Which 60's league is the toughest?

The Mystery games are fun. Sure, everyone like a competitive edge but they are still a form of entertainment and social interactions.
I helped a team in my division because I felt bad that he was struggling in his first league. I didn't want him to become discouraged and quit. Strat needs more players. I was 12 games ahead of him so I saw nothing wrong with answering his questions. Its nice to make friends in these leagues. I have Strat friends all over the US and Europe. If we were to meet in a league, we would try to beat each other but would remain friends. I cherish meeting people. The LMBombers are highly respected in Strat. He teaches others and I admire that he takes his time to answer the questions of others. But I also know that he plays competitively at 100% to win and loves strong competition.
Leagues with strong players are more fun than leagues where one player dominates.
Now Lstrether, you are in my 60s league. I know crap about the 60s. However, since this is a tournament, I expect that no one will help me. Tournaments are different from regular leagues. I don't think you will see much help being given in a tournament. Play the 4 games and if you are good enough, play for the Final Championship. If you make it to the Final 12, I shall see you there!

strether, you need to let Ducky know that you are quitting so he can plan ahead.

Good Luck with your 60s team!

I don't have to do anything. I'll wait and see if Franky and other players like you actually assist/collude with other players, and then I'll make my decision. I never thought I had to worry about such activity from a commissioner, though.

Good luck on your 60's team as well.

We all want to win the tournament. But what is the big picture? We want the SOM Online game to survive and thrive. We need to keep our current players and add new players. When we get new players, we need to help them out. I believe the mystery game is the best but there certainly are some things about it that new players will not know or will have questions about. None of the people who are helping are trying to help to benefit themselves (or to cause a single owner to lose) and thus commit collusion. We are helping anyone and everyone because we want to see them succeed in the long term. I remember exactly which owners helped me in my early leagues and appreciated it so much. This is a great tournament to learn because you get to play all four mystery games. To anyone new to the game (or veterans) there are great owners in every league who will do their best to help you. They won't tell you to pick up a certain player but they will tell you how to analyze an injury, that your team obp is too low, clicking that box doesn't work, etc. Do your best and have fun!

None of the people who are helping are trying to help to benefit themselves (or to cause a single owner to lose) and thus commit collusion.

Every player who helps a player in his league or one playing against a likely tourney rival is helping themselves. Every player who helps one player in a division but not the others is colluding against those other players.

This is plain fact. If our commissioner and organizer advocate such activity in this tournament--DJKalle even advocates advising another player on his roster--then they've tainted the fair competition of the tournament. That's not good for the tournament, its players, or SOM.

This is no longer a real tournament with guidelines ensuring fair play. It's really just a 4-season theme league with veterans giving inordinate help to newbies.

We have beaten that horse to death....... Now back to which league is the toughest!!!!!!

None of the people who are helping are trying to help to benefit themselves (or to cause a single owner to lose) and thus commit collusion.

Every player who helps a player in his league or one playing against a likely tourney rival is helping themselves. Every player who helps one player in a division but not the others is colluding against those other players.

This is plain fact. If our commissioner and organizer advocate such activity in this tournament--DJKalle even advocates advising another player on his roster--then they've tainted the fair competition of the tournament. That's not good for the tournament, its players, or SOM.

This is no longer a real tournament with guidelines ensuring fair play. It's really just four consecutive leagues with veterans giving inordinate help to newbies.

I think your whole impression of teaching newbies is overblown. There are listed rules for the mystery games that anyone can look at. Is that cheating? A new player might ask how one can figure out pitching injuries. He can probably look it up. Is giving him "how" answers cheating? Now, if you give a newbie detailed line-up suggestions or who to trade for or to pick up a left-handed hitter to face a certain right handed pitcher, then that might be going overboard. But that is not what we do. If someone asks for help, it is just a general question and he or she might not know where to find the answer. I am a top ranked US Chess Master. I always go over the game with my opponent to see where mistakes occurred. Do I worry that he will take my information and keep me from winning $50,000 the next tournament the following week. NO! It is just proper etiquette to be nice and helpful. I don't tell my opponent how to beat a certain player. I don't teach him how to beat me. Stratomatic promotes a bond between players. Its competitive and fun. Its also nice to get to know people. Its not vicious and it is not cheating. Every answer can be found somewhere on this site but sometimes its nicer to explain the rules to the player rather than make him hunt for it.

You're now beating the dead horse. Nothing I said was overblown. The fact you didn't even attempt to counter my points helps prove that. I said nothing about help on the regular forum. I talked about direct help to players about their teams, as DJKalle himself advocated. And yes, DjKalle did say he would give roster advice to another team. So, that is what you assisting vets do.

In a tournament, fair play has to supercedd bonding and learning. That is especially the case in a paid tournament for cash prizes. You and others seem to forget that any player who loses because of collusion from other players has a right to a full refund from SOM. This tournament has to guarantee fair play, not assistance.

So, I repeat again: Every player who helps a player in his league or one playing against a likely tourney rival is helping themselves. Every player who helps one player in a division but not the others is colluding against those other players.
A fair tournament cannot have such activity.


P.s. As to your chess analogy. It is firstly inapplicable because chess only involves two parties. No third parties are involved. Secondly, you certainly don't tell your opponent how to best beat you, so the analogy fails there, too.

[quote="l.stretherThis is a tournament for prizes worth cash, which players are paying $60+ to play, not a normal league...[/quote]
If you're in this for the money, or it's a focal point of your participation and perspective as it seems to be, then maybe you should be playing something else.

Where did I say I was playing for the money? I only said money and prizes are involved, so proper guidelines for player behavior need to be established and followed. Try not to twist my words.

Secondly, I'll play for whatever reason I want. If that bothers you, maybe you should be playing somewhere else.


Now, let's leave the dead horse behind and move on.