Date: Tue Jul 27 12:44:38 2010
User: !_--FAST-ISHAM--_
Message:
is it possible to make the deadlies non-blinds?

Date: Tue Jul 27 13:10:57 2010
User: hotnurse
Message:
I second that.

Date: Tue Jul 27 13:23:31 2010
User: dr.firenze
Message:
I vote to leave them the way they are. The only drawback is that there is no reason to look at the leaderboard, unless you want to know how many can be won.

Date: Tue Jul 27 13:55:42 2010
User: hotnurse
Message:
bingo!

Date: Tue Jul 27 14:49:50 2010
User: calicokid
Message:
This would essentially destroy the whole point of the Spelunker...


It's not a deep dark cave if you know there's a light at the end of the tunnel

Date: Tue Jul 27 14:55:19 2010
User: calicokid
Message:
just remembered that the Spelunker is not deadly...


I still think opening up the deadlies to being un-blind provides a huge psychological advantage to those willing to waste the time to see if a game has been beaten during a tournament.


The whole point of it being blind was to cut down on the drafting...

Date: Tue Jul 27 16:47:13 2010
User: !_--FAST-ISHAM--_
Message:
Oh,thats SO true. Theres a cheat-potential which kills that idea. Thanks, calicokid.

Date: Tue Jul 27 17:32:40 2010
User: hotnurse
Message:
Ok, I agree, keep thing like they are, especially after all the hoopla the last time things changed. Fyi, I, personally, don't consider drafting "cheating", and I only do it after numerous attempts to solve on my own. I just see it as a built-in advantage. I don't think it has ever really given me the edge anyway to better my ratings.

Date: Tue Jul 27 17:32:43 2010
User: dr.firenze
Message:
Drafting is not cheating.

Date: Tue Jul 27 17:34:12 2010
User: dr.firenze
Message:
I posted three seconds after you hottie obviously without reading your post.

Great minds..................

Date: Tue Jul 27 18:59:06 2010
User: !_--FAST-ISHAM--_
Message:
hottest one,firenze,guess I should reword that. Its not cheating,thats a given. I just meant taking the blind off a deadly can unfortunately,be exploited,as calicokid mentioned above. The general consensus is drafting helps players but I personally have been killed by it.

Date: Tue Jul 27 20:43:54 2010
User: calicokid
Message:
Drafting is HUGE.

I like using it in the Freakouts, there are some players who play the harder games earlier on, and don't move on to the next game until they have bested it. So when you get down to the nitty gritty at the end of the tournament it is easier to not waste your time on some games while increasing your time spent on others.

Date: Tue Jul 27 21:12:03 2010
User: Kaos
Message:
12-of-a-kind is deadly but not blind and so is the Australian Open if you play during kenwa time.

---------------------

Drafting is a double-edged (or maybe triple-edged) sword. Sometimes a good solver will knock of a tough 11-sum early and everyone will chase that game even though there may be easier games left floating around. In today's Potluck a 10x1 got lots of attention even though I'd bet most people would find that 6x3 easier.

Then there's the various psychological effects. How do you react if you see a game has one win; or three; or six?

Date: Tue Jul 27 21:34:18 2010
User: kangaroo
Message:
lol Kaos, I've seen you use kenwa as a verb, now an adjective!

In the spelunker I was convinced the second 10x1 was unwinnable and therefore nearly solved the 6x4 to get to 15. I finally had one quick look back at the 10x1 and bingo, a path I hadn't seen before. That shows the fun of not being able to draft, not that I do much anyway. And congrats on the little win, and Eunice got one back at me!

Date: Tue Jul 27 21:36:33 2010
User: roo
Message:
oops, by little I meant in quick time. Sorry!

Date: Tue Jul 27 21:50:52 2010
User: !_--FAST-ISHAM--_
Message:
I think I draft w/o really being aware of it,sometimes. Secret is dont stick on a 30% too long just cuz the other solveds are at 15%. Gotta discipline myself to move on to those 15%s if the 'easier" ones are not givin in!