Zemljanin wrote:Hm, I'm very experienced in tournaments. I used to play chess semi-professionally; I played bridge on an amateur level, but won couple of prizes on international tournaments; I am playing go on (amateur) dan level. I am an official chess referee (on regional level); I am unofficial bridge referee and I could also run a go tournament...
However, this is the very first tourney I am running on CC and I am not going to be a smart ass. Instead of acting as a divine authority - I'll just think loudly...
And worse yet, English is not my native language, so I am not able to express myself short and precise, as Night Strike would. This post is going to be long and boring. Sorry.
about mkcummins (he played a main role in this issue)
In first round I played 8 games with him and must say that he left a very good impression on me - as a person and sportsman. Also, his story posted above seems pretty honest and natural. But I have some objections:
a) Asking somebody to not attack you for a couple turns and giving him the same in return IS making of an alliance, although perhaps a mild one. Mild one in general, BUT - in this particular case, there are some very serious aggravations:
i) There was only 3 players left, the severest case. Two players may cooperate only if it's their only way to survive (i.e. if third player is about as strong as two of them together)...
ii) Fortifications was unlimited and it seemed that board was fairly split (mkcummins mentioned that he had only one boundary with zissou). So even a mild truce is really an active alliance, since both players can fortify ALL forces to the boundaries with third player, IN ONE TURN.
iii) Escalating cards, next set was worth 80 units. In such circumstances, alliance for turn or two can well be (and most probably will be) an alliance to the end of game.
To be short now: you did, in fact, make an alliance against hwhrhett, an alliance to the end of game. An alliance was successful, hwhrhett was destroyed very soon...
b) Somebody attacked you and destroyed half of your armies? Are there something sweeter then revenge? You acted perfectly natural, mkcummings... You acted perfectly natural, BUT
Your attack immediately finished the game. You threw victory to zissou. You didn't know that zissou was able to immediately eliminate hwhrhett and win the game? Well, I believe you, but you could (and should!) know. If you thought a little, you'd know. Once again, I believe that you had no such intention, but you screwed the game for yourself and (what's more important) you screwed the game for hwhrhett. That's simply a fact.
about zissou2
I've played 9 games with him and I could say - he's a master of exploiting of opponents' strategical, tactical and psychological insecurities. However, I think he's an honest player with integrity. BUT
He made a "slight" mistake to accept a very mild and short alliance in extremely bad moment, and that alliance turned out to be ultimate and decisive. Bad luck? Yes.
When it concerns "He owed me" statement, I understand it as nothing more than innocent joke.
So, if you ask me:
Are they guilty? Yes
Are they cheaters? No
I think they just have been unacceptable unwary and committed a crime without forethought. (That probably can be said much more elegant, but English is not my first language)
What does it mean?
They have to be punished. Night Strike decided so and I agree with him. Unfortunately, he left the final decision to me...
...So everybody is going to hate me. Those two because I punished them, the rest of you because I won't do it as severely as you thought I should...
I'll hear one more round of discussion before I make a final decision. But I tend to apply more softly punishment than I guess hwhrhett expects...
Please discuss!
Zem,
"a) Asking somebody to not attack you for a couple turns and giving him the same in return IS making of an alliance, although perhaps a mild one."
i never asked for an alliance. i never asked anything nor did i give the same. i made the attack i was going to make no matter what. i said, "i hope you can ignore me" and he did not. i simply meant that i've got to make this attack and leave myself exposed, but regardless of the outcome, i've got to do it.
An alliance requires agreement from both parties and that never happened. i was going to attack red regardless because i had to do something and was only strong enough to battle red, not strong enough yet for zissou. i thought if i could make it one round without being attacked i'd be okay. then the game ended.
If your mind is unchanged and you must levy some sort of decision against us, then i agree with Zissou's idea of giving 1st place to H, 2nd to Zissou and 3rd to me.
](./images/smilies/eusa_wall.gif "Brick wall")
