NEWSLETTER..WIZARD..December 2010
* This final Newsletter of 2010 is being delivered early to avoid the crush of activities that will come as the year-end approaches.
It’s time for another Mac’s Moment
Charles Dickens’s classic Tale – A Christmas Carol – is the theme behind this month’s moment. Here is Mac Moments and the Ghosts of Wizard, Past,
Present and Future.
Mactonight –Oh man. These Moments are getting harder and harder to write.
Ghostly Visitor – Mactonight!
Mactonight – Who goes there?
Ghostly Visitor – Tonight you will be visited by three spirits.
Mactonight – Is that you Wert?
Ghostly Wert – Yes I am the spirit of Wert. Heed my words.
Mactonight – When did you die?
Ghostly Wert – Stop asking questions and heed my words.
Mactonight – Yes, yes, yes, 3 spirits, I’ve read this book. But I have a question for you.
Ghostly Wert – Oh very well
Mactonight – Are you one of the spirits?
Ghostly Wert – I am a spirit of Wert yes.
Mactonight –So are you one of the three spirits, of who I am to be visited by?
Ghostly Wert - Negative
Mactonight –Then surely you meant to say I’d be haunted by 4 spirits cause you’re pretty haunting.
Ghostly Wert – Heed my words Mac, Heed them.
Mactonight –Yeah yeah yeah – Bring it on….
Later That night…..
Mactonight – Should I sign in as Cujo, Valkyrie or Mac? Hmmm….
Spirit One – Mactonight!
Mactonight –Yeah, the first Spirit is here
Spirit One – I am the Spirit of Wizard past.
Mactonight – That’s hilarious. You look an awful lot like Merlin.
Ghostly Merlin – I am the Spirit of Merlin
Mactonight – When did you die?
Ghostly Merlin – I’m having an out of body experience.
Mactonight –Does that hurt?
Ghostly Merlin – Come with me Mac. I need to show you something from Wizard Past.
Mactonight – Is there some cool kind of effect that allows me to travel through time?
Ghostly Merlin – Look, what do you see?
Mactonight -No effect eh? I’m just here looking at…oh that’s me. I must be 10 or 12
Ghostly Merlin – Yes, do you remember this day?
Mactonight – Yes, this is the day I got my first Wizard Deck of cards.
Ghostly Merlin –No it’s not – it wasn’t even invented yet.
Mactonight – Then why are we having a past wizard moment before the game was even invented.?
Ghostly Merlin – Do you remember what happened on this day?
Mactonight – Well I’m watching the pilot episode of Macgyver. This was the day Macgyver first aired?
Ghostly Merlin – You remember well.
Mactonight –What significance is that to anything?
Ghostly Merlin – Macgyver taught you about one thing…..Murdock!
Mactonight – His Nemesis.
Ghostly Merlin – Yes and then you discovered Sherlock Holmes.
Mactonight – Dr. Moriarty
Ghostly Merlin – His nemesis.
Mactonight –So my wizard past is about nemesis’s?
Ghostly Merlin – I’m not here to teach only to show.
Mactonight –Oh, hey when did we get back to my office?
Ghostly Merlin – Good Luck Mactonight.
Mactonight – Bye Ghostly Merlin. Hey I missed a game.
Much later that night.
Mactonight – Wiz that card, play the jester. Three people scratch. Nice.
Spirit Two – Mactonight
Mactonight – Playing, come back later.
Spirit Two – I am the Ghost of Wizard Present.
Mactonight – And presently I am playing Wizard.
Spirit Two – and presently I want your attention
Mactonight – Well unless you’re able to disconnect my…..HEY
Spirit Two – Thank you
Mactonight – How did you turn the server….oh, you look like Wizard.
Ghostly Wizard – Yes, I am the Ghost of Wizard present.
Mactonight – When did you die?
Ghostly Wizard – Mac, that wasn’t even funny the first time, now it’s the third time.
Mactonight – Which means only one more time to go.
Ghostly Wizard– I will take you to what is currently happening at your house.
Mactonight – My house? I hope for my sake it’s clean, or you will get me into trouble.
Ghostly Wizard– What do you see?
Mactonight –It’s my Son. Mini Mac.
Ghostly Wizard- Listen
Mini Mac – When is Daddy’s coming home?
Heidiho – He’s playing wizard honey?
MiniMac –He’s always playing wizard. He missed my hockey practice, he missed my school play and now it’s Christmas Eve and he’s not even here with
us.
Heidiho – He’s trying to become an Astrol Wizard focused on catching the leader.
MiniMac – Sounds stupid. He should be here with us.
Mactonight – Oh my….
Ghostly Wizard – That is all I need to show you.
Even Later that evening…
Mactonight – zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzz
Spirit Three – Wake UP Son
Mactonight – Dad is that you?
Spirit Three – Yes son, It’s me.
Mactonight – The greatest online Wizard player ever?
Ghostly Fizzwizz – Yes Fizzwizz, The Ghost of Wizard Future.
Mactonight – When did you die?
Ghostly Fizzwizz – A long time ago.
Mactonight – I know Wizard was right. It’s not funny.
Ghostly Fizzwizz – I’m worried about you son. Your constant need to be the best is going to ruin you.
Mactonight – But Dad you taught me to be the best.
Ghostly Fizzwizz – I had to leave the game of wizard because I got so involved.
Mactonight – It won’t happen to me
Ghostly Fizzwizz – Come look
Mactonight – Is this an old age home?
Ghostly Fizzwizz – Old age and psychiatric facility.
Mactonight – Which one is me?
Ghostly Fizzwizz – The one dealing
Mactonight – But we have no cards
Ghostly Fizzwizz – Doesn’t matter all you guys do is play games in your head. Over and over again.
Mactonight – But there’s only two of us? Where’s Heidiho, sladist, chuckstud or Trapizoid
Ghostly Fizzwizz – They all left you, all you think about, all you do, is play wizard and try to beat her. She’s the only one left. You guys still
don’t get along
Future Mac – You know you truly are an asstrol wizard.
Future Car – you put the ass in asstrol wizard.
Future Mac – you’re so short you could pose for trophies.
Future Car – you’re so old they’d have buried you already if not for the fact that you can’t stop talking.
Mactonight – I have to make some changes.
Ghostly Fizzwizz – Yes
Mactonight – I can’t keep doing this.
Ghostly Fizzwizz –No you can’t
Future Mac – Valkryie will crush you
Future Car – She’s dead
Future Mac – Cujo will bite you
Future Car – he’s dead
Future Mac – Why won’t you die?
Future Car – That’s the one thing you will beat me at – I’ll see to that
Future Mac – Nag
Future Car – Mule
Mactonight – I’ve seen enough can we please leave?
Future Mac – Why would you play that card?
Future Car – Stop telling me how to play
Future Mac – You are so dumb that if a bird had your brain he’d fly sideways. Now we’re both set.
Future Car – Yeah, but if I set you all game you can’t win, I’m leading
Mactonight – Dad we can leave now – Please.
Ghostly Fizzwizz – Oh, right –Wanted to see who would win. Let’s go.
Christmas Morning….
MiniMac – Daddy!
Mactonight – Merry Christmas Son. I have a present for you.
MiniMac – What is it?
Mactonight – Open it
MiniMac – A Deck of Phase 10?
Mactonight –Yes!
MiniMac – Can we play that at the Wizard site?
Mactonight – NO! YOU CAN’T PLAY PHASE 10 AT WIZARDCARDS.COM!!!!!!!
JOIN ME NEXT YEAR – If the Newsletter is still around and if I feel like writing anymore or I might too busy trying to get to Germany. Who really
knows……
The Times They Are A-changing
As the year draws to a close I become weary and confused. I crave for the simplicity and tranquility of days gone by. I must return to those simpler
times. Hence the following changes will be effective immediately.
i.e. Effective for month of December.
1. No more Master Points for players playing 20-39 games. Why? It’s too much work digging through the statistics to arrive at the correct data. Also
there are very few players that fall into that category. The larger groups are those playing less than 20 games and those playing over 39 games.
2. The points for the Top 10 monthly winners will be dramatically increased as follows:
1. 40
2. 36
3. 32
4. 28
5. 24
6. 20
7. 16
8. 12
9. 8
10. 4
Why? The task of placing in the monthly Top 10 is an onerous one that deserves more recognition than it has previously received.
There was a serious imbalance between a person winning 30 Master Points for winning a single online tournament and a person playing over 100 games
during a single month to win a mere 15 Master Points. The reduction in MP’s awarded for Tournaments along with enhanced MP’s for monthly Top 10
winners addresses this imbalance. The changes will provide a better balance between Master Points won via Tournaments and Master Points won in the
monthly Top10.
New Ranking System
The main problem with the Points only system was that good players who played a lot of games had an advantage over good players who did not play as
many games. The new system mitigates but does not completely eradicate that problem.
There can be no question that the new system of PT Rank + SR Rank is fairer than the Points -only system.
The main problem with the new system is the increased complexity which means that some players do not yet understand how it works. They need to make
an effort to do so. It’s not ‘Rocket Science’.
Your rank in SR (Skill Ratio) will be readily available by clicking on GET ALL SCORES. The ‘numeral rankings’ on the left will provide you with your
correct positioning for SR.
You will still need to check out the POINTS which are shown as “Normal Play Points” and your exact position will not be readily clear. You will need
to do some personal searches for competing players and their points. I will attempt to provide ongoing updates in “NEWS” as to the Rankings in Points.
Final Rank = SR Rank + PT Rank
GET ALL SCORES
Please Note: When you click on "GET ALL SCORES" on the Portal Page the Ranking that you see is based on S.R. (Skill Ratio), not Points as was formerly
the case.
All players are shown and ranked on Skill Ratio.
However only players who have played 40 or more games receive a ‘number ranking’.
Example: The 4 players shown below are ranked based on S.R. “Bozo” has the highest SR with 1.5 and Princess has the lowest SR with .9
However only Mactonight and Princess have played the minimum required 40 games so they are the only players ranked by number. Once a player has played
40 or more games a numerical ranking based on SR is shown.
Bozo 20 games: Normal Play Points: 30 S.R.=1.5
1. Mactonight 100 games: Normal Play Points: 110 S.R.=1.1
Plasticman 33 games: Normal Play Points: 33 S.R.=1.0
2. Princess 70 games: Normal Play Points: 63 S.R.=.9
* SR = Points divided by Games Played
Remember: Final placement for the month is based on RANK in POINTS + RANK in SR.
Lowest score is best.
GERMANY in 2010
(a) There is still no exact date or location available for the 2010 World Wizard Tournament in Germany. (Probably in early October near Frankfurt.)
(b) There is still no exact date or location available for the 2010 Canadian Wizard Tournament. (Probably in July in Toronto)
(c) The Online Wizard Tournament begins on January 1, 2010 and runs for 5 months (Jan-Feb. Mar.. Apr. May) with the best 4 months to count. Players
should read data at http://www.wizardcards.com/viewthread.php?tid=767
See “International Wizard Fest” in the “Tournament” Bulletin Board for ongoing updates.
Draconian measures will be taken with players attempting to “beat the system” by any means. Players may have an entire month’s play discounted for a
single violation or be eliminated from the tournament completely. There will be no recourse after elimination and players are advised NOT to enter the
tournament if they do not intend to play ‘fair and square’. All players are advised to be selective when joining a host. Simply following the rules as
outlined is not sufficient. Team play and aliases will be monitored and will be considered infractions to the ‘fair play’ regulation even though no
rules have been violated.
Web-based Version
Although no date is available the web-based system is the future of Wizard. Your patience and cooperation is appreciated. Victor continues to tweak
the program and it will be steadily improved.
WIZARD & Hearts...Columbus, OHIO
April 23 - 25, 2010.
More about this in the New Year.
http://www.grandprixtournaments.com/
Host: Joe Andrews
During the Holiday Season more than ever our thoughts turn gratefully to those who have made our progress possible. And in this
spirit we say simply but sincerely:
Thank You and Best Wishes for the Holiday Season and a Happy New Year.
Ken Fisher
wizard
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