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We live in a free country, don't we?

Posted By: Phil Simborg
Date: Saturday, 6 March 2010, at 2:50 a.m.

In Response To: We live in a free country, don't we? (Stick)

O.K. Stick. You are right (as usual, and it makes me sick to have to admit it).

It is a free country. Tournament directors can decide on whatever format they like and individual players are free to hate it or love it and vote with their mouth and their wallets.

If Neil thinks the format is unfair and unreasonable and doesn't want to play, that's his right. And if he wants to share his feelings with his friends and fellow backgammon players, that's his right as well.

One reason Neil and others have to speak out and vote with their wallets is precisely because we don't have any standards for tournaments. Tournament directors decide what rules they play by, and what rules they don't want to use; what the format is; what the entry fees are; what the rake is; what hospitality costs are; etc. And all we can do is choose to support it or not.

So right now, if you think something is unfair or not good for you or the players, all you can do is not go (especially if you have tried to convince the organizers otherwise with no success).

What I am saying is that this whole business is just not good for the game. I am NOT saying it is Neil's fault or that he, or anyone else who speaks out, has done anything wrong...in fact, Neil's arguments are very strong and have made an impact on me and others I know about how this (and other) tournaments are run.

It's just not the way things should be, that we have no choice but to support or boycott an event. Hopefully, in the future, the ABT and the USBGF will find a way to cooperate so that the players have some input in advance, and so that when a tournament is in keeping with what the players believe is fair, the tournament director will be assured of the full support of the players.

I hope that is everyone's goal, and I hope all agree that will be a better overall backgammon atmosphere in this country than we have had in the past.

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