I hope that all will agree that there is not one single reason why on BBO would exist BIL nº1 and BIL nº2 (or so called IAC). BIL and IAC differ lots. Yes, we do have many players that are members of both, but they are not beginners.
Let me just give few vague examples: Most BIL members will appreciate lessons on transfers, while IACers need lesson on Lebensohl. You can not expect someone who is just learning basics to understand what AngelBlue's lessons on squeezes, and any interm+ (or advanced player) will be bored to death listening to a lesson on standard carding, which beginners would find essential. There are teachers as Hoki, teaching in both clubs and very able adjust their lessons to students' needs.
When a player applies for IAC membership, they need to meet criteria posted on home page of IAC site:
FOR NEW MEMBERS: To join IAC, simply register on the site, no applications sent in bbo will be considered. Your nickname (equal here to your BBO nickname) must be at least 6 months old and you must have at least 200 logins. Also, we will check your activity in MyHands, where you need 100+ hands played per month and decent average score, so you'll match skill level of our members. If some of those criteria you do not meet, to avoid rejection, pls await couple of months and apply then. *
Decent score above means at least close to 0, we do not ask for +2 ave imps per hand. But we will not approve someone who has -150 imps in 70 hands played in each of 2 last months. They will not help no other member improve, and "sad bridge" that you quoted will happen, which again does not benefit anyone.
Imho, IAC's aim is to have active members, and of skill that is approximate to majority. Mind we do not say
equal, but
approximate level. In club we have about a dozen players that are clearly much better than majority of us, as Joe, Bill, Todd, Donna, Paula, just to mention few. And another 3 dozens that are clearly much worse than majority, but still fit in just fine. In between are hundreds of "us", intermediate players with better & worse days.
It helps all other find pard for club friendly game, trny or sit in team matches, and in result there is absolutely NO need for anyone to restrict level when setting table. But that is only because we do not and can not accept for a member just every BILie that wants to play with his BIL friends that are IAC members too.
I would love to support the IAC the way I do the BIL.
When it was last time you played in IAC, Liz? Be that club friendly game, trny or a team match?