Deadline for changing the Bucharest package to bonus points?

[pirahn]

Hey @JeppeL, Simon has no packages. He is desperate to see me or the naked girls at the party, definitely one or the other He has been trying to communicate via email but has had very little success. He is paying for everything himself. There is no information as to how many players the tournament can accommodate per day or how its currently booked up. @MoreTBC explanation is correct. 

Solution:

1. Allow @sgriff to buy in direct for day 1b on the client, so he is guaranteed a seat.

2.If he wins a sat in Romania to the main event, Unibet return his direct online client buy in.

There maybe a valid reason why this is not possible on the system(normally person running system is lazy). If that is the case, Unibet should speak to the tournament director and a simple, common sense solution should be available. This is not an uncommon or unusual scenario. There are 2 considerations

1 Is there a breach of rules,local laws

2.Is the player seeking to gain an advantage

It maybe there are 100 seats available for day 1b and this is all a waste of time. That poker room is huge and can accommodate 500+, just a question of staff.

The restrictions to RO players for online seat only is a big miscalculation on many levels. Bucharest is the premiere destination for UO for many reasons. It will get the highest number of entries. The venue can accommodate  huge numbers and the city itself is a premiere destination. Its easily accessible and cost effective for players and Unibet. The value for spend per spend is outstanding and allows for better marketing and promotional values. As long as its clearly advertised as a non transferable seat then there is absolutely no downside to run some closer to the time of an event. 

[JeppeL]

@sgriff Was just in touch with the UO team, we'll have to stick with our initial response here and deny the request, I feel I have to defend it a bit as well.

While I see it isn't optimal having to bring an extra €1100 for a live tournament, having played a lot of events myself, I see it as "cost of doing business". Even though we think that it would be possible for you to buy in to the event on either day 1A or day 1B, we can't guarantee it due to the fact that there aren't unlimited seats available.
In light of this being an official poker event, my opinion is that it's completely normal for us to run it as one, meaning that if you buy a seat then you buy the seat. You're right that you can't guarantee 100% that you'll be able to participate in the main event in the way you've chosen to do so, by going there and playing a live satellite and then buying in if not qualified, but that goes for any live tournament. The buy in can be paid directly from a regular credit card, so the possibility of not bringing physical cash does exist. 

The problem from our side is, that the UO team are already very busy at the events, and while it might sound easy to just "refund the money back", it has to be documented in a case why cash was added to a players account. So a person at the event, who's already has their hands full, would have to get the information from you that you qualified ,and then create the case would have to be documented and have someone from the financial department complete the transaction. Doing this for one person is doable, but it's not something we'd like to offer on a broader scale, which is why we have to reject the proposal. 

I'm sorry you express that you'd find it hard to enjoy the event as the proposal is one we can't accommodate, but honestly I don't think you'll have any problems signing up at the event same as most of the attending players will have to, should you not qualify through the satellite - I just can't guarantee it do to a fixed number of seats available.

/Jeppe 

[sgriff]

@Jeppe-Unibet   I am surprised and disappointed that Unibet do not feel that they can help here.  Spending an extra 146 euros isn't a 'cost of business' that I am comfortable paying when an alternative option is available.  I would half expect a 'normal' poker company to say no it's too much trouble for us, but Unibet put themselves forward as being different so I had hoped for a different outcome. 

 

I don't think relying on a credit card transaction in a foreign casino being accepted by the credit card company is very sensible.  They are often twitchy about transactions abroad due to fraud concerns, and with that transaction being made from a casino would probably put that concern through the roof! So if it gets declined I would be left with the inability to enter, even if there is a seat available.

 

If I was to take cash, traveling all that way and risking the event being full is not a risk I am comfortable taking, however small. 

Admittedly I originally intended to buy in to the event through the poker client, but @jonny2192 's suggestion of the live satellite felt like a really good idea.  I've already paid for the flights, hotel, airport parking so I guess it's back to plan A, although I will sleep on it first before deciding what to do.

Presumably, if I do decide to register at the event rather than through Unibet I'd miss out on the Unibet goodie bag?  Or is that only for package winners in any case?

[sgriff]

@Jeppe-Unibet  I just wanted to say my frustration isn't with yourself.  People like yourself, Marco, David P, Jacob, Diava, Ian and Espen (and lots of others who I haven't mentioned) go out of their way to be supportive and welcoming at these events, and you (and Marco) do a great job for the community outside the events.  I have had at best, mixed experience from the admin side which makes my irritation threshold on those matters relatively low.  Believe it or not, I am quite laid back normally.  To put it into perspective, my experience includes:

• e-mails taking weeks to get answered
• incorrect information being sent
• my registration not going through (despite having several confirmation e-mails)
• missing out on events in Malta and Bucharest because I didn't receive details
• I later found that the rep had been given an e-mail address for someone in Belgium. When I said that definitely was not me I was told it must be my fault - I must have used that address at some stage! 

To balance this, there are positives such as access to the team being provided throughout the event, goodie bags, mini social events (when I'm told about them).  Maybe I've just got unlucky with my experience. I'd like to think so.  Anyway - I just wanted to make it clear I'm not frustrated with you and keep up the good work.  Hopefully, I will see you in Bucharest.

[pirahn]

Can  someone provide the following info:

- What is the max number of players for ME

-What is max number of players per flights, da 1a and 1b

- Current status, How many players regged for day 1a and 1b

Poor communications is always the reason why minor concerns lead to major aggravation.

[BonusPater]

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@sgriff wrote:

I don't think relying on a credit card transaction in a foreign casino being accepted by the credit card company is very sensible.  They are often twitchy about transactions abroad due to fraud concerns, and with that transaction being made from a casino would probably put that concern through the roof! So if it gets declined I would be left with the inability to enter, even if there is a seat available.

Just speak to your bank beforehand. If they’ve got any restrictions on your account that could lead to a transaction failure, they should be able to make a temporary exception to this/these rule(s) :)

[nekoneko]

I don't understand that weird exchange rate of euro to leu you got there. Is it that way in your country ?

If you'd exhange here in any street exhange office should be around 4,66 lei/euro to sell them and 4,7 lei/euro to buy from them so the diffrence is minimal.

[VikingsAF]

@nekoneko there are probably some extra fees then ;)

But that aside. The complete event uses Euro as it's main currency, so exchange troubles shouldn't be the issue :)

@sgriff I know this will sound stupid, but when you would qualify trough the satellite, and they offer you 1100 in buy-ins, you would either have one of the following situations.

1) You don't bust before you are deep in the money, so you can't play any side events => You have some nice profit (altough you actually needed a double buy-in)

2) You bust early, and can keep playing side games. 

The third option is something that is maybe possible aswell... Sell your entry? I think they won't mind that you sell it to another player when you have a good reason.

I understand the organisation when they don't want some "confirmed" buy-ins opting out. Now it's only 1 (you), but if more players would do it like this, then I understand it would be annoying for the organisers.

[FeelsBadMan]

@VikingsAF maybe if he busts the main he wants to visit the city and have a vacation and not have to worry about wasting a ton of value in entries.

Also most of the romanian exchange offices don't have fees but it's recommended that you ask before you exchange, some might try to scam you. 

[JeppeL]

@sgriff I understand and I have maintained that I see your point throughout this, though I do appreciate the kind words and we will be there in Bucharest :)

I'd be willing to have a talk about it there as well and look at the feedback, after which we could have a discussion about internally within the company, to see if some sort system could be set up for this kind of request and who should potentially be involved to make it a feasible procedure.

About the goodie bag, that one is only alligned for full package winners/direct buy in(€1750 entry), but you do get free access to the welcome drinks and players party.

Good point @pirahn, I don't have all the numbers, but at the moment there are 162 ME signups divded pretty evenly to play on the two day 1's. Our estimate is that we could squeze in about 350-400 per day 1, but it's a rough estimate and subject to change if it gets to that.

/Jeppe

[pirahn]

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@JeppeL wrote:

 

About the goodie bag, that one is only alligned for full package winners/direct buy in(€1750 entry), but you do get free access to the welcome drinks and players party.

 

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@JeppeL And i thought hanging around me you would have picked up on british homour/sarcasm, clearly you need a few more lessons. LOL.

@VikingsAF lay off the drugs.

@FeelsBadMan Whats the update on The Jolly Boys' Outing. Any failure and ill make sure you will be dancing on that big stage at the nightclub.

 

[JeppeL]

We're going to need some UK humor sessions then @pirahn, because that one goes completely above my head :geek:

[VikingsAF]

@VikingsAF lay off the drugs.

 

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I wish I could :s @pirahn

[pirahn]

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@VikingsAF wrote:

@VikingsAF lay off the drugs.

 

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I wish I could :s @pirahn

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Then at least share.....

[sgriff]

Thanks everyone for your advice.

@pirahn   'Poor communications is always the reason why minor concerns lead to major aggravation'.  Agreed. It was previous communications (or lack of) that made me go from brushing it off with a 'whatever' to being easily irritated.

 @BonusPater 'Just speak to your bank beforehand. If they’ve got any restrictions on your account that could lead to a transaction failure, they should be able to make a temporary exception to this/these rule(s)' - that was my initial thought too, then I remembered past experiences. One example - I rang them last year to say I was about to go on holiday to South Africa.  When I was there I tried to use my card to pay for a reservation for a visit to an elephant sanctuary. The card was declined for suspected fraud (not sure why given I spoke to them the week before and then tried to do a tourist activity!) and I spent over an hour on the phone trying to sort it out.  I don't fancy the risk of that sort of aggro just before a tournament. 

@nekoneko 'I don't understand that weird exchange rate of euro to leu you got there. Is it that way in your country ?'  The exchange rate was for British pounds sterling into Lei, but the principle is the same.  They don't charge commission, but  make their money by providing a gap from the true rate.  I'm guessing that the margin is probably wider for Lei as there is less demand so they have to order it in, rather than for euros where they hold stock as more countries use it.   Those rates you quoted were for euros, but that is a very tight margin and that is really useful information - thank you.  The margin is possibly wider for pounds for the reason I mentioned above.  Does anyone know the exchange rate available locally?  Don't worry if you don't.  Rather than ordering extra currency here, I think I will buy it in Romania and sell it back in Romania too. 

@VikingsAF  'But that aside. The complete event uses Euro as its main currency, so exchange troubles shouldn't be the issue' - I agree using the euro is easier (for those of us from outside Romania that is).  That will make entering side events much easier as I'll bring some extra euros just in case without having to worry about changing money.  If I don't spend them then I'll take them on holiday next year.  It will only be say 220  euros so I can cope with that sitting around.  1100 euros would have been more challenging. 

@FeelsBadMan 'maybe if he busts the main he wants to visit the city and have a vacation and not have to worry about wasting a ton of value in entries.' - I agree, I would like to spend a bit of time looking around as well. It seems a wasted opportunity to live in the casino for the whole time.  Also, I'm not convinced it's possible to use that much credit up that quickly. 

@Jeppe-Unibet  'We're going to need some UK humor sessions then @pirahn, because that one goes completely above my head'.  Don't worry, I was a bit confused too as it was a genuine question as I don't know how it works.  The last thing I wanted was the embarrassment of going up to the desk to ask for the bag to be turned away.  However, @pirahn has possibly picked up on a slight bit of angling from me too - if in fact the goodie bag doesn't come with the seat then maybe they will give me one anyway to balance the problems I had with the previous events. 

@pirahn 'The restrictions to RO players for online seat only is a big miscalculation on many levels…As long as its clearly advertised as a non transferable seat then there is absolutely no downside to run some closer to the time of an event. '  - It's a shame that the seat only satellites are not available to all of us.  I can sort of see their concern though - given the number of people that ask for their packages to be transferred normally (yep, that includes me), I would imagine the increased potential hassle of people saying they can't or won't go isn't worth it to accommodate the small number of people who are serious about winning a seat and paying their way. Not sure.  Also, I think the original terms for the UK Tour said seats had to be used, but that got changed in response to people asking, so if I was in their shoes I'd worry about opening the satellites up. 

 

 

[nekoneko]

For the pound to lei seems they buy from you at around 5,12/-5,19 lei  to 1 pound  and sell you at around 5,2 something :)

If you manage to understand here's a site that lists many exhange offices (hope Unibet will let me post it )

http://www.valutare.ro/curs/curs-valutar-case-de-schimb.html

Those that got Bucuresti under are from  Bucharest. Cumparare = Buy, Vanzare- Sell

And as NMPFAN said, ask first if there are any commisions. Usualy there aren't any, and the price you see in front of the exhange office is the one you get.

[FeelsBadMan]

Exchange Marriott, right across from the hotel, seems decent http://www.valutare.ro/curs/numar-telefon-adresa-exchange-marriott.html , and YES always ask, and always check if the amount they offer you is correct before signing anything. Just in case, normally no problems occur, but you never know, a quick calculation and question can save you annoyance later.

Also just saw the rates you quoted @sgriff , jesus, even when you get scammed in romania it doesn't cost you that much, but the whole having the currency in stock thing makes sense, still WOW.

[sgriff]

Thanks @nekoneko   and @FeelsBadMan for the information.   Yes it seems we are getting heavily ripped off here in England.  Luckily I have 130 lei left over from my last visit so that will cover the taxi and some food when I arrive.   In 2016 I took a ticket for a taxi after I arrived and that worked well.  Is that the best approach still? I've included a link which seems to throw doubt on this, although I didn't experience any problems last year.   Or is Uber a better option?  

https://www.inyourpocket.com/bucharest/The-Definitive-Guide-to-Finding-a-Taxi-at-Bucharest-Airport_74243f?&page=2

[FeelsBadMan]

Never really used the taxi machines cause I always just take the bus, but with luggage that can be a pain, and would require 2 connections till the marriot. Try the machines and see if they work I guess :) . Also not sure about Uber, doubt they are cheaper and dunno if they even go there. As the article said install  those taxi apps, I personally use Meridian Taxi and Cobalcescu taxi, but install all of them just in case. Some of them even have trip cost estimations. The trip usually costs me around 40lei even while tipping, but some go to 60 or even 80, not the ones I mentioned tho.