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Since I promised, I've found the time to explain the situation with Sergey.
This will be a long post, but if you want to keep trying to prove me wrong, please take the trouble to read the whole thing.

I'll start by quoting the tournament rules:

Attention: for all games not played on time, technical results will be issued.

Note that there isn't a single word about "zeros for both" or anything regarding tech-wins. Yes, the wording is vague. And there was no initial intention to give zeros to everyone who didn't play. I treat all participants equally and consider each match individually, if you haven't noticed. If there are reasons to award a tech-win, I will. If there are reasons for two zeros, there will be two zeros. I believe I am objective and judge the tournament conscientiously. Furthermore, in life, I spit on all rules and break all laws if I consider them unfair. That is, if three people in my group have two battle points each, I will never let a participant into the playoffs who has no wins and one loss. IMHO, this is fair. Even if it meant I had to overlook that Sergey (I admit) could have been granted 1-2 tech-wins with some difficulty in the final days.

Where did the opinion come from that I fundamentally give zeros to both?
On 28.12, I first voiced this specifically to Kaliostr:
"I'm sorry, but there will be no technical defeats."
So Kaliostr could not have known about this peculiarity and offered a tech-loss quite sincerely.
On 29.12, I had to repeat it three times to maxlewis:
"I will not award techs"
Again, this only concerned his match.
On 30.12, Wlk777 generalized without understanding the situation:
"..as an organizer he is not entirely right about awarding techs to both non-players in any case.."
I responded with a long post where I analyzed two examples of when giving zeros to both was appropriate (I recommend reading it, especially under number 3):
/topic/at/327343/

Back to Sergey.
When he joined the group replacing Vegtam, most games had already been played. marajan and Kaliostr were one foot in the playoffs, and for Sergey to advance, he needed to beat them both. I think it's clear who needed to hustle more? Van came to mind. Last season he entered the tournament just like SergeyY did this time. He played (and won!) ALL games except the last one. Because he wanted to play.
By the way, RiMpel2 needed a win over Sergey to cling to third place—he played him and won.
If I had noticed any "hustle" from the aggrieved party, I might not have been so categorical.
I'm reading only December 28:

No, unfortunately it's still not working out for me today, the 28th... Overloaded with work. Regarding "agreed" — Kaliostr and I agreed back on the 15th to play on the 22nd or 23rd, there are ICQ logs. After that, from the 15th to the 27th, I could have played, but Kaliostr wasn't on ICQ, and it was impossible to agree. He couldn't make it over 12 days, and I can't make it during the New Year's same-day period, after the 28th. This is just so people don't think that I'm the only one at fault for not being able to play during the New Year holidays. With marajan, there are different problems — no connection since December 21, we tried playing all these days, but it didn't work. I will still try to find time to play after the 28th, but I already doubt it will happen.

One thing I ask of you, marajan — let's finish our unfinished match in any case, so Kash doesn't enter it into the table; if we don't make it on time, we'll finish it later as a NON-TOURNAMENT game. That is, I suggest not opening the saves and finishing it regardless.

Honestly, I started thinking after that post..
Lest I actually have to give Kaliostr a tech-loss, which I didn't want. A tech-loss for Kaliostr would logically be followed by a tech-loss for Marajan, and Sergey would emerge in first place without winning a single game. I couldn't allow this, and providing a clear justification... I didn't need that kind of headache before the New Year (especially with Maxlewis dropping on my head at the same time), so I just dug in and gave everyone zeros.

In theory, we can end it here by me taking the blame.
But this line "agreed back on the 15th" bugs me. Why not the 8th? What's with the week-long delay? Damn, if I want to win, why should the organizer have to push me toward it?

Here is the chronology, just facts:

In group D, Vegtam has technical problems; I've replaced him with SergeyY (ICQ 233860451). Sergey, study the first post of the thread and the rules, and you're ready for battle. Good luck

SergeyY - you can play now, get started already

On 11.12, a message from Sergey appears in the "Agreeing" thread saying he'll play with someone (if I recall correctly, an 8mm6 template), meaning it was intended as a non-tournament match. I continue to baby him, even exceeding moderator powers — I move the post to the tournament thread and edit it slightly. Then I ping him myself and request authorization (no, I have 40 people in the tournament, of course I need all this, not them!)
First conversation:

Kash (21:15:22 11/12/2009)
Hi, are you playing?

SergeyY (21:33:19 11/12/2009)
already started with another one :-)

Kash (21:33:25 11/12/2009)
With whom?

SergeyY (21:33:44 11/12/2009)
Rimpel2

Kash (21:34:17 11/12/2009)
are you playing a tournament match?

SergeyY (21:34:21 11/12/2009)
yes

Kash (21:34:28 11/12/2009)
ok, well done. good luck

SergeyY (21:34:48 11/12/2009)
thanks

Kash (21:34:55 11/12/2009)
I moved your message from the "agreeing" thread to the "Новичок" thread, you don't mind?

SergeyY (21:35:29 11/12/2009)
no, I don't mind

To close our group, only games with SergeyY are left — he was brought in instead of Vegtam, but he isn't playing. Maybe there's someone else?

Kash (21:09:25 14/12/2009)
Hi

Kash (21:09:40 14/12/2009)
how's the game with Rimpel? Played anyone else?

SergeyY (12:01:36 15/12/2009)
haven't finished with rimpel yet, so we postponed the match

Kash (12:02:56 15/12/2009)
only your games are left in your group, guys are already complaining that you aren't playing =)

SergeyY (12:06:09 15/12/2009)
but few games have been played in other groups

Kash (12:06:23 15/12/2009)
and you've played none

SergeyY (12:06:34 15/12/2009)
well I signed up when games in my group were already played

SergeyY (12:06:54 15/12/2009)
what are the regulations?

SergeyY (12:07:06 15/12/2009)
when should games in the group be finished?

Kash (12:07:12 15/12/2009)
don't worry about other groups, I'll handle it =) just tell me when you'll play

SergeyY (12:08:08 15/12/2009)
I played Friday, agreed on the 18th, then he said only after 22:00. Played until 1 AM, didn't finish and postponed the match for today or another day this week

Kash (12:08:33 15/12/2009)
and with others? did you agree?

SergeyY (12:09:21 15/12/2009)
I haven't agreed with others yet since this match isn't finished. I think I can manage another 3 games in about 2 weeks

Kash (12:10:05 15/12/2009)
talk to the guys, agree roughly so they don't worry

Kash (12:10:34 15/12/2009)
everyone can have things to do before the new year

SergeyY (12:11:01 15/12/2009)
yes, I'll agree today-tomorrow. And according to regulations, are we required to play out groups by the new year, or can it be in January?

Kash (12:11:11 15/12/2009)
by the new year

SergeyY (12:11:36 15/12/2009)
that's kind of fleeting... then a whole 2 months for playoffs

There are plenty of candidates, but I won't replace anyone else; that's enough.
I also won't ping everyone and ask: Why aren't you playing?
Now it's up to you.. Everyone promised they'd start playing any moment. If you don't keep your promise — then don't be surprised if in the last days of December opponents who have played all their games refuse to play with you. And I will be on their side

On 24.12, at 17:50 — the only message from Sergey in the tournament thread, in which he offers to play:

I'll play a game tomorrow. write me.

Why should I have decided that specifically Kaliostr and Marajan should get technical defeats, since it came to that? It felt like Sergey was the one dragging his feet until the end, and his opponents were just unlucky to have technical glitches at the wrong time.
I knew that Marajan and Sergey couldn't connect.
But I didn't know the problem was on Marajan's side. Because Marajan had played all other participants.

And one last thing.
A win over Quell would have brought Sergey nothing.
Perhaps that's why he doesn't insist on a technical result in this case :) I'll end with the dialogue with Quell:

Quell (15:53:16 30/12/2009)
so what should I do? i'm ready to play and he isn't.

Kash (15:53:30 30/12/2009)
and what should I do?

Quell (15:53:57 30/12/2009)
waited for them to finish with marajan .they didn't finish. in the end i'm out because he couldn't? it's kind of wrong.

Kash (15:54:36 30/12/2009)
you are all so interesting... you can't agree and play, and on the last day there are complaints to me. well how can I help?

Kash (15:54:53 30/12/2009)
sorry, i need to step away

Quell (15:55:28 30/12/2009)
ok. everything is great damn. i was ready to play every day .he wasn't. i even play in the season league. and here ..well it's up to you. just not fair...

Now tell me, why the hell do I need all this?
It's one thing to keep it in your head and know that you're right.
It's a whole other damn thing to sit here at five in the morning and justify myself to you.