There need to be restrictions on bidding. Otherwise, for example, a desperate player might be able to make successful bids on every candidate, totalling $1000 and end the auction in progress into nothingness. (He’d own the entire $1000 of tickets.) This thread already presents an example (#14) of an out-of-turn bid that needs to be disallowed.
I agree that I’ve done a poor job of posting the Rules. Frankly, I’m composing them on the fly. Here’s one approach, call it Rule 6 Revision B. You’ll note it’s already been violated once this game.
Rule 6 Revision B - Maximum Candidates allowed in a single bid
Note: When a new candidate is named in a bid and there is already a non-zero bid on the corresponding Field element, a Field bet may or must be made. Such a Field bid does not count as a candidate for the restriction on number of candidates.
(a) Up to six candidates may be named in the post where a player joins the thread if it leaves the pool at less than 70% of its target, five if less than 75%, four if less than 80%, or as in (b), if the pool becomes 80% or more.
(b) The player at the top of the list (or first after all passing players) may name up to five candidates in his/her bid if it leaves the pool at less than 50%, four if below 60%, three if below 85%, and otherwise only two candidates in his turn-ending bid.
(c) An out-of-turn bid may be on at most three candidates when the pool becomes less than 70%, two if below 85%. When the pool is or becomes 85% or more of its target, an out-of-turn bid may be on only a single candidate.
A complication is that an out-of-turn bid, if “sufficient,” will drop the player to the bottom for the player list. Simplest may be to exercise common courtesy, giving the in-turn player a chance to bid. It is also courteous to pass explicitly, as Mr. Nemo did, to allow the game to proceed.
It is Octarine’s turn. Little Nemo is also free to take his turn. Out-of-turn bids will be permitted after 24 hours of inactivity.
