I feel the need to explain further the process and problems with masterpoints (MPs) - what follows supplements my earlier explanatory article.
Why aren't Pianola's MPs always accurate?
I have fielded many queries this year from players who assume their Pianola email is always accurate in reporting masterpoints. Timely it may be, but always accurate - not so much...
- Pianola gets the results from our scoring systems complete with its first calculation of masterpoints - and makes these visible before they are checked. When a director mis-specifies a masterpoint parameter the calculated MPs published on Pianola are wrong. For example if the event is an Under 50 (10, 100) then the director should add an additional factor to reflect the lower average player level. In my experience few directors apply this factor so I have to do it later, hence one discrepancy between Pianola's early display and what actually gets uploaded.
- Sometimes the director forgets, or forgets to set the parameter for, the session being a red point session - despite the players knowing and it being published on the website. I rely on directors to score events as red or green correctly but sometimes it doesn’t happen. When I upload green points at the end of the month, I sometimes miss these too because I’m uploading - prior to lockdown - 30-40 events. Last month I missed 2 events that were incorrectly set up and scored as green MPs when they should have been red. (Note this works to players' benefits as they keep the green MPs as well as eventually getting red MPs.) Note the scales are different so when these events are changed to the correct colour the MPs may not be what the players were expecting - often they will be higher (unless it is a restricted event, then it will be less).
- For our current BBO sessions, there is an additional conversion process from BBO results to the results that are uploaded to Pianola and our website - unfortunately another chance for errors. Moreover Pianola does not accurately display the calculated MPs from BBO sessions, showing the results divided by 100 for some as yet unknown reason. This particular problem does not affect their display in our website results. Note the actual process of calculating and awarding masterpoints for our BBO sessions is undertaken at the end of each month by the ABF itself based on information supplied to them by BBO.
The timing and complexity of the red MP process
Our club is given a red point session quota each year. As a consequence the process I need to go through to upload red point session MPs is not simple or quick:
- I go into the session on the clubhouse computer and find out the MPs, number of tables, total boards, total rounds, boards per round, any additional factor applied, and the name of the movement. I enter all this information into an excel spreadsheet.
- I make a pdf of the results and store that on the computer in a special folder.
- I send the pdf and all the information detailed in point 1 to the NSW Masterpoint secretary who will only look at these between the 25th and the 28th of each month. If I miss that window, I have to wait until the next month.
- I wait for him to issue an AUTHORITY NUMBER (AN) which often takes another month.
- Once the AN is issued, I can upload the event to the ABF Masterpoints website.
I obviously can’t do anything now until the lockdown is over - as the clubhouse is closed and I also live too far away from the club to be allowed to go there.
Understanding and civility requested
Many times players tell me they are missing their green MPs. Compscore (the scoring system widely used all over Australia) stores every session and never makes a mistake. As long as the director has set up the sections correctly, the points will be correct. Many of the queries relate to players confusing online games with clubhouse games. Our online BBO games are managed by David Farmer with the masterpoints calculated by the ABF - so inquiries to David at
I don’t mind fielding the occasional question but being told I must change sessions and do things ‘right’ has become annoying. Also the phone call at 5:30am was not appreciated, especially when I was in the hospital at the time.
This is a voluntary job. If anyone thinks they can do a better job, please let me know. Otherwise cut me a break and be kind.
Cassandra Mitchell
MP Secretary
