My Howling Winds side game adventure, aka the 9:15pm side game, has been very educational and lots of fun! I could have played with a different partner daily, but for this regional, I was lucky to have 3 sessions with the same always-upbeat partner and friend.
Only Single Sessions Are Stratified
We can finally de-mystify how the side games work. It’s simple and a little unfortunate for limited players. Only the individual sessions are stratified. If your pair average masterpoints is under 500, then you are Strat C for the session. However, winning strat C, overall 1st across all sections, will only net you red points.
As usual, to win ACBL gold masterpoints, you need to win the overall award across multiple sessions, or win a section top in one session.
Unfortunately, overall awards are NOT stratified for a side game series. I can see why it is complicated – if I play twice with a pro and twice with a fellow non-life master, then which strat am I in for overalls?
A Good Source Of Red Points, Poor Source of Gold
For those trying to decide between Side Games and the normal Gold Rush and Mid-Flight events, here is my recommendation. If you don’t care about the pigments, side games are a reasonable source of red points. However, if you require gold points, you are better off with the Gold Rush or Mid-Flight event.
In strat B or C, you can win more than one red point with a score in the low or mid 50s. Two single-sessions pay more than one 2-session event, per the ACBL Masterpoints formula. And with each session independent, you get a great chance to rebound (we started the week with a 40.44%).
As stated above, overall awards are not stratified. You will not win gold unless you win a section top or achieve overalls among pros and world class players.
A Proposal to Stratify Overalls
Let’s go back to the example of playing four sessions in the side game: twice with a pro, once with a Strat B friend and once with a strat C friend. Say my results are:
Pro: 61%
Pro: 56%
B-friend: 55%
C-friend: 59%
In theory, the tournament could generate overalls for A, B, and C. Then players receive whichever overall gives them more points.
For Strat A, use 61% and 59%, my two best sessions.
For Strat B, use 59% and 55%, my two best B sessions.
For Strat C, I am not eligible, because I do not have two C sessions.
If I would have won more under the strat-B overalls, then give me that! For the series, if my single-session total is more than my overall scores, then give me the single-session total, but still award the partial gold that comes from the overall award.
Brush With Greatness (not really)
Finally, congrats to GNYBA members Shelley Mendelsohn and Amy Schottenstein for winning gold today with both overall first in C and section top in A. We also had a chance to “play against” Jeopardy James, who was also in our North-South field.
Very good post
Can you suggest ACBL to have the 2 session games on separate days like the side games?
Otherwise foreign players like me will not be able to play 2 sessions on the same day due to time zone differences
Alternatively they can have 2 session games like
Morning and evening on the same day
And two afternoon games on the same day
Since it is online, there is no need to make the 2 sessions consecutively
I would love a “9 O Clock” 2-session game, which is played at 09:00 and 21:00 ET, but I have a feeling you and I would be among the very few who want it, haha.
But yes, how about a horizontal 2-session game, in addition to or instead of the side series? The idea is you pay $30 for 9:15pm on Thu + Fri, or pay $30 for 9:15pm on Sat + Sun. You have to play with the same partner and both sessions count for overalls (not playing the 2nd session forfeits overalls). I would MUCH rather play that then a side game series, given no stratification.
Agree
But this will make the side games less attractive
Hopefully ACBL and BBO continues to take your feedback and improve the games