[skorchev]

I played tourney #1357 Pairs BAND OF BROTHERS (21.07.06), I'll not post the name of the TD, because of the policy of this forum. Firstly tourney was set to 4 boards, when we start I saw that it's changed to 6 boards. I play in BBO from 3-4 years ago and this is an usual practic of the TDs. They change the format (# of boards, movement, scoring etc.) as they want at any time. There are many reasons why this practice should be stopped, at least most of the players have work and their time is planned.

P.S. I'm sure I'm not the first one who is posting on this theme, but the problem is still not solved.

Stefan Skorchev

[inquiry]

I have to agree that changing the number of boards, or changing from clocked to unclocked or adding a lot of time to the tournament after people have registered is not a good idea. ESPCECIALLY NOW that the BBO software will track anyone who starts a tourney and does not finish them. Do this too often, and the software will automatically block your ability to register for future tournaments for several days.

The same thing goes for adding significant time when the tourney starts. Imagine you are watching vugraph and signup for a 6 board tourney starting in 10 minutes. The director adding even 10 minutes to the start time could put you in some difficulty if you had budgeted your time... And since you are pre-occupied you might not release the start time had slipped.

[Miron]

But the option should not be completly denied.

I think that the director should be able to postpone the tourney few minutes (10 is too much, but 1-3 is imho OK). When I create tourney I change the start very often (say 1 min after create), because I don't want to start in the same time as another tourney and it is quite difficult (at least for me) to set it properly when creating tourney. I don't say it is BBO error, but it is not completly easy for the TD.

Also the change from clocked to unclocked makes some sence when increasing number of entries (players are begging a lot when full tourney - I increase regularly).

Maybe there could be option as "no change", but imho no TD will use it... (maybe paid events, but there are no problems now iI think).

To change number of boards is non-sence and should be disallowed. No idea why someone would change it...

I don't see any easy solution here. Maybe some limitation as "you can move tourney start 5 min from original start".

[mr1303]

I agree. I'm organising several friends only tournaments these days. If I don't have enough pairs to do the movement I want, I sometimes need to increase the time before starting. All these people that play are friends of mine, and as a result are quite happy for me to alter the start times

[skorchev]

What I can do to change this practice? I think there are a few options:

1. To post this to "Suggestions for the software" and to hope that Fred will read it and will disallow editing the tourney when it is created;

2. To send an e-mail personally to Fred ... ;

3. To send an e-mail to Abuse@... when I see such changing of the settings... ;

4. Something else (anyone can suggest).


Stefan Skorchev

[Posleda]

skorchev, on Jul 22 2006, 05:53 AM, said:

What I can do to change this practice? I think there are a few options:

1. To post this to "Suggestions for the software" and to hope that Fred will read it and will disallow editing the tourney when it is created;

2. To send an e-mail personally to Fred ... ;

3. To send an e-mail to Abuse@... when I see such changing of the settings... ;

4. Something else (anyone can suggest).


Stefan Skorchev

Nothing from 1-3. Respect free market BBO tournaments policy. If you don't like TD's procedures, avoid his/her tournaments.

Restriction is often the worst solution. Restrictions make problems. On the contrary, I wonna make changes DURING running tourney, not allowed now. Not often, rarely, but impossibility to do so was several times unpleasant for me and for players too.

Avoid restrictions.

[KiwiBridge]

The only changes I ever make are to increase the numbers. I usually run individuals and always use unclocked. The other night I had 240 entries by start time which I had no trouble managing. I always check the forthcoming tournaments carefully first to avoid conflict.

[Aberlour10]

I would suggest an obligate clear statement about the real starting time in the tournament description, START ON TIME or START WHEN FULL. A half an hour ago I signed up 12 min before T began, it seemed my system was unstable, I reset it in 3 min and return to BBO...the T was in progress...

Robert

[jillybean]

The ability to send a message to players signed up for a tournament would be VERY helpful – at the moment the TD is unable to communicate with these players. Having a broadcast to registered players fuunction would allow the TD to notify the players of any changes and in turn they could then accept the change or withdraw from the tournament.

Better not to make changes in the first place but some (time) can be unavoidable.

jb