The third leg in the BPA Triple Crown of year end honors is the Sportsmanship Award. Coupled with Caesar honors for prowess on the game table and our GM of the Year Award which honors those who sacrifice their time to make WBC the memorable event that it is, the Sportsmanship winner completes our annual virtual Hall of Fame by reminding us that there is no fun to be had with these games without an affable and enjoyable opponent with which to cross vicarious swords.

There are many more good sports at WBC than those we acknowledge here. But we limit the nominees to those endorsed by WBC GMs or other observers for outstanding sportsmanship and further reduce their number by selecting only the most fervent endorsements.

While some can get carried away with the quest for "wood," the folks who are nominated and who win subscribe to a higher standard. These are the sportsmen and women of the WBC…the shining example of sportsmanship that we should all aspire to. These folks are the ones that make it bearable for our GMs and attractive to our members by contributing most to the friendly atmosphere of the conference. Their shining examples contribute to the remarkable esprit de corps and camaraderie for which the WBC has always been noted by those in the know.

Nominations are not accepted for individuals who conceded a victory to allow a beaten opponent to continue in an event in their place. While players who allow another to play on in their place may well have good intentions, doing so is contrary to the purpose of a tournament. A player who concedes a won game is circumventing the rules of the event by dispensing byes in a non-random, unearned manner and is actually committing an unsportsmanlike act in the eyes of some. Such a kindness bestowed upon one player is actually grossly unfair to other participants who had to win their right to advance and tarnishes the event as a true test of skill.