Good question, gman314, thanks.
First, the point is not knowing which country has one player. The point is knowing that a certain player is in. This must not happen.
So yes, if it happens when the country choice option is enabled is surely worse than when it's random. But this doesn't mean that random is ok.
Coming to give an answer, IMHO, talking about Anonymous should be always forbidden. Only EoG threads allowed.
Advertising is useless, since every experienced player open the "New" page everyday. It may have some ascendancy only over some noob.
They open it often because, before they join the first thing they see on their homepage, they want to know if there's anything better. "Who knows, maybe there's a better game. Let's look inside!".
Do you always believe in commercial Ads? The toothpaste made by Mr.Rottenteeth is really the best?
Advertising is even backfiring: I don't join an "advertised" Anon. If someone ADs an Anon I just joined, I leave it at lightspeed, before it starts. I know I'm not the only one who does this way.
I'm sure that if Advertising Anon was seriously forbidden, everyone would just check the "New" pages twice a day from first to last one. Everyone, noobs included. Everyone would read it all, and choose.
It takes 5 minutes, I always do it. I read ads just to know which games I must not join. Or I must leave.
Coming to your objection. gman, this is not the old OliDip anymore. There were 250 users and to set up a Chaos Oli himself was forced to Ad it and double the pot. Remeber? :) An epic past.
Now there are over 2,000 users and the number increases by 30 new users a week.
Even WWIV doesn't need ADing anymore.
So. Always forbidden talking of Anons for any reason in any case. No excuses.
Then, IF a Chaos gathered 31 anonymous joiners already, IF 'countries' is random, IF there are only 3 hours left to deadline, IF someone opens a thread "Great Chaos! Only 3 spots left. Hurry up! Only 3 hours !!!! Please do not post in here, just join!""bump""bump", IF it's the first and the last time he does such a thing like this, IF he's the only one who posts in it.... I wouldn't mind. :)