I have update the opening post with some important information. Participants please read and give me your input. It is reproduced below also.
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Update - Please Read 11/19 12:40PM
Response to the Cigar Draft has been very strong. So far, we have about triple the projected participants.
From the Original Thread: 6 newbies and 18 non-newbie interest
From this thread: 4 newbies and 6 non-newbie interest
Total: 10 newbs, 24 non-newbs
So basically we have enough for three full drafts. I cannot run three drafts.
However, I can offer the following option. Maintaining the running cigar inventory and keeping an eye on picks to make sure it all progresses smoothly seems to be a very time intensive part of the draft. We could have a second draft run concurrently if someone wants to volunteer and be responsible for updating the stick list in a post on the main thread. I would still receive, store, and ship the cigars for both drafts.
So, in this case, we'd have Draft A and Draft B, both with 12 participants.
There is one more issue to put on the table. AVB and I have done an analysis of different pick order schemes and have come up with the following findings.
1. If there are an ODD number of cigars per participant, then the lower your participant number, a slightly better overall pick average you will have. This translates to a slight advantage.
2. If there is an EVEN number of cigars per participant, then all participants will have the same overall pick average. The playing field is even.
The upshot is this. Do you guys want a a draft that provides some advantage to low player numbers. Take the chance that you get a low number and the slight advantage it confers. For this, we can use an ODD number of cigars like 5 per.
OR
Do you want a totally egalitarian game where the only advantage to player number is in the very first cycle of picks? For this, we need to use an EVEN number of cigars like 6 per.
Of course, the final totally fair option is to use a random number generator to come up with a shuffled pick order that favors no one AND allows for ODD or EVEN numbers of cigars per.
Please let me know what you think.
On Burnt Tongue's idea of different classes of cigar values, I think we need to pass on this additional complication. Providing a range with discretion will allow some measure of flexibility without making it a rigid requirement.