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Chicago ABT Finals

Posted By: phil simborg
Date: Tuesday, 1 June 2010, at 11:56 a.m.

In Response To: Chicago ABT Finals (Keene)

I cannot tell you how most people felt about the format, but I can tell you that I, personally, hated it and will never do it again. Usually, you go to a tournament and once you lose, you accept your defeat and move on. In this tournament, you lose, you pay more money because you absolutely have to buy back since the initial entry fee was $200 and the buy-back is only $60 it is stupid not to buy back. Then you lose again, and you buy back again, and each time you feel like you are throwing good money after bad; you suffer the agony of defeat; and you hate yourself for entering in the first place. And that's how I felt--can you imagine how Petko and John O'Hagan and other players who are far better than I must have felt?!!!!!

I felt like a fly and they were pulling my legs off one at a time. Several people I spoke with felt the same way. There were few players who didn't go through this agony. A couple of people, after buying back once or twice gave up...one of them said something to me about how they hated the format and hated to keep buying back, and I ended up paying their $60 for 25 percent of his action. By the way, this player was one of the weaker players in the Open, and I had originally said I would pay his fee for half his action, but I made a big mistake making this offer within earshot of the wonderful Rory Pascar, who immediately opened his big fucking mouth and said "That's not fair!"

Here I was, helping the tournament organizer by paying for someone to get back into his tournament, and here he was interjecting his opinion when it was none of his business.

I gave a lecture at the tournament. I served as the auctioneer. I bought more teams than anyone else in the calcutta for more money than anyone. I brought equipment and helped set up Stick and Perry's lectures so I got there early every morning to help out. I bought back every time. I brought free backgammon boards and T-shirts for kids coming to the tournament. I didn't ask for anything in return (nothing was offered in return, by the way)...but I think I could have expected the courtesy of the tournament director minding his own fucking business when I was negotiating with someone.

The only reason I went ahead and did it for 25 percent is that I didn't want the guy, or anyone, to think I was really trying to take advantage of someone unfairly. By the way, 50 percent, in my opinion, was very fair given that particular player's chances of winning anything....if someone had offered me the same deal to pay my buy-back after the first time I would have gladly taken it.....that proves that I think I was making a fair offer. But that's not even the point...it was none of Rory's business, and very inappropriate for ANYONE to do, much less the tournament director.

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