[1eyedjack]

If I go to MyHands and click on the Results tab of an EBU tourney, it shows you how many masterpoints are awarded under the EBU scale, but it does not (seem to) display the BBO masterpoints which I assume are also awarded. Just curious.

[gordontd]

1eyedjack, on 2013-October-13, 12:11, said:

If I go to MyHands and click on the Results tab of an EBU tourney, it shows you how many masterpoints are awarded under the EBU scale, but it does not (seem to) display the BBO masterpoints which I assume are also awarded. Just curious.

Apparently it's just in the process of being set up, so shouldn't be long before they are displayed alongside the EBU ones.

[broze]

I have to wonder about the timing of these tournaments. I know the aim of having them take place at 4pm and midnight is to avoid detracting from regular club bridge but for those that work regular jobs it's pretty hopeless.

[gordontd]

broze, on 2013-October-14, 06:10, said:

I have to wonder about the timing of these tournaments. I know the aim of having them take place at 4pm and midnight is to avoid detracting from regular club bridge but for those that work regular jobs it's pretty hopeless.

Well we're keeping them under review and will make changes as soon as it becomes clear what's popular. So far the Sunday afternoon game (which I would think would suit many who work regular jobs) has been the most popular, so it may be that we offer more of those. It might also be better for the late night game to be a bit earlier - like 11pm.

I'd be very happy to hear from you and others what times would suit you, as long as you look for times that don't conflict with our clubs' main games.

[broze]

gordontd, on 2013-October-14, 06:30, said:

Well we're keeping them under review and will make changes as soon as it becomes clear what's popular. So far the Sunday afternoon game (which I would think would suit many who work regular jobs) has been the most popular, so it may be that we offer more of those. It might also be better for the late night game to be a bit earlier - like 11pm.

I'd be very happy to hear from you and others what times would suit you, as long as you look for times that don't conflict with our clubs' main games.

Thanks for the reply Gordon - I will say that I am very glad the EBU have implemented these and I really hope they are a success. That said I haven't been free to play one yet! More games on Saturdays and Sundays would suit me very well (and no club games to clash with - surely ideal for the EBU's purposes). Also holding the midnight games at 11 as opposed to (or as well as) midnight would enable me to play many more of these as well. A side question: presumably these tournaments are NGS'd?

[gordontd]

broze, on 2013-October-14, 07:48, said:

Thanks for the reply Gordon - I will say that I am very glad the EBU have implemented these and I really hope they are a success. That said I haven't been free to play one yet! More games on Saturdays and Sundays would suit me very well (and no club games to clash with - surely ideal for the EBU's purposes). Also holding the midnight games at 11 as opposed to (or as well as) midnight would enable me to play many more of these as well. A side question: presumably these tournaments are NGS'd?

They aren't currently NGS rated, but that could be looked at again in the future, once the games are settled in, if technical limitations don't prevent it.

[jandrew]

gordontd, on 2013-October-14, 06:30, said:

.... as long as you look for times that don't conflict with our clubs' main games.

I wonder what/where "our" club is ?

[gordontd]

jandrew, on 2013-October-14, 10:54, said:

I wonder what/where "our" club is ?

Sorry, I should have said EBU affiliated clubs.

[barmar]

1eyedjack, on 2013-October-13, 12:11, said:

If I go to MyHands and click on the Results tab of an EBU tourney, it shows you how many masterpoints are awarded under the EBU scale, but it does not (seem to) display the BBO masterpoints which I assume are also awarded. Just curious.

When we asked Gordon what he wanted the leaderboard to show, he said it should just show EBU points. But since players are asking for it, we'll change it soon to show both.

[gordontd]

Players who have been following this thread may be interested to hear that in response to feedback we have adjusted the schedule of these games and they will now be at:

Wed 4pm & 11pm
Sun 4pm, 6pm & 9pm

All UK times

[1eyedjack]

I understand that individual membership of the EBU requires either direct membership (at £26 per head per year running April to March) or membership of an affiliated club.

As my wife and I are not members of any club (apart from BBO which I understand is not itself an affiliate), we would be asked to pay £52 for 5 months' right to play in BBO-EBU events (plus $2 per event). We can well afford it but I am disinclined to do so. May possibly reconsider at the end of March 2014.

It might be nice if BBO registered as an affiliate of the EBU. Indeed I would have expected that to be a requirement for offering EBU masterpoints. I declare an interest in that my membership of BBO would then not require me and my wife separately to register as direct members for the remaining 5 months of the year in order to benefit from EBU masterpoints were we to play in these tournaments. Absent that overhead we would be minded to play in these events to the financial benefit of BBO and the EBU.

Club affiliation costs (the club) £33 per year. I would expect that to be within the budget of BBO. I do not expect it to happen just for my benefit, and I expect that most who play in these events already enjoy EBU membership by reason of other club membership. I doubt that the contribution of myself and my wife to BBO as a proportion of the $2 table fee would by itself be sufficient to reimburse BBO for the £33 club affiliation fee, but it would not take many others for that to be the case.

If BBO have somehow negotiated these arrangements without requiring affiliation then my preferences would certainly fall on deaf ears. Not to worry, there is plenty more Bridge out there.

[gordontd]

You are welcome to play in these games without being a member, and if you have previously been a member and have an EBU number, your masterpoints will accumulate until you rejoin.

As to affiliating, I think you misunderstand the nature of the relationship between BBO & the EBU. These games are not run by BBO as an affiliated club of the EBU; they are run by the EBU itself using BBO as the "venue" & service provider. As such, the organisation you need to join for your accumulated master points to have some value is the EBU itself, either directly or by joining an affiliated club.

As I say though, you are very welcome to come and play in these games even if you are not an EBU member, and that has been the case with a fair number of players in our games so far.

[Vampyr]

1eyedjack, on 2013-October-16, 06:24, said:

I understand that individual membership of the EBU requires either direct membership (at £26 per head per year running April to March) or membership of an affiliated club.

As my wife and I are not members of any club (apart from BBO which I understand is not itself an affiliate), we would be asked to pay £52 for 5 months' right to play in BBO-EBU events (plus $2 per event). We can well afford it but I am disinclined to do so. May possibly reconsider at the end of March 2014.

There are bridge clubs which are much cheaper, and which will also offer pro-rated fees. And I'm sure many of them will allow people to join on their first visit. You may wish to investigate.

[barmar]

barmar, on 2013-October-15, 09:04, said:

When we asked Gordon what he wanted the leaderboard to show, he said it should just show EBU points. But since players are asking for it, we'll change it soon to show both.

I spoke a little too soon. While this is on our to-do list, it's not a high priority at this moment. Sorry.

[mr1303]

Couple of questions.

1) Would BBO consider introducing BBO pounds that can be used for these tournaments? This would mean I don't have to pay (large) currency conversion fees, an issue that has stopped me buying BBO dollars on a regular basis.

2) I notice that the EBU assumes simple basic Acol in these tournaments. Can this be changed as well?

[gordontd]

mr1303, on 2013-October-16, 15:13, said:

2) I notice that the EBU assumes simple basic Acol in these tournaments. Can this be changed as well?

That's just a default. It's clearly stated that you can play any Level 4 system you like.

[1eyedjack]

Vampyr, on 2013-October-16, 09:09, said:

I'm sure many of them will allow people to join on their first visit.

I thought that you had to play at the club at least 8 times a year. Is that an urban myth?

[gordontd]

1eyedjack, on 2013-October-16, 23:17, said:

I thought that you had to play at the club at least 8 times a year. Is that an urban myth?

I think that's a myth. You do need to play once a month on average to get enough Magazine Points to be sent a printed copy of English Bridge every two months, so perhaps that's where it originated.

[Vampyr]

gordontd, on 2013-October-17, 00:15, said:

I think that's a myth. You do need to play once a month on average to get enough Magazine Points to be sent a printed copy of English Bridge every two months, so perhaps that's where it originated.

Or maybe it has to do with being selected to play for the club in the Garden Cities or the like. But you can certainly be a member of a club if you have attended only the minimum number of times the club has specified to me eligible for membership. I have never seen this to be more than 3, and they don't have to be in the same year.

[broze]

gordontd, on 2013-October-14, 08:35, said:

They aren't currently NGS rated, but that could be looked at again in the future, once the games are settled in, if technical limitations don't prevent it.

Yes - this would be good to see. I was going to ask what kind of technical limitations you might expect there to be since the tournaments are just like a normal club session but online; not even any need for Bridgemates since everything is automated. However I played my first tournament on Sunday and noticed that the movement was quite unusual:

There were 11 pairs and 8 2-board rounds. My partner and I played 4 other pairs, 1 round against pair 1, 2 rounds against pairs 2 and 3, and 3 rounds against pair 4. I suppose this odd movement is a symptom of not wanting any pairs to have to sit out (which makes sense). I wonder how (if) the NGS might cope with this.

Anyway, it ran pretty smoothly for the most part. The Sunday 9pm time slot was ideal as well.