[diana_eva]

Hi all,

The last BBO upgrade introduced a new feature in partnership desk for pair games: Match me with a partner at start.

We found that a large number of players are left un-matched on the partnership desk at the time their game begins. Especially for games where registering with a robot is not possible, this new feature offers an option for anyone who did not succeed to find a partner in time -- to join the game anyway. Ticking "Match me with a partner at start" when you add your name to the partnership desk of a pair tournament will match you with another player who opted to be matched at start, if you dont manage to find a partner by then.

The feature is currently a trial to assess interest. It has minimal GUI (it's a checkbox at the bottom of the Partnership desk screen) and the only "matching" logic used is that the players are not on each other's ignore list.

If the game has an entry fee, you can only use "Match me with a partner at start" if you pay your own fee. Selecting this feature together with "Partner pays my fee" does nothing -- it will not include you in the game.

This thread is for collecting feedback, ideas, suggestions on how to improve the feature and for assessing if there is any interest in further expanding it. Try it, see if you manage to find a partner and let us know how we can make it better.

Thank you,
Diana

[shyams]

Thank you, Diana. Sounds like a very useful feature for people who usually play with pickup partners.

Asking out of curiosity: Does the automatic matching at start take into consideration the "profile match" feature (you know, the one where unmatched players show up based on a 5-star scale for suitability)?

[diana_eva]

 shyams, on 2024-March-25, 12:22, said:

Thank you, Diana. Sounds like a very useful feature for people who usually play with pickup partners.

Asking out of curiosity: Does the automatic matching at start take into consideration the "profile match" feature (you know, the one where unmatched players show up based on a 5-star scale for suitability)?

No, at the moment the only criterion used is that two players should not be enemies. In rest it's entirely random.

[pescetom]

Sounds like a good idea to me.

[0 carbon]

Since this will get players playing who would not otherwise play, making money for you, I suggest offering a discount for finding a P using that checkbox.

[pilowsky]

An excellent idea - the same approach is used by another platform that won't be named here.
One possible unintended consequence for BBO free tourneys of the type that Tom is involved in is that people may start blocking many more people to avoid pairings even though they feel no particular animus towards them.

[diana_eva]

 pilowsky, on 2024-March-25, 23:30, said:

An excellent idea - the same approach is used by another platform that won't be named here.
One possible unintended consequence for BBO free tourneys of the type that Tom is involved in is that people may start blocking many more people to avoid pairings even though they feel no particular animus towards them.

Yes people might start putting others on Ignore just because they didnt get along in the play but a lot of people who play somewhat randomly (like Take me to first seat, in Casual) already do that, its not something they use exclusively for rudeness.

If players like and use the feature we plan to improve it and add more matching logic to it; for start, the existing "compatibility" criteria. That should decrease the cases of vast discrepancies between random partners.

[0 carbon]

I did get a complaint from one person who clicked the "Match me" - and got no matches. Twice. I think BBO needs to promote more.

If checked, should not preclude inviting others at the same time. It currently turns off other invites. OR When a match, then should be immediately registered - and tell both parties who their P is to aid agreements.

[diana_eva]

 0 carbon, on 2024-March-30, 15:42, said:

...It currently turns off other invites. ...

This is incorrect. The order is:

x Match me, then
Add your name to the partnership desk

At all times you can invite others or get invited -- Match me is meant as the last resort solution but does not prevent invitations.

We can't show in advance who your partner will be, because the matching happens when the game starts. System checks how many people x-ed "Match me" and are not already registered. then pairs them up to add more tables with the single people willing to be matched.

[0 carbon]

 diana_eva, on 2024-March-31, 05:55, said:

This is incorrect. The order is:
x Match me, then
Add your name to the partnership desk
At all times you can invite others or get invited -- Match me is meant as the last resort solution but does not prevent invitations.
We can't show in advance who your partner will be, because the matching happens when the game starts. System checks how many people x-ed "Match me" and are not already registered. then pairs them up to add more tables with the single people willing to be matched.

It seemed to prevent me making invitations.
You could also rename it "Blind Date"