Dynamic Blind Bidding System
Everyone gets a fixed number of points to privately bid on the items wanted. The items are then awarded one by one to the highest bid, but only charging one point more thana the second highest bid. Points not used flow to the other available items in proportion to the way originally assigned, adjusting all bids automatically.
Each person organizes the list online, from any connected device.
Step 1
Drag items to the top, middle or bottom of your wish list, or mark them unwanted. It’s also the moment to spot a duplicate or a mistake in the list.
Step 2
Put more points on what matters most to you and rank in order. The only needed strategy is deciding what is wanted most and express that, using points.
Step 3
DYBBS awards one item per “round” within the software, using the rules below, until every wanted item has been awarded blindly and fairly.
Three siblings, Ana, Ben and Cara, divide six family items. Follow each round to see how the items are awarded.
Ana, Ben and Cara each spread 100 points over the six items. None of them can see the others' numbers.
The small blue number in each cell is the original bid. It stays on screen so you can see how points grow as they flow.
| GrandfatherClock | DiamondRing | OilPainting | PoolTable | VintageWatch | HeirloomQuilt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AAna | 3030 | 3030 | 2020 | 55 | 1010 | 55 |
| BBen | 1010 | 2020 | 1515 | 4040 | 1010 | 55 |
| CCara | 2020 | 3535 | 1010 | 55 | 1010 | 2020 |
| AAna | BBen | CCara | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GrandfatherClock | 3030 | 1010 | 2020 |
| DiamondRing | 3030 | 2020 | 3535 |
| OilPainting | 2020 | 1515 | 1010 |
| PoolTable | 55 | 4040 | 55 |
| VintageWatch | 1010 | 1010 | 1010 |
| HeirloomQuilt | 55 | 55 | 2020 |
The highest bid left anywhere on the board is Ben's 40 points on the Pool Table.
The next highest bid on it is Ana's 5, so Ben pays 6, one point more.
Ben's 34 unused points, Ana's 5 and Cara's 5 on the Pool Table are not lost. They flow into each person's remaining items, in proportion to their bids.
| GrandfatherClock | DiamondRing | OilPainting | PoolTable→ Ben · paid 6 | VintageWatch | HeirloomQuilt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AAna | 3032+2 | 3032+2 | 2021+1 | 55 | 1010 | 55 |
| BBenWon: Pool Table | 1016+6 | 2031+11 | 1523+8 | 4040 | 1016+6 | 58+3 |
| CCara | 2021+1 | 3537+2 | 1011+1 | 55 | 1010 | 2021+1 |
| AAna | BBen | CCara | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GrandfatherClock | 3032+2 | 1016+6 | 2021+1 |
| DiamondRing | 3032+2 | 2031+11 | 3537+2 |
| OilPainting | 2021+1 | 1523+8 | 1011+1 |
| PoolTable→ Ben · paid 6 | 55 | 4040 | 55 |
| VintageWatch | 1010 | 1016+6 | 1010 |
| HeirloomQuilt | 55 | 58+3 | 2021+1 |
The highest bid left anywhere on the board is Cara's 37 points on the Diamond Ring.
The next highest bid on it is Ana's 32, so Cara pays 33, one point more.
Cara's 4 unused points, Ana's 32 and Ben's 31 on the Diamond Ring are not lost. They flow into each person's remaining items, in proportion to their bids.
| GrandfatherClock | DiamondRing→ Cara · paid 33 | OilPainting | PoolTable→ Ben · paid 6 | VintageWatch | HeirloomQuilt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AAna | 3047+15 | 3032 | 2031+10 | 55 | 1015+5 | 57+2 |
| BBenWon: Pool Table | 1024+8 | 2031 | 1534+11 | 4040 | 1024+8 | 512+4 |
| CCaraWon: Diamond Ring | 2022+1 | 3537 | 1012+1 | 55 | 1011+1 | 2022+1 |
| AAna | BBen | CCara | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GrandfatherClock | 3047+15 | 1024+8 | 2022+1 |
| DiamondRing→ Cara · paid 33 | 3032 | 2031 | 3537 |
| OilPainting | 2031+10 | 1534+11 | 1012+1 |
| PoolTable→ Ben · paid 6 | 55 | 4040 | 55 |
| VintageWatch | 1015+5 | 1024+8 | 1011+1 |
| HeirloomQuilt | 57+2 | 512+4 | 2022+1 |
The highest bid left anywhere on the board is Ana's 47 points on the Grandfather Clock.
The next highest bid on it is Ben's 24, so Ana pays 25, one point more.
Ana's 22 unused points, Ben's 24 and Cara's 22 on the Grandfather Clock are not lost. They flow into each person's remaining items, in proportion to their bids.
| GrandfatherClock→ Ana · paid 25 | DiamondRing→ Cara · paid 33 | OilPainting | PoolTable→ Ben · paid 6 | VintageWatch | HeirloomQuilt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AAnaWon: Grandfather Clock | 3047 | 3032 | 2044+13 | 55 | 1021+6 | 510+3 |
| BBenWon: Pool Table | 1024 | 2031 | 1546+12 | 4040 | 1032+8 | 516+4 |
| CCaraWon: Diamond Ring | 2022 | 3537 | 1018+6 | 55 | 1016+5 | 2033+11 |
| AAna | BBen | CCara | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GrandfatherClock→ Ana · paid 25 | 3047 | 1024 | 2022 |
| DiamondRing→ Cara · paid 33 | 3032 | 2031 | 3537 |
| OilPainting | 2044+13 | 1546+12 | 1018+6 |
| PoolTable→ Ben · paid 6 | 55 | 4040 | 55 |
| VintageWatch | 1021+6 | 1032+8 | 1016+5 |
| HeirloomQuilt | 510+3 | 516+4 | 2033+11 |
The highest bid left anywhere on the board is Ben's 46 points on the Oil Painting.
The next highest bid on it is Ana's 44, so Ben pays 45, one point more.
Ben's 1 unused points, Ana's 44 and Cara's 18 on the Oil Painting are not lost. They flow into each person's remaining items, in proportion to their bids.
| GrandfatherClock→ Ana · paid 25 | DiamondRing→ Cara · paid 33 | OilPainting→ Ben · paid 45 | PoolTable→ Ben · paid 6 | VintageWatch | HeirloomQuilt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AAnaWon: Grandfather Clock | 3047 | 3032 | 2044 | 55 | 1051+30 | 524+14 |
| BBenWon: Oil Painting, Pool Table | 1024 | 2031 | 1546 | 4040 | 1033+1 | 516 |
| CCaraWon: Diamond Ring | 2022 | 3537 | 1018 | 55 | 1022+6 | 2045+12 |
| AAna | BBen | CCara | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GrandfatherClock→ Ana · paid 25 | 3047 | 1024 | 2022 |
| DiamondRing→ Cara · paid 33 | 3032 | 2031 | 3537 |
| OilPainting→ Ben · paid 45 | 2044 | 1546 | 1018 |
| PoolTable→ Ben · paid 6 | 55 | 4040 | 55 |
| VintageWatch | 1051+30 | 1033+1 | 1022+6 |
| HeirloomQuilt | 524+14 | 516 | 2045+12 |
The highest bid left anywhere on the board is Ana's 51 points on the Vintage Watch.
The next highest bid on it is Ben's 33, so Ana pays 34, one point more.
Ana's 17 unused points, Ben's 33 and Cara's 22 on the Vintage Watch are not lost. They flow into each person's remaining items, in proportion to their bids.
| GrandfatherClock→ Ana · paid 25 | DiamondRing→ Cara · paid 33 | OilPainting→ Ben · paid 45 | PoolTable→ Ben · paid 6 | VintageWatch→ Ana · paid 34 | HeirloomQuilt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AAnaWon: Grandfather Clock, Vintage Watch | 3047 | 3032 | 2044 | 55 | 1051 | 541+17 |
| BBenWon: Oil Painting, Pool Table | 1024 | 2031 | 1546 | 4040 | 1033 | 549+33 |
| CCaraWon: Diamond Ring | 2022 | 3537 | 1018 | 55 | 1022 | 2067+22 |
| AAna | BBen | CCara | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GrandfatherClock→ Ana · paid 25 | 3047 | 1024 | 2022 |
| DiamondRing→ Cara · paid 33 | 3032 | 2031 | 3537 |
| OilPainting→ Ben · paid 45 | 2044 | 1546 | 1018 |
| PoolTable→ Ben · paid 6 | 55 | 4040 | 55 |
| VintageWatch→ Ana · paid 34 | 1051 | 1033 | 1022 |
| HeirloomQuilt | 541+17 | 549+33 | 2067+22 |
The highest bid left anywhere on the board is Cara's 67 points on the Heirloom Quilt.
The next highest bid on it is Ben's 49, so Cara pays 50, one point more.
Cara's 17 unused points, Ana's 41 and Ben's 49 on the Heirloom Quilt are not lost. They flow into each person's remaining items, in proportion to their bids.
That was the last item. See the result below.
| GrandfatherClock→ Ana · paid 25 | DiamondRing→ Cara · paid 33 | OilPainting→ Ben · paid 45 | PoolTable→ Ben · paid 6 | VintageWatch→ Ana · paid 34 | HeirloomQuilt→ Cara · paid 50 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AAnaWon: Grandfather Clock, Vintage Watch | 3047 | 3032 | 2044 | 55 | 1051 | 541 |
| BBenWon: Oil Painting, Pool Table | 1024 | 2031 | 1546 | 4040 | 1033 | 549 |
| CCaraWon: Diamond Ring, Heirloom Quilt | 2022 | 3537 | 1018 | 55 | 1022 | 2067 |
| AAna | BBen | CCara | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GrandfatherClock→ Ana · paid 25 | 3047 | 1024 | 2022 |
| DiamondRing→ Cara · paid 33 | 3032 | 2031 | 3537 |
| OilPainting→ Ben · paid 45 | 2044 | 1546 | 1018 |
| PoolTable→ Ben · paid 6 | 55 | 4040 | 55 |
| VintageWatch→ Ana · paid 34 | 1051 | 1033 | 1022 |
| HeirloomQuilt→ Cara · paid 50 | 541 | 549 | 2067 |
Four rules decide every round. They are the same for everyone.
Each “round” or pass, the algorithm looks at every bid on every item still available and awards the one item with the single highest bid, no matter who placed it. These “rounds” happen instantly in the software once the DYBBS round is closed and all have bid their points.
You don’t pay what you bid. You pay just enough to beat the next highest bid on that item.
Bid 46 · runner-up 44 · pays 45
The winner’s unused points and every losing bid on that item go back to their owners. The points spread over each person’s remaining items in the same proportions as the original bids, so your next choices get stronger.
Ana loses the Ring: 32 points back → Clock +15, Painting +10, Watch +5, Quilt +2
If two or more people have exactly the same top bid on an item, a turn order drawn at random at the start breaks the tie. Whoever wins a tie moves to the back of the line, so the next tie goes to someone else. Near the end, when maybe all remaining items have only 1 point, the snake ordering assigns the remailing items by position on the list.
No one sees anyone else’s points, so bids show what people really want, not what they think others will do.
Bidding high on a favorite never costs you your other choices. You pay only what it takes to win, and the rest keeps working for you.
Everyone works from the same list online, and every award follows the same four rules. There are no side deals and no one person decides.
Divide Things, Not Families™
DYBBS is patent pending
Trustees, executors, mediators and estate planners helping their clients and families work through tangible personal property will find this process is intuitive and time saving. Having it all take place online greatly reduces conflict, scheduling challenges and travel costs.
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