[Gerben42]

In many Vugraph broadcasts there is the problem that no one knows what system the pairs on Vugraph are playing. I hope the relevant people are reading this but could it be possible to put the convention cards of the participating pairs on the tournament website? Many pairs will have made their CC on the computer so those might already be available, others might be scanned (save as jpeg to save bandwidth).

This would be a great help for people watfching or commentating.

[the hog]

While I agree, Gerben, I suspect this might be a lot of extra work and we must not forget that the vue graph commentators do this for nothing.

What I do find disappointing is when a some commentators make gratuitous comments about the bidding when they have absolutely no idea about the system the opposing pairs are playing. This happens particularly in relay auctions and also when players are playing a complicated system.

I certainly am not expecting commentators to know all of the systems played, but perhaps it would be better to limit comments to the play if you don't understand the bidding.

[Walddk]

Some organisers provide system cards, and when they do, we highlight the event on our vugraph schedule page with a direct link. Look at the Swedish Team Trials this weekend for example. When you get to the web site, you will see that system cards are available for all 16 pairs.

I wish this would be the rule rather than the exception, but in most cases we do not get that info, and only rarely will we be able to download the convention cards by searching through Google or Yahoo.

Having said that, however, it doesn't always happen that commentators download and go through the CCs even if they are available. That is wrong in my opinion, but then this question arises: How much can you expect from people who spend hundreds of hours on this business every year without getting paid?

"You get what you pay for", is perhaps appropriate in this context (this is no complaint, and no offence intended dear BBO managers). In fact, I think we get a lot for nothing. Others are of course entitled to having a different opinion.

Roland

[Gerben42]

I noticed that the Swedish Trials webpage give all the CCs for all the pairs involved, which I think is great! Also in the past the Swedish Bridge Federation has given a lot of relevant information.

However for many tournaments this is not the case, even for world class events like the Vanderbilt. That event had already been underway for several days until getting to the Vugraph phase. If someone would have published the CCs of the quarterfinalists that would have helped.
(This is not a complaint to the organizers of the Vanderbilt but just an example)

Don't get me wrong, I really think as well that we get a lot for nothing here, but since this forum is about what could be improved I just wanted to let you know.

[mrdct]

Perhaps the issue could be forced by imposing minimum standards on the convenors of events that want to be vugraphed, such as:

- a website with timely results posted after each segment/session; and
- a website with links to or copies of player convention cards.

[nikos59]

Well, I think that "imposing minimum standards" goes a bit
too far. I very much prefer to have 10 Vugraphs without
minimum standards than 5 with them. Moreover, I think
that having to plod through convention cards is
not going to be popular with commentators: they
might ask for a raise :-)

n

[joker_gib]

nikos59, on Apr 12 2005, 01:51 AM, said:

I very much prefer to have 10 Vugraphs without
minimum standards than 5 with them.

Totally agree with you on that point, Nikos !

But to rejoin Dave's suggestion, maybe "imposing" is a bit too much but "pointing out" should already be good.

Alain

[Gerben42]

I agree as well, but I sort of see plodding through the convention cards as "fun" at least when there are nonstandard things on them. I have a colletion of about 700 CCs at the moment but this does not cover all pairs that will appear on Vugraph.

Agree with joker, my post was there for the "pointing out". I know that in the very first German Vugraph broadcast we were just happy when it worked. Other NBOs will probably feel the same but as they become more experienced this might be a point worth noting.

[Walddk]

The first official broadcast from England coming up this weekend: The Lady Milne Trophy from Manchester. The English Bridge Union already knows how to go about this it seems. Have a look at

http://www.ebu.co.uk/competitions/homeinte...e05/default.htm

and any commentator and spectator will be delighted. That's perfect, all possible info to be found, but don't hold your breath if you expect this to be standard all over the world. We can always hope of course, but it will take time.

In fact, I think that this link should be forwarded to all organisers of vugraph broadcasts. Then they will know how to do it in the best possible way.

Roland

[joker_gib]

Everything is there !

Congratulations to the EBU !

[fred]

nikos59, on Apr 12 2005, 06:51 AM, said:

Well, I think that "imposing minimum standards" goes a bit
too far. I very much prefer to have 10 Vugraphs without
minimum standards than 5 with them. Moreover, I think
that having to plod through convention cards is
not going to be popular with commentators: they
might ask for a raise :-)

n

Agree. We are not going to doing any imposing in this area.

Our position is that we are grateful when tournament organizers are willing to expend the time, effort, and money required to produce vugraph broadcasts of their events. The only things we really feel comfortable about asking them are:

1) That they train their operators to use the software properly
2) That, if they want to use Roland's services, that they give him enough lead time so that he can find commentators

That being said, I think it makes sense to suggest to tournament organizers that making convention cards available tends to increase the level of audience interest. Roland has a standard e-mail that he send to tournament organizers when they express interest in vugraph. I am sure he is reading this thread and, if he agee that this would be a reasonable thing to add to his standard e-mail, will do so (assuming he has not done this already).

Fred Gitelman
Bridge Base Inc.
www.bridgebase.com

[Walddk]

fred, on Apr 12 2005, 09:04 AM, said:

I am sure he is reading this thread and, if he agee that this would be a reasonable thing to add to his standard e-mail, will do so (assuming he has not done this already).

Fred Gitelman
Bridge Base Inc.
www.bridgebase.com

He did already, but merely as a "that would be nice" issue, not as a must.

Roland

[fred]

Walddk, on Apr 12 2005, 02:21 PM, said:

fred, on Apr 12 2005, 09:04 AM, said:

I am sure he is reading this thread and, if he agee that this would be a reasonable thing to add to his standard e-mail, will do so (assuming he has not done this already).

Fred Gitelman
Bridge Base Inc.
www.bridgebase.com

He did already, but merely as a "that would be nice" issue, not as a must.

Roland

He thinks of everything

Fred Gitelman
Bridge Base Inc.
www.bridgebase.com

[joker_gib]

fred, on Apr 12 2005, 09:38 AM, said:

He thinks of everything

That's why we appreciate him so much !

Alain

[shoeless]

As a past chair of national championships if someone had handed me a list of recommendations for a first rate event I would have kissed their feet and tried my best to fulfill those recommendations. Hosting an event is a thing of pride - you don't need have to's - just put stuff in their toolbox. I would go so far as to suggest a full blown BBO vugraph manual for tourney organizers that covered in sufficient detail not only nice to do's, but how to do them. It's called working with your business partner's to provider top-notch customer service - customers being the viewers.