This movement has two advantages:
The disadvantages are that many pairs are moving, and the large amount of board-sharing tends to slow the movement down.
This was the movement of choice for a large number of tables before pre-duplication of boards and the arrival of the Web Mitchell.
An appendix table is a table added on to a basic movement without changing the movement of the boards. This table shares boards with one of the tables in the movement (the appendage table).
The Beynon Appendix Mitchell will only work where the basic Mitchell movement has a prime number of tables (N). From one table (use rover table in preference, see page 104) to N tables (use twin Mitchell in preference, see page 113) can be appended on to the base.
First of all, a standard Mitchell of 5, 7, 11, 13, 17 or 19 tables is set up. More than this is impractical because of the large number of boards, even if they are twinned to alleviate sharing. The first appendix table is positioned next to table 1 and so becomes appended to it. The second is appended to table 2 and so on. These appendix tables are numbered N + 1, N + 2 etc. It is not critical for the appendix tables to be appended in order from table 1, but for ease of instructions to the pairs on their movement, that setting is recommended. Both the appended and the appendage tables contain one stationary pair, but one must be a N-S pair and the other an E-W pair.
For the sake of describing the rest of the movement we will assume that the N-S pairs in the base movement, and the E-W pairs at the corresponding appended tables, are stationary.
Apart from these stationary pairs, the rest of the pairs and the boards are moving. The boards as usual move down one table, but remember they stay within the base movement, never actually ‘moving to’ the appendix tables, only going there when ‘being shared’. The N-S (or E-W) pairs move up one table, and the E-W (or N-S) pairs move either up two tables or down two tables. The latter choice is better as that group can be given the responsibility of moving the boards (“E-W move down two tables, dropping the boards off one table down”). The N-S pairs move up one table at each change, proceed through the appendix tables then switch over to the next available N-S place in the base movement. The E-W pairs on the other hand move down two tables, staying within the base movement throughout the event.
With a half table, the odd pair is placed at the last of the appendix tables as a moving pair, but remember to keep the N-S pair stationary at the appendage table. A scrambled appendix-Mitchell is possible, switching no more than the last 1/8th of the rounds. The players can change directions at the switch round, but continue to move in the same direction as before the switch.
With a low number of tables (for example a five-table base) the half table again becomes a problem, with that pair required to sit out for at least five boards. Even the 7-table-base appendix movement with a half table is not attractive, as they would normally have to sit out for 4 boards. The switching rover can again be used by having the rover pair replace the N-S pair for half the boards and the E-W pair for the other half of the boards. The rover pair moves only within the base movement, sits out for the first half round and replaces the N-S pair at table 1 for the second half of the first round. The roving pair then moves up two tables (assuming the other pairs are moving down two tables; if not it will be vice-versa), first replacing N‑S, then E-W. For example, in a movement with a 7-table base, the roving pair moves 1, 3, 5, 7, 2, 4, 6. This is usually only used in conjunction with the switch-Mitchell.
The Beynon Appendix Mitchell will only work where the basic Mitchell movement has a prime number of tables, say 7.
First of all, a standard Mitchell of 7 tables is set up (the base). The first appendix table is positioned next to table 1 and so becomes appended to it. The second is appended to table 2 and so on. These appendix tables are numbered 7+1 etc. Both the appended and the appendage tables contain one stationary pair, but one must be a N-S pair and the other an E-W pair. Place 3 boards on each table in the base starting at table 1 with boards 1 to 3.
All pairs use the table number as their pair number.
Apart from these stationary pairs, the rest of the pairs and the boards are moving. The boards as usual move down one table, but remember they stay within the base movement, never actually "moving to" the appendix tables, only going there when in "share". The N-S (or E-W) pairs move up one table, and the E-W (or N-S) pairs move either up two tables or down two tables. The N-S pairs move up one table at each change, proceed through the appendix tables then switch over to the next available N-S place in the base movement. The E-W pairs on the other hand move down two tables, staying within the base movement throughout the event.
With a half table, the odd pair is placed at the last of the appendix tables as a moving pair, but remember to keep the N-S pair stationary at the appendage table.
| ©2025 Ian McKinnon. All rights reserved. |