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BGonline.org Forums
Monte Carlo Update
Posted By: Eric Guedj In Response To: Monte Carlo Update (Christian Munk-Christensen)
Date: Wednesday, 15 July 2009, at 11:04 a.m.
Hello all, this is my first post ever in this forum which I read with great interest for many years.
This topic of cheating being so crucial, imo, I eventually decided to step-in.
Some comments about Rich Munitz's post on July 14th:
"Cheating is clearly unacceptable, but what SHOULD the director have done without physical evidence (...)?"
Having run few dozens of live BG events in the past 6 years, I was presented with "physical evidence" only the one time (a guy using 'no deuce' dice), and I consider that I have been extremely lucky to catch him. This same guy was going on for years, and won major events without being caught.
So my conclusion is that physical evidence is very difficult, if not impossible, to produce.
With all due respect, Richard, I also disagree with your suggestion of "allowing videotaping of all matches". Not only this extreme solution is just not doable in the current economy of live BG events, but it's also questionable in term of efficiency. I know that because I've tried it...('casino style' hidden cameras all over the playing room). The cost and time needed to analyse hundreds of hours of tapes makes this solution just impossible in practice.
Richard, you also seem to suggest that it's up to the players to complain and report: "are they expecting the directors to guess that it is not simply the economy? Without providing feedback, why would anyone expect anything to improve?"
When I go eat in a restaurant, and the food is not good, I leave and don't come back. I don't go tell the cook that he's doing crappy food. He is a cook? he should serve me good food, or find himself another job. It's not for me, the customer, to give him credit, and HELP him do better.
Same goes for BG events: players pay a great deal of money for travel, accomodation, entry fee, and above all REGISTRATION FEE. What does that mean " registration fee"? In my view, from the player's perspective, it means "I pay this money to you, so you provide me with a service, and insure me the best possible playing conditions, and protect me from misbehavior and cheaters".
Tournament director is not an easy job, and nobody is forced to do it. With the 'TD title' comes duties towards players, and if one cannot undertake this duty, one should just not call oneself TD. Simple as that.
I join Chiva (CKT,don't get use to it!) on his comments related to rules, and that he is getting more and more strict on rules. I don't enjoy being strict on rules (and I'm sure neither is Chiva), but player's well-being and security in BG events is not an OPTION, it's a DUTY, and it comes at a price.
As for Monaco, I played this event every year since 1990, and I witnessed complains, cheating accusations, and fights almost each time. Last year, I was reported of a known cheater who signed into the Intermediate Division; I reported what I was told on Day 1, and again when the guy was in the last 8, and again when he reached the finale. Eventually, this guy won the tournament, and ALL his opponents told me the same story about him, and claimed that they DID complain after the match: he was "exchanging dice in his bag", would "return from breaks using dice of different colors", etc... Surely it was not enough, and they should have...what? call the police?
Surely, to enforce the use of clocks for every matches, and completely ban private cash games in the tournament area is one strong step to secure the game. I advocate for this for many years, and use this rule in my events for 2 years.
But none of this is enough if proper standards on rules and security procedures are not endorsed by every TD in the world. Back to same again: Backgammon is not ruled today, and it should. The very future of live BG is at stake.
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