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The Inaugural Tric Trac Tourno on Playmaker-World.
When the Server I used to run TTTs on announced they would be closing soon one of the first things I did was to run an invitational TTT for Owners from other Servers. Playmaker-World (PM) came along and as a result offered a room for TTTs on their Server. PM have recently linked with GammonVillage, IBA and others and are rapidly becoming one of the top dogs. I'm thrilled for TTTs to be in such company.
I fully realize that TTTs will, compared to such high caliber traditional backgammon tournament formats, be viewed as the baby of the bunch, but that is fine by me. 1 pointer matches are not the favored cup of tea of the established backgammon players of this world, but we have all got to start somewhere. The intention of TTTs is that they provide a tournament format for players who do not wish to play doubling cube backgammon - the vast majority of people who say they play backgammon.
Hence TTTs on Playmaker-World are unrated games. Of course a 1 point match does not provide the same opportunity for a world class player to use his/her skill as say an 11 point match. Lady Luck might well have her way. Having said that if anybody thinks that winning a TTT is just down to good luck I suggest you look a little bit closer. There is a lot of skill required in winning a TTT. Gammons and Backgammons must be played for. Losing 2 or 3 games is not the end of the world. But given that IBA are running 3 pointer Crawfords Knockout Tournaments that are also unrated, it would be nonsense for TTTs to be rated affairs on the same server. Again, this is fine by me and I hope will encourage PM players to come downstairs from the Members Room to the backgammon.it / Tric Trac Tournos Room.
I wrote a new website for TTTs on PM. One of the huge advantages of running TTTs on PM is that the TTT website becomes part of the PM website. No more changing website to Report and view Standings. It's all there on players screens already.
The TTT PM Edition website is much like the TTT Funcom Edition website. You'll find that the gray background points on TTTPM Edition are backgammon correct whereas those on TTTF Edition are opposite (backgammon incorrect.) The TTTPM edition is easier to navigate and less cluttered. Most pages are short and sweet. They do what they are there for so they are quick and easy to use. Gone is the Players Page because there is already a very good players profile on PM.
Because of various other events in my life (not least of which was to help run a Charity Backgammon Tournament that used the TTT format - Report coming soon) is was two weeks before the first TTT happened on PM. I sent out the usual email to the TTT Mailing List just three hours before we kicked off. Registrations came in and we had a full 12 player TTT.
All the players were experienced TTT players and we had a TTT Scorer, Reporter and BarTender so the TTT stood the best chance possible of running well. It did.
I elected to use the Tric Trac Tournos Chat Channel rather than the bg.it / TTT Chat Room because the writing is easier to view. However from the feedback I've received I think players find that, even though the Room Chat is small, it is easier to view, so in the next TTT we will use that instead and see how that works.
One slight difference on PM is that players have to invite players into a game - you cannot set up a table and wait to be joined by your opponent. It means the players need to keep a record of who you have and have not yet played. I expect most of you are doing this already. If anything I think this is a better system for TTTs as players will be forced to slow down a little and maybe take some time between games.
And so the the TTT itself. Netmusen put in a near perfect performance and only lost the 1 game. It was not until TTT48 that a 100% win rate was achieved. Netmusen also picked up 2 gammons which took her clear of most of the mob. Stallion also won 2 gammons and, needing a gammon to bring him level with Net, tried his best for a third in the final game - for a long time it looked possible but 1 risky move too many and his ambition cost him the game though he did come home in second place (Grant was not playing.) Cugy lost just 2 games to come home in 3rd place. Himbo won 2 gammon but had a high loss rate, Mycroft won the only backgammon of the TTT, Kazzie won 1 gammon and Jayel was a cruiser. Laur looked for a while as if she was going to win a bag of marbles (for losing all games) but then remembered how to play b-g, Mazda didn't have a good TTT, Cajun2 in his second TTT didn't either but will do well in later TTTs I'm sure, 030478 took some hammering and Hotstuff blessed us with her lovely presence.
The TTT Crew, Hez, TopazJ and Yabble as Scorer, BarTender and Reporter did, as I was sure they would, a wonderful job.
We also had a few Spectators drop in for a drink and a look see. One of these was Joy the IBA Director who was made welcome. I was pleased to see interest from this quarter. We are all doing much the same thing and having a working knowledge of other tournaments going on on PM can only be a good thing. On the previous server I ran TTTs on I often worked closely with Lessye and Paradine (the Cases T.D.s) the best example of which was that we put together the Weekend of Online Backgammon in early May during which we ran 12 tournaments of 3 different formats - none of which clashed.
On a slightly less palatable note I've heard that a player calling him/herself FUNCOM_COM and binbon has been flooding PM with messages that Funcom is back up and running. This is out of order on two counts - 1 flooding is unacceptable and 2 it's just plain damned rude to PM and the other websites that operate via PM. I have no idea who this player is, but trust me, if I find out who it is, I'll let you know exactly what I think of you. I feel responsible for the behavior of ex-funcom players on PM because it was I, in some respects, who led the way there. We must realize that this is a more serious b-g server, that many players use PM because they are into playing top quality backgammon. While I have no problem of TTTs being viewed as "baby backgammon" I do have a problem with players acting like babies. Screaming, shouting, swearing and making a nuisance of yourself is not an option. We all saw what that did to Funcom Backgammon - please let's not let ourselves down in our new home. I'll do all I can to prevent bad behavior.
I think the next TTT will be on Sunday 26th May. If you are not already on the TTT Mailing List, please do join it - it is nowadays the only sure fire way of knowing when the next TTT will be and getting a seat. As players from PM get to know about TTTs I will soon run TTTs for first time players. There will also soon be a DownUnderers TTT run at a suitable time for those from that part of the world.
The next Live Tric Trac Tourno
will be at the
over the weekend of 14th - 16th June.
More details on the
Backpacker Backgammon Boards Events Page
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| 66 of the 66 games have now been played |
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WINNER OF TRIC TRAC
TOURNO 52 |
Thank you to all the players who took part,
the TTT Crew who helped
and the Spectators who dropped in.
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