For when F2F bridge returns... A "fair" 18-table event

495670

This isn't relevant right at the minute but we continue to hope that F2F bridge will return soon, and at the very least by February/March next year when the event below is scheduled to take place for the first time.

Assuming a turnout of around 18 tables, the event would start with a 2-section qualifier, with each section playing a 2-winner 18-board Mitchell. The top four pairs from each section and direction (i.e. Red NS, Red EW, Blue NS, Blue EW) based on the across the field MP scores would qualify for the "A Final" and the rest go into the consolation event. The consolation event is straight-forward: 10 tables, 11 rounds so Hesitation Mitchell with random starting positions (there will be a few replays but that's ok). The "A Final" is a little more complex because ideally we would want an all-play-all final; The alternative is to have an 11-round Howell, which is designed so that you skip out the 4 pairs you faced in the qualifier that also qualified for the final. The scores for those 4 skipped rounds are simply carried forward from the equivalent rounds in the qualifier.

So the big question is... is there an easy way to work out the starting positions of each pair for the A Final? We would have about a week from when entries close to the event to work out the movement based on the exact turnout, 18 tables is just an example. The carry forward scores should be easy enough to calculate (though presumably the carry forward would have to be taken out when the session is processed for the NGS, and added back into a null event for masterpoints).

Peter

I'd be concerned about carrying over the results obtained against the four qualifiers you already played.
My concern would be that your tactics would be different when trying to qualify than when trying to win a final.

How important is it that you have an 8-table A Final, as opposed to 6 tables?

Peter

This may work if you want a 16-pair final playing 11 rounds and playing everyone you didn't play in the qualifier:
Final Stage 1
Start with two four table sections both playing 7-round Howells
In Section 1 put the A Section N/Ss and the B Section N/Ss from the qualifier
In Section 2 put the A Section E/Ws and the B Section E/Ws from the qualifier

Final Stage 2
Continue with two four table sections both playing 4-board Mitchells
In Section 1 put the A Section N/Ss and the B Section E/Ws from the qualifier
In Section 2 put the A Section E/Ws and the B Section N/Ss from the qualifier

Carry Forward Score from Pairs already played in the qualifier
You're then left with:
The A Section N/Ss who have not played the A Section E/Ws they already played in the qualifier
The B Section N/Ss who have not played the B Section E/Ws they already played in the qualifier

495670

Thanks Peter, yes I think that movement works! Perfect.

The carry forward score was just to make it effectively a 15-round all-play-all result. I take your point that tactics in the qualifier could be different, though I guess you would expect (in theory at least) that each pair adjusts their tactics by a similar extent? But of course the boards you're carrying forward are different for different pairs so I suppose it might be unfair if one pair happened to play a couple of slam boards against another qualifier while the others didn't... with that in mind, it would probably be more appropriate to just use the suggested carry forward in the White Book.

A 6 table final is fine but obviously your intention is for that to be an all-play-all, guaranteeing that you play against 3 pairs you have already played from the qualifier. The event is such that playing as many pairs as possible over the course of the day is more important than the results (it's more sociable than competitive really). Ideally, I would set up the consolation event with set starting positions so that you will again only play pairs you haven't played before, so I should probably do that (I suspect the same sort of format to the one you have above will work out fine for that too).