How to minimize Forfeits~ for captains
Every player that shows up at 2 and sees their name on the pairings expects to play chess. Forfeits take away from that. Because everybody is in high school, sometimes it is impossible to prevent ALL forfeits from taking place; sometimes there is nothing captains can do. However, forfeits can be minimized and most of the forfeits happen at the communication stage.
Being a captain can be a difficult job, don't hesitate to ask somebody on the team for help!
Being a captain can be a difficult job, don't hesitate to ask somebody on the team for help!
- Talk to your players individually. Talking to everybody as a group makes the conversation less personal and your players will not think it through as well if you put the pressure on them by talking to them alone.
- No "maybe's". If somebody says "maybe", that is a ticket for trouble. Don't accept maybe's as a yes, always take them as a no. Make them confirm that they are available.
- Start making lineups early. Don't wait until Friday or Saturday to start organizing your lineups, start on Monday. If you see your players around, ask them if they are available. This gives you more time to search for players if somebody says they can't make it.
- Have the phone book. Always remind your players, especially the ones that tend to forget. Text, call or remind them some way or another.
- Get everybody online early. Tell your players to get on at 1:45 or 1:50. That way, if your players aren't online by 1:55, you can pull out the phone and give them a call.
- Get pumped! Make every round seem important! Players will want to come if they know they can make a difference.
- Spoon feed the beginners For those newbies on FICS, help them start their games. Have commands ready before the game with the correct opponent username, time control and color. Have them copy and paste the command so they are ready to go. Captains should start their games last and make sure the other games are underway.