[Geoff103]

Iam fortunate enough to have retained TD status from a few years back and am abut to run a private pairs tournament for my clubs.

Is it possible in the event of an odd number of pairs to run with a moving sit out throughout the tourney?

[gordontd]

 Geoff103, on 2020-March-22, 02:48, said:

Iam fortunate enough to have retained TD status from a few years back and am abut to run a private pairs tournament for my clubs.

Is it possible in the event of an odd number of pairs to run with a moving sit out throughout the tourney?

No, I've always been told it's essential to fill a half table with substitutes.

[Geoff103]

 gordontd, on 2020-March-22, 02:54, said:

No, I've always been told it's essential to fill a half table with substitutes.

OK, not what I wanted to hear. So is it possible to remove the odd pair, with aplogies to them?

[gordontd]

 Geoff103, on 2020-March-22, 03:01, said:

OK, not what I wanted to hear. So is it possible to remove the odd pair, with aplogies to them?

I would have thought not, since the movement will already have been set up. You can put a maximum number of pairs though, so you could limit it to a number you expect to fill. What is your objection to substitutes? They do a great job keeping games happening and you'll probably have to use them if someone loses their connection. Maybe you could get a pair to volunteer to be substitutes and seat them first if you have a half table?

[Geoff103]

 gordontd, on 2020-March-22, 03:07, said:

I would have thought not, since the movement will already have been set up. You can put a maximum number of pairs though, so you could limit it to a number you expect to fill. What is your objection to substitutes? They do a great job keeping games happening and you'll probably have to use them if someone loses their connection. Maybe you could get a pair to volunteer to be substitutes and seat them first if you have a half table?

I had to convince my club that only players from within their ranks would be in a private tournament. When I tried this 3/4 years back, they were nervous of 'outsiders' (don't ask me why, I play with anyone ). This time round circumstances are different, so hopefully thir attude will be.

Our chairman exhibits a degree of snootiness towards BBO.

[gordontd]

 Geoff103, on 2020-March-22, 03:27, said:

I had to convince my club that only players from within their ranks would be in a private tournament. When I tried this 3/4 years back, they were nervous of 'outsiders' (don't ask me why, I play with anyone ). This time round circumstances are different, so hopefully thir attude will be.

Our chairman exhibits a degree of snootiness towards BBO.

So, finding a pair of volunteers from within the club to make up the table seems to be the solution.

[Geoff103]

 gordontd, on 2020-March-22, 03:34, said:

So, finding a pair of volunteers from within the club to make up the table seems to be the solution.

If I do that and they sit online on BBO but not registered do I just sit them at the vacant seats ?

[gordontd]

 Geoff103, on 2020-March-22, 04:27, said:

If I do that and they sit online on BBO but not registered do I just sit them at the vacant seats ?

Yes. Click on the red SITOUT places and type in their BBO names.

[criptik]

Can I use robots to fill the sitouts?

[pescetom]

 criptik, on 2020-April-10, 15:39, said:

Can I use robots to fill the sitouts?

Bizarrely, no.
I seem to remember that barmar said they have it on their radar for when things calm down.

Geoff's replies make perfect sense to me.
My club's choices in order of preference would be:
1) robots
2) members willing to step down (not me)
3) a traditional sitout (they are used to it)
4) boot the last pair to join
5) substitutes.

As mentioned elsewhere, if I can't find a couple willing to step down then my solution is to register a pair of phones/tablets to play as sitout1 and sitout2 (or similar). A non-playing director just has to keep them alive by responding to "are you still there" periodically. This also gets round the bug that director has no direct access to the tournament after the revision period has terminated, as sitout1 "played" in the tournament (and scored a decent 50% too).

[biometrics]

I´m solving the "sitout" problem by asking someone in advance to play with me as a 'Joker-pair'. Means: (s)he and I step down given there is an odd number of pairs. In addition I´ve asked our club members to registrate at least 15 minutes before the tournament starts. That works quite well but of course it´s not a perfect solution.

[pescetom]

 biometrics, on 2020-April-10, 23:49, said:

I´m solving the "sitout" problem by asking someone in advance to play with me as a 'Joker-pair'. Means: (s)he and I step down given there is an odd number of pairs. In addition I´ve asked our club members to registrate at least 15 minutes before the tournament starts. That works quite well but of course it´s not a perfect solution.

I too have set a 15 minute deadline and I too try to be part of a Joker-Pair, although I am not at ease directing and playing.
But only one guy usually offers and I refuse on principal to repeatedly take advantage of him.
So I also register a pair of silent phones as mentioned.

The problem is even thornier for an individual tournament, as one needs a multiple of 4 human players and silent phones are of no use here. If we have 4n+1 entries then I first talk to anyone I know was lukewarm and see if they are willing to drop out. If not then I register myself and leave it open to the last minute in the hope that someone ignored the deadline and we can reach at least 4n+3, so me and one substitute. If we reach 4n then no substitute and 4n+1 then I unregister myself and quickly block the number. It would all be so much simpler with robot substitutes.

[jnichols]

Yesterday evening I was running an ACBL club tournament that started with a half table. It was about 1 minute before the end of the first round before I found the second sub.
What happens when I can't find that sub.

This was a 0-1500 game. Monday I am running a 0-500 game and I really don't want subs with lots more points than that.