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BGonline.org Forums
Bill Davis is Smarter Than You Think (long and rambling in places)
Posted By: Jake Jacobs In Response To: Bill Davis is Smarter Than You Think (long and rambling in places) (Robert Maier)
Date: Thursday, 18 June 2009, at 6:22 p.m.
Hi Rob:
Saturday night, thanks to brilliant planning and Carter's gourmet ways, Stick, Matt, Rod, Carter, and I wound up sitting in a place called Beeps, eating cheesie fries and discussing the future of backgammon. Two points I made:
1. ABT points were designed to promote attendance in ABT events, accrued glory is secondary, and as such they do a fine job. (Viewed in that light some of the features glory seekers perceive as design flaws suddenly make more sense.)
2. I have seen sweet old ladies who would sell their children for one gold point, and captains of industry invest the money they made plundering sweet old ladies to become captains of teams (of hired pros) to win big bridge events.
Unlike you, I don't feel dirty (I know you were kidding) by saying I see nothing wrong with either #1 or #2. I love backgammon, and the ABT means there are great events (like the one just finished, thanks Pat!) for me to play in. As for the ACBL, last count I saw (a long time ago, admittedly) they had 400,000 members, half of them active. They count "tables" rather than heads, but I've seen nationals where there must have been over a thousand players in attendance for a week.
The rank of LM may have been devalued, but somehow players figure out that the Bob Hammans and the Zias are playing a whole different game than the average LM.
Bridge even had the equivalent of the Giant 32. Yes indeed. Years ago they asked 100 top players to vote anonymously for the best player in the world. Oddly, they got precisely 100 different answers. Then they asked the same players who the world's 2nd best player was. And everyone voted for Howard Schenken.
Best,
Jake
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