Let's face a few truths here. I don't doubt for one minute that virtually everyone on this site has at one time or another sat for someone else - even to the point where the clock may have as much as 5-6 hours on it yet the player who should take the turn looks like being unavailable
and there's no clan mate online to whom one can say "Hey, watch this game for xxxxxx would you coz the clock is low"
and the sitter is about to log off and can't return for another eight hours say. Then it seems legitimate to actually cover that turn because in all likelihood it will be missed, yet everything was done (and considered) to find someone else to keep an eye on it.
In TOFU we keep an up-to-date thread listing all the clan members, alongside of which we list their appointed sitters (usually 2-3 players in different time zones). I'm down as a sitter for every clan member except those with mod privileges. This is in large part due to the fact that a) I'm trustworthy and reliable, b) I don't take on too many games so don't rush any turns in which I have to sit, c) my own password is only known to myself and so any info in my account is secure and d) I'm a sad old bastard who took early retirement and can spend 24/7 keeping tabs on things, thus I'm usually always available when a sitter is needed.
I have no doubt that when TOFU faced KORT and we had objections to the frequency of josko's sitting, KORT themselves probably felt the same was true of me - this being solely down to my availability over others. I can say though that the instances (over 60 games) were very infrequent, that everything was done to contact the player concerned, and that on no occasion was a complex move 'left for me to take' because the player was unaware of strategy or didn't know what to do. I can't run BOB, I don't/can't save snapshots and yet our clan play predominantly in fog. In fact I'm a sorry excuse for a sitter sometimes as I haven't a clue where things are on a map and I often find myself apologising for it. The upshot is though, we only sit when it is necessary - never to gain a tactical advantage - which is what this thread and allegation is all about. I've kicked enough players out of TOFU over the years for one of them to stand up and say "Hey, CoF plays all the moves etc etc" when in truth all I do is govern strategy
in my own games - the others are left to the very capable members who I'm proud to have as clan mates and I don't think for one minute they'd appreciate my interference, otherwise what's the point? In our current challenge I think we've fielded about 20 players - not many clans do that - so we're all about sharing....both the burden and the joy....and the only time I stick an oar in is when someone screws up or misses a turn. It's anathema to me.
As far as impending absences go we run a thread for this very thing. Whether it's for 12 hours driving from Chicago to Washington or taking a week's holiday, everyone posts in this thread so we know what to expect. One thing we will never do is field a player in a game who is off (or due to go) on holiday - as per the Moonchild debacle when he was entered in 4 games which josko sat for him. How the heck is that fair or reasonable in a contest that has player quotas imposed on it?
I've probably said too much, or at least it may be considered too much 'off topic', but the reason I put this down is because I'd like to think all clans operate this way. Every one of their members gets a fair crack at the whip; everyone who is available to play does play; turns are taken by the right person
unless something (as per the examples cited by Dako) prevents him or her from doing so.
So I'm sorry KORT, we're not out to get you. If we had been we'd have lodged this report six months ago when we formed our own private opinion of josko's frequent sitting. However, when after three high profile challenges all three opponents have questioned KORT's ethics in regard to this matter then it definitely deserves to be brought into the public forum where it may receive the scrutiny it deserves. If everything's above board then the hundreds (yes, hundreds) of times josko has played for a clanmate will all be passed as having been legitimate account sitting.
As a footnote, here's a prime example of the kind of crap we (and doubtless other clans) have to endure in competitive games nowadays:
Game 904312946 minutes after blue played his move on 25th May, BFM's best player (HardAttack) came on and sat a crucial turn for green. It was the kind of move only a quality player would have considered (no offence to Boner Doner) and which has ultimately won them the game and probably cost us the challenge. Immediately after the move green's flag changes back to Canada. So I PM'd Boner Doner and he unwittingly replied eight hours later
Hey CoF,
I'm around, I've just been extremely busy lately, why?
So with everything on a knife edge in our challenge it is seemingly being left to the opponent's top guns to come in and play out the crucial moves.
There has to be a way to stamp this out or make an example of those who abuse the system.
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