Live chess tournaments have become a farce. Players now habitually withdraw if they lose their first round game or in a later round if things are going badly. I just took part in a tournament which started with 18 "competitors?" and and after the firsr round there were 7 players left. Having lost my first round game I got a bye because there were hardly any players left. Can there not be a fair play policy attached to such cowardly  actions.

But hey I finished 3rd, so it's not so bad but the supposed 7 rounds became 5, most unsatisfactory.

Kill the cowards ;)

Start a blacklist?