Web Mitchell movement

An even number of tables is required in the whole field, though there are ways to cater for odd numbers. See web rover-table (page 109) and web hesitation (page 104) modifications for odd numbers of tables.

As far as the pairs are concerned the movement appears the same as any Mitchell movement. The tables are divided into two groups for the purpose of board moving.

The number of sets of boards dictates the length of the event and must be equal to or more than half the number of tables. You might have 7 or 8 sets of 3 or 4 boards, 9 or 10 sets of 3 boards, 11 or 12 sets of 2 boards, 13 or 14 sets of 2 boards. The tables are numbered from 1 to 2N and there must be 2 copies of each board in play. The duplication of the boards can be done by the players or they can be pre-duplicated. Note: Where the number of board-sets is greater than the number of tables, pairs will meet more than once.

Tables 1 to 1/2 N play the first set-of-boards and tables 1/2 N + 1 to 2N play the second set-of-boards. In the first group of tables the first board-set goes on table 1, the second on 2, etc., with the excess sets on a relay table at the end. In the second set of tables the highest numbered set goes on table 2N, set 1 goes on table 2N - l, set 2 goes on table 2N - 2, etc., with the excess again on a relay table. For example, with 7 sets of boards and 10 tables the following arrangement is made:

In the first group, the boards move down one table at each change so that tables 1 through 5 play the boards in ascending order.

In the second group the boards move down one table also, but tables 6 through 10 play the boards in descending order.

The E-W pairs always move up 1 table ignoring any sectional boundaries and irrespective of the number of tables. When using an even number of board-sets the E-W pairs must skip after playing half the boards.

All players play all boards in this event, but all N-S pairs do not meet all E-W pairs when there are less board-sets than tables. As such, if this is used in qualifying events, the seeding of pairs is necessary for the starting positions so that all seeded pairs N-S meet all seeded pairs E-W.

Where there is an even number of board-sets and the number of tables equals the number of sets a revenge round, like in the skip Mitchell, is required to complete the movement.

One curious feature of this movement is the ability to handle any number of sets of boards. For example a 4-table web can be conducted with 13 board-sets, but the pairs do meet each other many times, in this case either 3 or 4 times. This ability does allow the use of the web as an appendix movement with any other Mitchell. See appending movements modification, page 123.