[jillybean]

Im filling in for the position of playing Director at a local game.
The organizer wants 7 rounds of 3 boards so we set up a 9 table mitchell, table 9 is a sitout.

As the last round is starting, I am asked to add another round to make it 8 x 3 boards.

How is this done? ACBLScore would not allow me to change the number of rounds from 7 to 8 and I am a playing
Director and don't have the time or confidence to fiddle around and try to get it changed mid game.

[mycroft]

Not easy, especially with bridgemates.

Better to set it for 8x3 to start, and then you can cut the last round (F9, 2, "change ending round number").

You could try setting that to 8 from 7 (rather than the other way), but I have never done it.

[jillybean]

In this game; shuffle, deal, play.
Round#1 I have a pair sitting out at table 8. I would dearly like them to enter the handrecords into the BM after they've created the boards.
After they enter their numbers in the BM, it advises them that they are sitting out and basically shuts down, accepting no more input.

Is there a work around?
Thanks.

mycroft, on 2025-February-27, 21:02, said:

Not easy, especially with bridgemates.

What is the alternative and is it better?

[mycroft]

The alternative, as stated, is "start it as an 8 round Mitchell and cut back to 7 if it goes 'normally to time'".

[jillybean]

I understood the 8 to 7 round fix

Is there any way to stop the BM shutting off for the sit out pair?

[mycroft]

Sorry, was confused. No, not really - after the names are input, there is no play at that table, so it ends.

You can have a phantom E-W, instead, so that after the names go in, it is ready for the first board played, but that will be in round 2.

I have never done manual input of hands into the bridgemates; I create sets and import from PBN. Yeah, shuffle and deal, but I've just never done that. So I really don't know what happens with boards not played round 1 (what happens with a Howell? Do the players at the last table have to put in each board as it is first played, or do you just not get all the boards that initially sit out? If not the latter, the same solution should apply to the sitout boards the first round of your movement).

[blackshoe]

"Shuffle and play" is so nineteenth century.

[jillybean]

mycroft, on 2025-March-03, 22:06, said:

Sorry, was confused. No, not really - after the names are input, there is no play at that table, so it ends.

You can have a phantom E-W, instead, so that after the names go in, it is ready for the first board played, but that will be in round 2.

I have never done manual input of hands into the bridgemates; I create sets and import from PBN. Yeah, shuffle and deal, but I've just never done that. So I really don't know what happens with boards not played round 1 (what happens with a Howell? Do the players at the last table have to put in each board as it is first played, or do you just not get all the boards that initially sit out? If not the latter, the same solution should apply to the sitout boards the first round of your movement).

I have not had to run a Howell S,D,P
I guess the Director could enter the sitout boards, if not playing.

[jillybean]

blackshoe, on 2025-March-05, 00:13, said:

"Shuffle and play" is so nineteenth century.

Dealing machines are so expensive

[mycroft]

You can do "make boards and move pre-game" if you have extra tables over "full game", the way we used to do at tournaments. You have to print out the "tossables", but it doesn't need a dealing machine.

Ex. 14 tables, 13 rounds; make up the boards, boards down 1 before round 1; skip after 7. ACBLScor will give you that option when setting up the game.

Yeah, it's work, but less work (probably) than inputting hands into the bridgemate after play. Plus you get analysis for (pre-printable) hand records.

[mycroft]

And, as a bonus, you get to learn the Blackpool movements we all have now forgotten how to do (with glee, in my case. Didn't ever run them often enough to be sure of getting it right without Experienced Assistance).

Just checked (ACBLscor, actually). Would have got it right from memory. Still sucks, though, especially when the movements are specifically for the "perfect games" (9x3, 13x2) and it makes them deliberately imperfect (because the players have to make up one set of boards, so clearly they can't play them).