Ultimate Bet requires different approach!

Our tightly guarded password approach, with the release of the tournament entries as close to the event as possible, is not feasible when dealing with Ultimate Bet. It is required that Nick forwards a list of our Ultimatebet usernames, which have been cleared by him as members in good standing of Cardschat, for participation in the private tourney. This means planning for adequate time for the membership to submit their names via the forum thread, for Nick to compile the list of players, send the list to UB, allow UB to check the usernames for valid account status, and then for UB to set the tournament field accordingly. A very drawn-out process by today's standards.

This cannot realistically be performed by all the parties involved within a span of several hours on game day. Today's freeroll tournament begins at 3:00 p.m. Eastern time. Nick opened the thread for submission of Ultimatebet usernames at 4:35 a.m. this morning. By 1:00 p.m., it was doubtful that any later entries would be processed for participation, mine and many others included.

Unlike passworded tournaments, no one plays in these Ultimatebet tourneys unless Nick submits their name. There is none of the danger of being flooded with "outsiders" that forces us to hold onto passwords for as long as possible. Quite the opposite. The longer a period of time we have to get our names into the hat, the longer Nick has to get them to UB, the longer UB has to process them, and the more likely it is that everyone who wishes to do so is able to play.

Going forward, I strongly recommend that the usernames be gathered 48 hours prior to the tournament, with a rigid cut-off of 6 hours prior to start. You guys have fun in the tourney today. Perhaps I will be able to join you next time.

I hear you Rammer, you're spot on with this one. As always your suggestions have been heard and we'll implement this next time, I'm not sure about the 6 hour cut-off as there is no need for that... but the 48 hours thing sounds great.

Sounds good to me. Saves me getting real early and waiting for thread. By the way good luck to all in todays tourney.

Well, the six-hour thing was a concession to you as the administrator to prevent being swamped with last-minute entry requests. Some measure of a deadline will free you up and allow Ultimatebet all the time they need to get us squared away before the opening bell. But, thanks for the kind ear! It's your positive response to feedback and constructive criticism that sets you apart from most forum masters.

The whole reason the list was put up late was to stop people joining who are then going to sit out.

Ultimatebet don't remove the sit outs from our tournaments so doing it 48 before hand means we will get moaned at for there being a lot of sit outs

I totally agree with Grumbledook ... the more time we (Nick) give players to sign up, the more sitouts we will have ...

I agree with both Grumbledook and Rammer. So how about the thread is created approximately 24 hours prior to the tournament. I also believe there should be a cutoff point, as Rammer suggested, for the exact same reasons he stated.

Grumbledook,

I believe that the reality of members getting shut out of the tournament two full hours before start time is a more compelling issue than the possibility of someone becoming a no-show due to an unforeseen conflict. The fields for these Ultimatebet tourneys are 100% within our control. If a member exhibits habitual sit-out/no-show behavior, that person can simply be omitted.

And keep in mind that not everyone has the time or inclination at 4:30 a.m. to check in with the poker forum before rushing out the door for the morning errands. That was the time today's thread was posted. But it sounds as if these issues will be addressed going forward, for which I am grateful.

Clearly you need to be more committed and become a proper addict and revolve your life around your playing. ;]

Grumbledook: Thanks for the good laugh this gave me! I am dangerously close to becoming just such an addict! ha ha!