[Lanor Fow]

Hi All,

I'm directing a two session (24ish boards each session) pairs event and wanted peoples opinion on movements. I'm not sure on the numbers so I'm trying to cater for most possibilities. I believe that if necessary I will have three sets of boards.

For small numbers obviously I can play two Howells and between 9-13 tables I could play a Mitchell followed by two Howells (interwoven if odd number of tables)

For larger numbers I can play a Web, followed by two Howells.



At what number of tables should I look to switch to two Mitchells, and when I do how do the lines switch?

I've read that it's technically better often (with say 9-15 tables) to play two sections with a mitchell and howell in both sessions, I'm not sure the technical reasons for this, but should I be considering it in any circumstances, or would it be easier, not knowing numbers, to just play a web?

Thanks

[barmar]

The Offline Bridge forum might be a better place for questions like this. Movements aren't really a matter of law or regulation.

[campboy]

barmar, on 2015-April-15, 10:25, said:

The Offline Bridge forum might be a better place for questions like this. Movements aren't really a matter of law or regulation.

It's true that the topic doesn't really fit this part of the forum, but this is a place where experienced directors are likely to see it, and they're the most likely people to be able to help.

[VixTD]

I find the recommendations sent out from EBU HQ for the Portland Pairs (which you're familiar with) useful for this kind of thing, but I expect you're looking for an all-play-all arrangement, and as near as possible perfect balance, which we don't bother with in that competition.

The EBU movement manual has suggested movements for two-session all-play-all events for (I think) 8-14 tables, and some useful general advice if you have more than 14 tables, when you may have to abandon the all-play-all principle. If I remember correctly odd numbers of tables play a Mitchell followed by twinned Howells, even numbers have two twinned Howells. (I ran a twelve table event last year that had chaotic pair and board movements, but it all worked out OK.)

Another big headache in some of the twinned movements for odd numbers of tables is that there are no stationary pairs, so if you have any immobile players you have to make other arrangements.

[VixTD]

If we're not being much help, perhaps you could take a guess at the most likely numbers of tables you're going to get, tell us any other conditions (e.g. how flexible the number of boards to be played is, whether it should be all-play-all, how many sitting pairs you're likely to have to accommodate) and see what suggestions you get. It's a useful exercise for directors.

[Lanor Fow]

Thanks to those who responded on the thread and by message. I ended up having 16.5 tables and played the first session as a web. With a lot of help, I've sorted a interwoven howell for the second session, that given the number of pairs, I've managed to arrange the stationary pairs to still be stationary. Jeff Smith was very useful in telling me that i was initially trying to have the same pair play the same boards at two tables in the same round.

Apologies Barmar for probably posting in the wrong place, I thought the expertise here would lead to it being most likely people would be able to help.