[darla]

I logged into the new MSN / BBO site with my old Zone name. I then logged into BBO with my BBO name. I was able to register to play a tourney with myself ( unregistered before it began ). I did play one hand with myself as darla & z_darla2 in the main bridge club.

When will the ability to do this not be available?

Thanks

[uday]

This is not a new ability. There are several ways to play with yourself in games like this.

If this turns into a problem we'll come up with something (like blocking dual logins from the same IP address). Meanwhile, as always, games that are concerned should disable specs and continue to report suspected you-know-whats to support@ or abuse@

Uday

[NickRW]

uday, on Aug 1 2008, 02:10 AM, said:

If this turns into a problem we'll come up with something (like blocking dual logins from the same IP address).

Wow. You mean it isn't banned already!?! I just assumed it was. I signed up with BBO to participate in the forums and have never played online - well not on this site anyway. I'm not into pickup partnerships and the partners I do have all live at this address - I just assumed we'd could never play online together without investing in a second broadband line or going through some complex system of hacker style proxies to hide the IP address on one of the logins.

Needless to say I don't want it banned - mind you then we'd probably get accused of cheating even if we weren't.

Nick

[JoAnneM]

I did the same thing you did, Darla, but I didn't sit and play. It occurred to me when they said to get a "z" name, and I knew that most of the players I knew from the zone were already at BBO at one time or another, so if we all get a "z" name we are all going to have two names. That is kind of like asking for trouble.


I am sure the z name was someone's good idea but just having the club would probably have done it.

[fred]

JoAnneM, on Aug 3 2008, 03:51 AM, said:

I did the same thing you did, Darla, but I didn't sit and play. It occurred to me when they said to get a "z" name, and I knew that most of the players I knew from the zone were already at BBO at one time or another, so if we all get a "z" name we are all going to have two names. That is kind of like asking for trouble.


I am sure the z name was someone's good idea but just having the club would probably have done it.

It has always been possible (and easy) for people to sign for more than one user ID. Many BBO members do just that without any help from us at all.

We created the z_ IDs to make it easier for MSN players to find their friends. We could not give MSN players their original MSN IDs because many of those IDs are already in use on BBO.

Fred Gitelman
Bridge Base Inc.
www.bridgebase.com

[barmar]

NickRW, on Aug 2 2008, 09:56 PM, said:

uday, on Aug 1 2008, 02:10 AM, said:

If this turns into a problem we'll come up with something (like blocking dual logins from the same IP address).

Wow. You mean it isn't banned already!?! I just assumed it was.

It would be worse than just your example of trying to play with the people who live at your home. Consider a university with a firewall -- only one person in the whole college would be able to login to BBO at a time!

[NickRW]

Well my experience of it is another site. They wanted extra money for an account that would support more than one login - and the software made sure you couldn't use both logins at the same table if I recall correctly and the blurb said they were checking IP addresses as well - again if I remember correctly. Needless to say I didn't convert my trial membership into a real one. Just figured it was standard - otherwise there is nothing to stop me and someone else here playing together each looking at the other's screen - or calling across the room, "Don't worry, I've got the King".

Conversely, if you're not wanting this facility for cheating, it is great bit of software for learning/teaching purposes as you can go over the hand later.

Nick

[JoAnneM]

NickRW, on Aug 3 2008, 01:56 AM, said:

uday, on Aug 1 2008, 02:10 AM, said:

If this turns into a problem we'll come up with something (like blocking dual logins from the same IP address).

Wow. You mean it isn't banned already!?! I just assumed it was. I signed up with BBO to participate in the forums and have never played online - well not on this site anyway. I'm not into pickup partnerships and the partners I do have all live at this address - I just assumed we'd could never play online together without investing in a second broadband line or going through some complex system of hacker style proxies to hide the IP address on one of the logins.

Needless to say I don't want it banned - mind you then we'd probably get accused of cheating even if we weren't.

Nick

I have known lots of same household pairs that play successfully on the same site. I have also known some that were banned for cheating. The thing is a, site isn't going to ban someone over one hand or even 20 hands. It might happen over a long string of impossibilities.

And playing online is so much fun! I have made friends all over the world, play in set games where people don't up and leave in the middle of a hand, and have directed and even served as an administrator at one site. Just jump in, you might enjoy it! Just don't expect it to be ftf bridge, you will be disappointed. Have an open mind about expectations.

[inquiry]

Some people cheat at online bridge. One does not need the same ISP to do so, and blocking same ISP access routinely is harmful to those who don't cheat online and does not stop those who do.

For the large majority of the cheating cases, it is not horribly difficult to determine who is cheating (for the most part) if someone wants to invest the time and effort to do so. So to just block all common isp addresses from playing online or at the same table, or in the same team match or tournament is hardly effective anti-cheating method, but is surely hurtful to many honest players.