for the people [Updated October 2002]

FTP  3 prizes Experienced Swiss Continuous 
 
  9  Round 2 17  Round 3 Round 4 17  
 Round 5 9  Final      

   Hunt

James Pei, TX

2001-2002 Champion

2nd: Hank Burkhalter, GA

3rd: Trevor Bender, CA

4th: Michael Mitchell, GA

5th: David Dockter, MN

6th: Dan Hoffman, NC

Event History
1999    James Pei     22
2000    Trevor Bender     21
2001    James Pei     22
2002    James Pei     29


AREA Ratings


GM: Hank Burkhalter

Past Winners

James Pei - TX
1999, 2001

Trevor Bender - CA
2000
 

the whole nine yards ...

This year ( 2002 ) was the first year for the For the People WBC Tournament to feature the full campaign game. Going 'full campaign' also doubled the length of the tournament to two full days for any gamers looking to place (and pick up some GMT loot) and/or enjoy two full days of great FTP (I suspect both, a completive crowd it was), and two and a half days for the finalist. Some concern was expressed before the tournament that participation may drop given the two and a half days. Concerns that went for naught, as FTP participation saw a 40% attendance increase from the previous year.

The bidding focused on the SW level needed by the Yanks to achieve an automatic victory, however, with the Rebs winning 74% of all games by doubling the Yank SW, the bidding mattered little other than allowing the side that wanted the Rebs the most to get it.

29 games were played. From the 27 record sheets that were returned it was:

Total ( CSA \ USA )
1st Rnd: 9 (7\2)
2nd Rnd: 8 (6\2)
3rd Rnd: 5 (3\2)
4th Rnd: 4 (3\1)
5th Rnd: 1 (1\0)

Afterwards David Dockter came up with what I think is an excellent bidding system; bid reinforcements with a max of 2SP per turn, such as:

Gamer A bids : CSA 6 rein.
Gamer B bids : USA 1 rein.

Gamer A had the highest bid so he gets the CSA and gives 6 rein to the USA. Since Gamer B bid for the USA, his bid is subtracted from the CSA bid, netting 5SP as additional reinforcements (had Gamer B bid, say CSA 2, then Gamer A would get the CSA and give the full 6SP rein to the USA).
Therefore the USA will receive the 5SP on:
turn 2 20SP
turn 3 2SP
turn 4 19SP.

Good system, it'll work.

2002 used the v2.2 rules with the one campaign card optional rule. Most gamers polled for next year hope to see the v2.4 rules with no optional rules as the default version. (If opponents want to use an optional that is their decision).

The final game had defending champion James Pei as the Rebs against the GM's Union. The Rebs used Extreme discipline to keep and hold 110SW in hopes of Foreign Intervention. This meant converting all border states and not building the AoNV until after Lee arrived and after having AS Johnston pull a hari kari. The Yanks did not get a Blockade card or enough 3OPS cards to threaten Richmond to halt the Reb SW climb. The Yanks did have other opportunities though that did not pan out, letting a Rebel SW reduction card go by not as an event and a failed 'ambush' by a 15SP Army versus Dover. Did get the Emancipation though, but not enough to bring the SW below 110 against the Rebs determined play to not lose a single SW.

Above, champion James Pei defends his crown against the game's designer, Mark Herman (right).


2002 PBeM Tournament

Stefan Mecay of Texas proved the best of a field of 46 in winning the second BPA PBeM tournament of For The People. Other laurelists were:

2nd: Baron August, PA

3rd: James Pei, VA

4th: Mark Giddings, NY

5th: Tim Hughes, UK

6th: Paul Risner, FL

 GM      Hank Burkhhalter  [1st Year]   NA
    NA    NA

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