New Scaratings

In a normal year the Six Challenge Tournament would be over and the trophy would be off to its next holder for a year. This year by any definition is not a normal year. BUD and I have discussed if it was even possible to do the tournament this year. Now we would like to hear from others about what you think.

We would like to do another five week tournament with one dropped score as in the past. One thing that would be required is that every team would have to play remotely. Buzztime at least for now provides the technology to do that.
So we are putting this out to see if there is interest in doing the tournament. Also we are looking for suggestions on how best to do it so it is fair for all participants. We don't know the local circumstances for each team so if there is something that we can accommodate let us know.

Right now we are thinking of end of July or early August for the tournament. A shorter tournament of four weeks is possible.

So please let us know what you think and try to respond as soon as you can. IDJT and BUD

That would be playing remotely via the Buzztime app??
How about "sharing"?? Our small group has done that via a conference call.

RAY J.

Hey Ray J, thanks for being the 1st to chime in, yes that would be on the BT app only. That is the only way a lot of teams would be able to play, too many bars closed or very limited on seating. All players would have to be on the app, no one can play in the bar, there is too much of an advantage playing in the bars. You see more of the clues and get less lag in the bar so to make it even everyone has to be at home.

Yes of course you can share. That's the way teams play. You can do zoom, conference calls, google hangouts, whatever as long as no one is cheating or gaining an advantage. That would include not looking anything up and no logging into another bar at the same time as logged into the team bar. One bar only!!! Yes, we will have to take everyones's word on that.

So, Time Out West would probably be in for a Thur SIX tourney?

Stained Glass Pub Silver Spring MD is in.

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BUD - Stained Glass Pub Silver Spring MD
OC BUD - Grotto Pizza DE near Ocean City MD

LET'S GO ....Caps and Os!!!!

We are in. Only thing is, we are not sure if Chicago Sam’s (Cromwell, CT) still carries the game, as that site is not available on the Buzztime App. We will likely play as BWW of Southington, CT as a result.

— RWM

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"...It could not have evolved by chance. It proves you exist, and so therefore, by your own arguments, you don't. QED...."

IDJT and BUD, I'm not sure about Time Out West yet. I'll have to ask around to see if any other folks are interested.

RAY J.

Walsh's plays outdoors at the Bar. We would want to play that way.

The tournament should be available to entries either way.

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Merkin

Otay, our little group at Time-Out West will be in for this Tourney!!

RAY J.

Any location playing at a bar and being able to see the game on a TV would have a decided advantage in the matching round over those seeing the game solely on a device due to the differences between the two versions of the game. In the TV version, you see all the choices from the start, while in the device game, you only see them one at a time. There have been a number of occasions where we missed answers on a question while using devices that we would have certainly gotten had we seen all the choices as we do in the TV game.

I agree there should be a "one bar" rule for the tournament.

We have been burned with the Matching Round a few times as well.

As for “one bar” I agree, although if the games were properly synced that would have been a moot point.

Anyway, it looks like we may have to change the location of our home bar for this tournament, as our initial choice is no longer available thanks to BT’s two-mile rule. I’ll post the new home site a couple of days before the tournament starts.

— RWM

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"...It could not have evolved by chance. It proves you exist, and so therefore, by your own arguments, you don't. QED...."

stro, several of us, nowhere near the whole team, are using a gps simulator to play from west park station. we certainly would welcome you to play with us sometime during a primetime game on our discord channel.

This game has never been properly synced; these problems existed over twenty years ago.

Thank you for the kind offer, but Mad River fills my dance card at the moment. If an opening pops up, though, I'll get in touch with you.

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“When I see the right and the ability to do everything granted to any power whatsoever, whether it is called people or king, democracy or aristocracy . . ., I say: there is the seed of tyranny, and I seek to go live under other laws.” --de Tocqueville

So, it seems the 2 mile radius is here to stay for most bars while some bars with their "account on hold" are still set at 20 miles but working fine. Many bars are now playing using a GPS spoofing app to put the players within 2 miles, as the bars are mostly still closed or too limited for a team. Not to mention damn unsafe.

So far we had a few bars in, before the radius change: Time Out West, Meriden AOH, Stained Glass Pub. With I'm assuming West Park and Mad River. Is everyone still good for playing?

Merkin, any chance on Walsh's using an app and playing remotely or turning off the TV at Walsh's?

Any other bars thinking about playing the Thur SIX challenge?

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BUD - Stained Glass Pub Silver Spring MD
OC BUD - Grotto Pizza DE near Ocean City MD

LET'S GO ....Caps and Os!!!!

We cannot play remotely. We play outside. There is no TV.

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Merkin

There is no TV that you can see? So does that mean you would have no advantage? It's been so long since I've played SIX on tablets, SGP has the old blue boxes.

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BUD - Stained Glass Pub Silver Spring MD
OC BUD - Grotto Pizza DE near Ocean City MD

LET'S GO ....Caps and Os!!!!

Mad River has the old boxes, too. From what I remember, I believe the tablets show
all the choices in the matching round, but I'll check with others on this.

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“When I see the right and the ability to do everything granted to any power whatsoever, whether it is called people or king, democracy or aristocracy . . ., I say: there is the seed of tyranny, and I seek to go live under other laws.” --de Tocqueville

As of this morning, it looks like our Illinois bars have had the 2 mile distance limitation re-activated.
I guess our Time-Out West team could sit outside & play our devices with the apps. Seems kinda silly though.

RAY J.

It does sound silly, I agree. We MAY just have to let people play in the bars if that's where they are. MAYBE making it unofficial?
We'll see, it might not matter if we don't get some more teams, I know plenty are playing on Thursdays.

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BUD - Stained Glass Pub Silver Spring MD
OC BUD - Grotto Pizza DE near Ocean City MD

LET'S GO ....Caps and Os!!!!

I will poll our team Thursday.

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Merkin

We have been playing virtually at Meriden AOH, and I guess that will be our temporary home for now. At present they are the only Connecticut bar that we have access to, although as a last resort there is Virtual NYC.

Based on an email from one of my teammates, Chicago Sam’s has reopened, although they close at 9pm most nights, including Thursdays. They will bring back BT on a date to be determined, and likely w/o game boxes. They have also expanded their outdoor seating.

— RWM / ZOG

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"...It could not have evolved by chance. It proves you exist, and so therefore, by your own arguments, you don't. QED...."

Update on where we are for the SIX Challenge for 2020.

We have 6 teams in so far:
Time Out West IL, Meriden AOH CT, Stained Glass Pub S.S. MD, Boomerz TX, Scooters NV and Priceless Two AZ (the former Tilted Kilt team) The last 3 from FB.

There are about 6 or 7 others considering the situation including the Big 3 in NY, IL and OH. Also the big dog SD team from OH.

I’m hoping we can do something for 2020 because there may be no 2021. Looking at Aug 20 or 27 start?? Let’s just do it!

Any others or do we just go with 6? I like those odds actually.

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BUD - Stained Glass Pub Silver Spring MD
OC BUD - Grotto Pizza DE near Ocean City MD

LET'S GO ....Caps and Os!!!!

Mad River NY has joined the 2020 Challenge. We now have 7 Total and 1 of the Big 3 SIX bars.
Several other bars are considering. We should get to at least 10 by start time.

It looks like Aug 27th will be an acceptable start date. Best 4 out 5 weeks. All players on a team can only be logged into one bar, the team bar. Wetware only, no outside assistance. National feed problems from BT will Void that week, extending the schedule a week.

I see Turquoise Trail has been playing well most Thursdays. Ken Z or others from ABQ where are you?

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BUD - Stained Glass Pub Silver Spring MD
OC BUD - Grotto Pizza DE near Ocean City MD

LET'S GO ....Caps and Os!!!!

Walsh's will be in.

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Merkin

Now we have 9 teams in the Challenge with the addition of Walsh's and Brittanys in VA.
West Park has said they will play if we get to 9 teams, so we do have that number, so I'll assume we have 10.

I also wanted to make sure all teams are aware and ok with Walsh's playing in the bar. I'm told they will be sitting outside where they can't see a tv. I would hope they would still be taking extra measures to alleviate any questions about an advantage they might have playing at a bar on tablets vs the app.

Starting this all on Thur 8/27. Again I remind all teams that by asking to join the Challenge they are promising to have all players logged into one bar only, that being the team bar. Please no attempts to cheat the lag. For that reason we won't be accepting Common Interest or any bar in SC as a participant.

2 weeks to go, plenty of time for more teams. I think we'll get a few more.

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BUD - Stained Glass Pub Silver Spring MD
OC BUD - Grotto Pizza DE near Ocean City MD

LET'S GO ....Caps and Os!!!!

So....now we have to add in some more what if rules dealing with the death of Buzztime.

Jim and I came up with a 3 game minimum for this year’s Six Challenge. If Buzztime goes dark after 1 or 2 games the competition doesn’t count. If we get through 3 games the total score will count. If we get through 4 or 5 games there will be a drop score. I think we’ll get best 4 of 5.
Repeat games or catastrophic glitches involving 50% of the teams or more will push the schedule an extra week. I do expect that scenario.

Full speed ahead, damn the torpedos. We will get one last tournament in.

10 teams in. Starting Thur 8/27 through 9/24. All team players may only be logged into one bar, no trying to cheat the lag. We will be looking for that.
The wonderful Mudee SIX Challenge trophy will go to the winner this year and then at some time go to the team with the most total wins. I still have plenty of identical blank plates for the trophy.

Time Out West IL
Meridan AOH CT
Stained Glass Pub Silver Spring MD
Boomerz TX (Will be watching this team if Bejoe shows up his score will be removed)
Scooters NV (Betty Ramsey Las Vegas showdown team)
Priceless Two AZ (Tipsy Coyote showdown team)
Mad River NY
Brittanys VA
Walsh’s IL
West Park Station OH

Deadline for entry is Thur 8/27 by 5pm eastern. Any Showdown teams sitting around want to give Thur Six a shot before Buzztime goes dark?

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BUD - Stained Glass Pub Silver Spring MD
OC BUD - Grotto Pizza DE near Ocean City MD

LET'S GO ....Caps and Os!!!!