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BGonline.org Forums
BARRED FROM FLORIDA
Posted By: neilkaz In Response To: BARRED FROM FLORIDA (rew)
Date: Tuesday, 2 September 2008, at 5:51 p.m.
Good ideas, rew, and a big YES from me to clocking all Open matches in ABT events. However, not many directors want to do that, as most don't have enough clocks and some fear scaring players away. But an absolute must is to clock the known slowest players and to clock any subracket that seems at all behind.
Certainly there are a few clocks at every tourney and honestly, directors and staff need to be looking for ways to use them EVERY round. Semis and finals should be clocked NO MATTER WHAT.
Main tourney matches simply MUST TAKE PRIORITY even the last chance !
Players who want to play Masters, Blitzes, Jackpots, Doubles etc shouldn't book early flights home on Sunday. Doubles usually starts Fri night, and under no circumstances should players still alive in the Masters or Amateur Jackpots (often earlier start times) be allowed to play doubles. Doubles results in lots of conflicts since it usually goes slowly due to discussion (sometimes nearly endless) and ties up 4 players. Doubles semis and finals on Sunday need to be clocked to minimize conflicts. I'd clock doubles at 15 + 2.5 rather than 12 + 2 for singles.
Pat Gibson understands the doubles conflict very well. At his two LA ABT events, masters and jackpots start Friday, and doubles start Sunday about 12 or 12:30. You cannot play doubles if still alive in another main event, but almost everyone except a few have been knocked out of Masters/Main by then. Doubles may not finish 'til 6 or 7 PM, but so what ? Those of us flying in from far away, can book a Monday flight home if they plan to play doubles.
The above comment is leading into what I am going to say about using a bit more of Sunday (or the final day) to finish the events, esp SIDE Events. Many directors would do well to plan to use about two hours more of Sunday than they do. Players in side events should not book early flights home.
Some players have commitments at home and may need to get home at a decent hour on Sunday. I strongly suggest that they not play any long side event. The LC starts at 11 AM usually and is only 5 pt matches and as long as LC (ABT points) is made a priority, it will finish quickly and those who need to be home can catch a 4 PM flight. However, LC really should be made progressive and then you'll have players knocked out earlier and freed up for blitzes, doubles, jackpots, quickies etc etc.
Predetermined start times are obvious for a Swiss, but might slow down a typical elimination format. When winner A and B are to play in the next round and both roll over their opps in 30 minutes, why not have them start nearly ASAP ? Note that most ABT weekends are very pressed for time.
However, in nearly week long T's like Monte Carlo, predetermined start times are fine as there's less reason to really rush. A 17+ pt match before dinner and then one after dinner is just fine and gets the event finished with no hassles.
Players can take responsibility and speed things along also. If you can see that your bracket is lagging, speed things up a bit, take a shorter break and for heaven's sake, be in the playing room when the match you're waiting on is near completion so that you can start the next match rather promptly especially if your bracket is at all behind. I once saw a player take an hour break to go eat during a 9 pt match when her bracket was allready behind. WTF couldn't she order room service ? Had I been director I'd have handed her back her entry fee and forfeited her.
To all players, try to show up on time to play and try to be aware of when your bracket is holding up the T. Also please don't book early flights home if you're planning on playing multiple side events. This will minimize the times someone is nervously fretting waiting for the two players they need to play in he double's semis to lose in the main event etc etc.
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