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BGonline.org Forums
Headphones
Posted By: benf
Date: Monday, 26 March 2018, at 1:57 a.m.
From the WBF site: http://www.wbfonline.com/wbfrules/wbfrules.html
1.6 AIDS - Once a match is in progress, players may not use electronic or mechanical, printed or written aids except to keep score. Player may forbid his opponent from wearing headphones. Using of portable phones (in any case must be turned off) is prohibited. Any violation shall forfeit any remaining matches and all Tournament winnings.
Yup, this topic again.
I screwed up, I didn't read the rules. As it turns out, the WBF rules are explicit. Your opponent can reject you listening to music, recording your match, basically anything that isn't writing the score with a pen and paper. The director cannot overrule this.
It blows my mind that they have this rule. It turns out somebody cheated once by recording the match equity table and playing it during a match. It seems illogical that somebody is good enough to know what a match equity table is and able to calculate the take points, but not good enough to memorize it. Let's say that they instead recorded the take points. Again i say that if somebody isn't good enough to memorize the take points, let them have them. It isn't going to help them understand how much equity they have in a given position or how many gammons they win/lose, which they obviously need if they can't memorize a table of take points.
I hate that it feels petty to be this annoyed about being able to wear headphones, but it means that much to me. When I am in the tournament room, even in the side room like we had in Montenegro, I don't want to listen to the people or things around me. I get distracted easily, I cock dice often, I'm clumsy. I want one less thing to keep my mind from losing focus on the game in front of me.
This isn't anything against Arda or the WBF. The WBF tournaments that Arda runs in conjunction with Merit International are hands down the best tournaments in the world. I hate that I can't attend Cyprus, Montenegro, or any other amazing destination WBF tournaments until this rule is changed.
Reflecting, I thought that I handled the ruling as best I could. I lost my cool a bit, sure, but the only logical reason that I see for my opponent baring headphones was to try to get me to play worse. That isn't the game I came to play, and it was shocking to me that they were willing to do that. Instead I have to vote with my feet, even though it feels like I'm only hurting myself. Cyprus and Montenegro are amazing locations, with tournaments that are run incredibly well by talented staff. These tournaments will absolutely succeed with or without a rule change, I just hope that I can rejoin them sooner rather then later.
If you feel as passionately as I do, please let the WBF know: dapra@iol.it
By the way, in case it is a factor for you, Sochi has the same rule. I can't imagine throwing away my flight and visa, but maybe I will just be a tourist instead of play. We'll see how I feel after the emotions die down.
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