[Fluffy]

This looks woderful, if I can play boardgames for 16 hours, perhaps I can handle bridge 24. But dates ain't great cos on my country there is a special family party with food, presents etc.

Good news is, you don't need any hotel , flight in the morning, play, and leave

[Fluffy]

I couldn´t get there as I suposed, how is it going?

[gwnn]

It was cancelled because of insufficient interest. cough cough fluffy it was your fault too.

[gordontd]

 gwnn, on 2012-January-07, 12:07, said:

It was cancelled because of insufficient interest. cough cough fluffy it was your fault too.

I´m sorry to hear that, but not entirely surprised. The Young Chelsea Marathon used to hold 56 pairs and was for many years sold out well in advance. Then, the numbers started falling off and the last three or four were not full, the last one only managing to attract 17.5 pairs (directors took it in turns to make up the half pair). I´m not sure what the reason is - perhaps that online bridge is available 24 hours a day for anyone who wants, and the old stalwarts who used to play are now rather older. Whatever the reason, the club isn´t intending to hold another until sufficient interest has been identified, because it´s a very time-consuming event to organise and barely broke even financially.

[mr1303]

Back in my younger student days I played both the West of England marathon and the YC marathon. I felt really ill for quite a while afterwards, as well as falling asleep on the tube home, which on a Sunday afternoon led to much embarrassment. I wouldn't be against the idea of playing again as I am now a school teacher, but it would have to be during the school holidays to justify it. The biggest problem of course is the lack of sleep. Us humans aren't designed to play bridge for 24 hours solid

I preferred the WoE theme, having 6 different events rather than 1 ongoing one, since carrying on when you are out of contention is hard work.

[akhare]

Wow -- the closest I came to that was playing the early bird through Midnight Swiss in the Vancouver NABC.

I still remember nodding sheepishly at pard after the incredulous "You forgot to cash in the setting trick at trick 12? ...

[Fluffy]

perhaps 24 hours is too much, and 16 hours would be more popular? or 2 sessions of 12 with some sleep time in between.

[TylerE]

Maybe a survivor format? Drop, say, the bottom 10% after each session so those who are well out aren't forced to stick around and be miserable?

[barmar]

Years ago I had a friend who would throw a New Year's Eve bridge party. We'd play a duplicate in the evening, then watch the ball drop. A few stallwarts would then stick around and we'd start playing rubber bridge through the night and into New Year's Day, with just a break for breakfast.