Hurry, we dont have much time!

[zasanya]

To me one of the biggest problem with the "chess clock" solution is how to allocate the time spent answering questions on the meaning of alertable bids - is the time charged to the side making the conventional call, to the side asking questions, or split bewteen the two? Whichever way is open to abuse.

 

Mike

Both the clocks should be stopped while information regarding alertable calls is being supplied or is sought.

[jtfanclub]

I can easily see a problem with this, faster players can just play out hands instead of claiming just to run down the opponent's clock.

The newer clocks can be set up with a delay- after your opponent hits the button, there's a 5 or 15 second delay before the clock starts running down (in order to give you time to record your opponent's move).

 

A 5 second delay would prevent most forms of gamesmanship.

[barmar]

at chess you have a free hand for the clock, and bridge you don't.

After playing a card, the hand that was holding the card is now free. After making a bid, the hand that pulled the card from the bid box is free.

 

The only issue is that for most players, these are different hands. Right-handed players bid with their right hands, and then during the play they hold their hand in their right hand and play cards with the left.

 

So to be accessible easily during both phases of the game, the clock should be in the center of the table (where the duplicate board is typically placed). Which would work out OK -- your hand is already in that general vicinity after placing a bid or card on the table.

[jkljkl]

Maybe one day we will have short range RFIDs in the playing and bidding box cards. Every player has an area in front of him where the RFID signal can be read.

 

So we get a complete record of the play and the time taken.

 

The TD will have a software that will visualise time usage and breaks of correct procedure. (Including automatical recalculation of time consumption due of stop or alert cards) Since final contract and play are a known factor results can be computed immediatly. The TD just needs a palm where he can make the needed changes.

 

The bidding cards can be used to accomodate claims. One player of each side has to use either the clubs (down 1, 2 etc) or the hearts (plus 1, 2 etc.) simultaneously.

 

Since every card in every different board has a different RFID an automatical alarm can be started if players are playing the wrong board.

 

Furthermore we can mark every player with a RFID-Tag ... etc etc

 

Analysis geeks will get a record of every single table and so more records than they can dream of.

 

Ok now I go back to my science fiction book ;-)

 

ciao stefan

germany