These schedules supply us with an event that is conducted very much like any other pairs’ event, but can be scored as pairs or as teams or as both pairs and teams. The results can be posted with one winning team and/or one winning pair.
This new event is a combination of these two types of schedules, conducted like any other Howell movement but with one round less than the full quota. Essentially this is a ¾ (reduced) Howell where one pair is missed (their team mates) and for an even number of teams the number of board-sets is the same as the number of rounds. All pairs play against all the pairs in the other teams and play all the boards. Each match consists of two boards-sets, one set played against one pair in the opposing team and the other against the second pair. Each pair plays half the rounds as N-S and half as E-W, though this is not possible for each match.
The big difference in the schedule when compared to any Howell is the use of two cycles for some numbers of tables. These are called bicyclic schedules. Each cycle forms a stanza of the movement, the first cycle operates for the first half of the rounds and the second for the second half. A new set of table guide-cards is needed after half the rounds and the players take up a new starting position. Only one set-of-boards is in play for the whole event and is also divided into two lots. The first half of the boards cycle through the first half of the tables and the second half through the second half of the tables.
| ©2025 Ian McKinnon. All rights reserved. |