provide stick on name tags for BBOers to identify themselves.

As many will be there for only part of the Nationals this should work for those who are there at the same time to meet each other.

Should you choose to do this, please email me and I can arrange to get a supply of name tags to you as early as Friday or Saturday.

Bendare

[Elianna]

It would be really cool (and maybe a good promotion for BBO) if instead of getting the normal name tags that say "My name is [fill in the blank]" and then you write your name, it could say "I play bridge online on BBO, and my username is [fill in the blank]".

I don't know how social that would be for some people, though. Poor Adam would keep getting "oww-m". It works for me, though. (Although my name will STILL be mispronounced, I bet. )

[bendare]

Right, Elianna, that this would be a great opportunity for the promotion of BBO. Because of a family medical emergency I have not yet been to playing site, but I have read todays bulletin.


http://web2.acbl.org...6spring/db2.pdf

Scroll down to last page and see the OKB advertisement and what they are doing to promote OKB site at the Dallas Spring NABC. Most interesting, the ad announces that ACBL tourneys will soon be available on OKB.

If BBO has dropped the ball here, they should still have the time to pick it up.
I would think BBO could still make arrangements to do a Bulletin advertisement and set up some kind of table or booth to at least provide name tags for BBOers and fliers with general information about BBO. It would not necessarily need to be manned.

I plan to be there 4th through 9th. My name is June Byrd-----should I happen to have a chance meeting with any of you fellow BBOers I would enjoy meeting you.


Bendare

[uday]

Quote

We have never organized a gathering for BBO members at a real life tournament (mostly because we are not very good at organizing such things).

If someone else wants to take the initiative to organize such a gathering in Dallas (or wherever), you will have our support.

So far there has not been a huge amt of interest in organizing a get-together at NABCs, as far as I can tell.

[luke warm]

we *almost* got together for the '03 one in new orleans, but something came up for dwayne (keylime), and it fell thru... i won't be able to make the one in dallas, but i'd sure love to hear that a meeting was arranged

back in the day, the zone held a yearly convention of bridge players... from what i've heard, it was well attended

[bendare]

It would be nice to have a gathering, but if that cannot be arranged this late in the game, it still would seem a "booth" could be set up with BBO fliers (info on BBO)
and name tags be made available at the booth so individual players could themselves choose to wear a name tag with their BBO ID (and real name).

That alone would identify players as BBOers to each other, which would surely elicit personal introductions and perhaps sort of impromptu word of mouth gatherings.

Though I rarely play these days on OKB, I am still a subscriber and I will pick up a name tag at their booth. As BBO is much more my "territory" of the past couple of years, I would love to see name tag identifications worn by fellow BBOers.