Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Everyone likes a gracious winner

There were four players ready to play a round robin tonight, two quick rated experts, High Plains Vest & Damir Studen, and two "B" players, Spencer Bledsoe, and Samuel Zimmerman, when in walked Robert Steen, barely a "D" player. It became a 5 round event, with Mr Steen very much overmatched. Damir beat Spencer and Vest beat Zimmy in the first round. Damir beat Steen and Zimmy took out Spencer in the second round. Round 3 saw Spencer make up for his loss by drawing with the wiley 'ol wolf, High Plains Vest, while Zimmy won his second game in as many rounds by beating Steen. In the penultimate round, Studen stopped Zimmy's charge, and Vest beat Steen. That set up the final round encounter for the money, between the High Plains Drifter and the young Stud, with David having to win to win. Unfortunately, the young Stud managed to draw the game, thereby winning the tournament, and we had to put up with the usual histrionics, fist pumping, chest slappin', shadow boxing, and sounds not heard since the heyday of the Nature Boy, from the ever gracious winner. It's enough to make you wanna puke! I'm willing to wager he was not doing any of that after losing back to back games at the World Open!
Spencer beat Mr Steen in the last round, but you would've never known it from his demeanor...

Thursday night will be G/30 quads! That's right, come play someone near you in rating and it will be WINNER TAKE ALL! So send out those emails informing everyone you know...Pick up the phone...Get those carrier pigeons ready to fly! LET THE WORD GO FORTH!

1 comment:

nnarula said...

Suggest HOP consider quads for Tuesdays G/30 especially when there are 20+ players around (which typically is the case during the summer vacation time) In the traditional Swiss the first round is a disaster with a rating differential averaging more than 500 points. Even second rounds are generally one sided leaving only third round as the 'good' round that decides the ratings change.
I doubt any of the players will object - Who would not like playing 3 good rounds instead of just one. And David would have a much easier time doing the parings!