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BGonline.org Forums
What to do about this what-a-to-do?
Posted By: phil Simborg In Response To: What to do about this what-a-to-do? (Mike Main)
Date: Monday, 6 July 2009, at 2:38 p.m.
There are two issues at stake here for the tournament director to decide: do you make the ruling that strictly enforces the rules, or do you make the ruling that best promotes good sportmanship?
The fact that the two are not synonymous PROVES that the rules are inadequate. Good, well-written rules should not force us to choose between what is fair and what is right...they should be the same.
The rules should state that in every instance there may be mitigating factors that the tournament director should be allowed to take into account, and he should make the ruling that he believes is fairest to all players and promotes good sportsmanship.
If that were in the rules, it would be clear that the roll would stand. If a player clearly has allowed fast rolling without raising the issue, and then raises the issue only when it is critical, that player has abused the good sportsmanship and fairness of the game. He has given up his "right" to get a penalty for fast rolling. By the way, this has come up before, on many occasion, and I could name names and instances.
As the tournament director, you are supposed to enforce the rules as written. The roll should go over. That would clearly be correct, but unfortunate. If I were the tournament director, I would NEVER enforce a rule that allows someone to use the rules unfairly or unreasonably to take a shot at someone, and I would state that my ruling is more concerned with what is right and fair than what the rules state, and if someone objected, I would tell them I would be happy to show them dozens of places where the rules are written ambiguously and poorly and don't take into account the many things that could mitigate circumstances, and I would state firmly that fair play and good sportsmanship trumps the rules. Anyone who doesn't agree with that approach is welcome to play elsewhere.
In the meantime, I continue to lobby for better rules so this kind of thing is not a problem for players and directors.
As for me personally, the first time anyone rolls fast I warn them (or shame on me), and then, after the first time, I call it on them and enforce the rule EVERY TIME. So if it happens on the last roll, no one can question my sportsmanship.
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