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BGonline.org Forums
Bad Beat (aka... where'd my 35 points go?) & Another Unfair Assumption
Posted By: phil Simborg In Response To: Bad Beat (aka... where'd my 35 points go?) & Another Unfair Assumption (Rich Munitz)
Date: Sunday, 31 May 2009, at 2:09 a.m.
There are some basic principles relative to hedging that clearly should be followed, and I believe they should be "posted" or written into tournament rules:
1. It is far better to agree to specific dollar amounts in a hedge than percentages (e.g. the winner of the match will pay the loser $200.00, or the winner of the match agrees to pay $400 if they win the tournament and $200 if they take second); 2. If a percentage is agreed to, it should be very carefully discussed and spelled out to state if it includes the side pool and if the percentage applies to the net proceeds after any additional hedging or if future hedging does not apply. 3. It should be put in writing. 4. In no event should a hedge provide incentive for a player to lose a match. 5. If there is a misunderstanding or dispute, there is no question that the tournament director should be relied upon to hear both sides and resolve the issue according to the standard, accepted norms of hedging.
In the specific case at Howard's tournament, when the winners agreed to pay the losers 25 percent of their winning, it should have been more clearly stated, but there is NO DOUBT that it CLEARLY MEANT that it would be 25 percent after future hedging. If not, Alex and Albert could have made more money by agreeing to split and then throwing the match. This is another reason why the tournament director has a right to be involved in hedge discussions, as it should never be in such a manner as to give a party a reason to lose a match.
And again, as for the specifics of this incident, Albert is well-aware of how hedges work, as he has done many in the past in local and ABT events; he has been on both sides of this situation; and most important, when Bill explained to him and Alex that they owed half of the entire amount they won, they out-and-out lied to Bill and denied that they split the first and second place money (according to Bill).
Further, if Albert and Alex were not sure, or confused about how the hedge worked, they appropriate thing to do would be to explain what happened and ask Bill or Howard (or me or anyone) what is fair and appropriate, rather than just paying the lesser amount and insisting that is how it works.
Lastly, there is a history here. There have been many problems in our chouette in the past with both Alex and Albert relative to their being unfair and unreasonable, and there are many who have, in the past, refused to play with either or both (including myself). As a result of this incident, on top of many others, virtually all of the regular chouette players in Chicago have determined not to play with either.
Phil
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