TD and the Calcutta

One aspect of being a Tournament Director is players and buyers come to the Tournament Director sometimes seeking advice or help to resolve issues that may have come up.

The thing is, the Calcutta part of a tournament is not really related to the tournament itself.  It's really an extra part of the tournament;  it's a bet, gambling.  And if you want to buy half yourself or if you want to ask a player if they want to buy half themselves, you to need to have a clear discussion between you two.

Any miscommunication that may occur, the Tournament Director cannot be involved.

I have talked to the sponsor of the Omega Tour several times about Calcutta issues and he reminded me that the Calcutta is gambling. And the players or buyers or fans who are buying players, they're gambling with each person that they buy.  And as with most bets in the world, the communication is always between the buyer and what you're betting on (in this case the player).  And clear, concise communication is key.

Think about this comparison:  if you make a bet with a bookie or you make a bet with a casino or even a friendly bet with a friend, if there is an issue after the fact or with the bet or the agreement,  it's always resolved between the two entities.

Also, I am extremely strict and only give the caclutta winnings to the person I wrote down as the buyer.  I am so strict about this that even friends I've known for 15 to 20 years, they know I have to have verbal confirmation if they want me to hand the envelope to someone else. For example, in the Dallas-Fort Worth area it can take you 2 hours to go across the Metroplex, so sometimes a buyer will have a friend pick up the money so that they don't have to drive all the way down to the tournament. It'll save them a long drive.  However if I don't talk to that buyer on the phone, I will not give their friend the envelope. This is a very strong rule that I follow.

I also learned from a crappy situation at another tournament. Long story short, a player who got second place told the Tournament Director that they bought half themselves.  The TD gave the player their half, they then bolted, and then it turns out he was lying and he did not buy his half at all.

So I have learned from this unfortunate experience of a fellow Tournament Director and I never give anyone their half.

I feel bad when players approach me late on Sunday about issues that have come up between the buyer and player.  I express empathy, of course, but that's about all I can do.

Bottom line is, all communication between the buyer and player is between themselves. So, please make sure it's clear!